Delhi is getting ready for its next big election in 2025, and it’s already making a lot of news. The two most important people from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, are back to asking for people’s votes. They say they’ll only return to their government jobs if voters say they trust them after all the trouble they faced this year. Both leaders had been accused of wrongdoing, and even went to jail for some time. Now they’re free on bail and trying to convince people they’re still “honest leaders.” They want this election to prove their innocence in the eyes of the public. What’s the Fight About? Kejriwal has had a rocky time running Delhi. He’s often argued with the people in charge of Delhi’s government departments, the Lieutenant Governors (LGs), and even some of his own party’s allies. The AAP used to win big elections in Delhi, but this time it’ll be harder. People are unhappy about many things in the city, like: Pollution and toxic air Piles of garbage everywhere Terrible traffic and poor public transport The struggles of poorer workers who don’t get paid enough Even though these are big problems, the election will probably focus on other things like religion, political drama, and law-and-order issues. What’s AAP’s Plan? Kejriwal and his party are trying different ideas to win. For example, Sisodia, who barely won his seat last time, has been moved to a safer area to contest. Meanwhile, AAP has been growing outside Delhi too. They now have a government in Punjab and even won a few seats in Gujarat and Goa. But back in Delhi, this election could be their toughest challenge yet. AAP has a lot to prove, but will the real problems of the city, like clean air, better transport, and fair pay, get enough attention? That’s the big question.US announces nearly $1 bn in new military aid for Ukraine
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The roof at the home of the Dallas Cowboys opened without incident and will stay that way for a Monday night meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals. It was to be the first game with the roof open at AT&T Stadium since Oct. 30, 2022, a 49-29 Dallas victory over Chicago. The roof was supposed to be open three weeks ago for Houston's 34-10 victory on another Monday night, but a large piece of metal and other debris fell roughly 300 feet to the field as the retractable roof was opening about three hours before kickoff. The Cowboys decided to close the roof after the incident, and it remained that way for the game. There were no injuries, and the start of the game wasn't delayed. The club said at the time it would investigate the cause with a plan to reopen the roof when it was deemed safe. Wind was cited as a cause for the falling debris. There were gusts of at least 30 mph in the afternoon before the meeting with the Texans. It was sunny with a high in the 70s Monday in the Dallas area, and winds were in the 10 mph range. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL The Associated Press
Riga Sugar Mill reopens after4 years in Nitish’s presence
Winter is almost here. In between your hot chocolate and holiday parties, there's another holiday activity that's surely on your mind. Of course, I'm talking about shopping. As the end of the year approaches, businesses are doing everything they can to entice shoppers to come through the door and take advantage of sales. While there are a number of ways to invest in holiday shopping patterns, I see Shopify ( SHOP 3.75% ) as a top e-commerce opportunity you'll want to have on your radar this December. Let's dig into how Shopify is already dominating the holiday season, and assess why the company's momentum could very well continue. December could be a huge month for Shopify The final weeks of the year are loaded with holiday-themed shopping days. Here's a quick rundown if you need a refresher: Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) Small Business Saturday (the Saturday after Thanksgiving) Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving) In addition, the entire month of December features sales both online and in brick-and-mortar storefronts. Furthermore, let's not forget that many of these holiday-inspired discounts carry on beyond Christmas -- you know, for all of those gifts that you pretended to like but can't wait to exchange. According to Shopify's management, the company has already kicked off the holiday season in record fashion. Merchants on Shopify generated $11.5 billion in gross merchandise volume between Black Friday and Cyber Monday -- representing an increase of 24% year over year and a new record for the company. On the surface, this is encouraging because it showcases Shopify's growing presence in the commerce landscape . However, I actually see something more subtle here. Remember, the last few years have been tough on the consumer given abnormally high levels of inflation and rising interest rates. But with inflation beginning to show consistent signs of cooling down and the Federal Reserve finally instituting an interest rate tapering policy, consumer purchasing power is gradually bouncing back. I see the activity generated through Shopify between Black Friday and Cyber Monday as an encouraging proxy for what's to come throughout the month of December, as last minute shoppers finalize their gifting. But don't just take my word for it. Emarketer is estimating that holiday retail sales will grow by 5% in 2024, reaching a total of $1.4 trillion. Given Shopify's dual presence online and in stores via its point-of-sale ( POS ) system integrations, the company is well-positioned to take advantage of holiday shopping via both e-commerce and brick-and-mortar retail stores. Taking a look at Shopify's valuation One of my biggest challenges when assessing an investment in Shopify has always revolved around valuation. While the company is finally generating positive net income and free cash flow on a consistent basis, both values are yet to truly scale. For this reason, assessing Shopify on measurements of profitability just isn't useful in my eyes. SHOP PS Ratio data by YCharts In the chart above, I've benchmarked Shopify against a wide peer set of companies with strong e-commerce or retail footholds on a price-to-sales (P/S) basis. Even by this measure, Shopify is the most expensive stock among its cohort and it's not even close. Moreover, the trends illustrated above underscore that Shopify stock has witnessed some outsized valuation expansion over the last couple of months as well. Is Shopify stock a buy right now? While I'm comfortable saying that Shopify is a pricey stock, I'm going to take this analysis one step further to help assess if now is a good time to buy shares. SHOP PS Ratio data by YCharts The chart above reflects the change in Shopify's stock price between Thanksgiving 2023 (Nov. 23, 2023) and Jan. 31, 2024. As you can see, shares of Shopify rose considerably just after Thanksgiving and the momentum continued through the end of the year. However, shortly after the holidays passed, shares of Shopify fell off a cliff. To me, this type of price action screams momentum trade . As a long-term investor, I do not want to get caught up in a bullish holiday-driven narrative that could fuel the interest of day traders and lead to outsized swings in momentum of Shopify stock. Although I see Shopify as a good stock to monitor as the holiday season kicks into gear, I think there are better entry points into the stock.Supporters and members of Melbourne’s large Jewish population have gathered for a vigil at the site of a burnt out synagogue. The ultra-Orthodox temple was firebombed and significantly damaged about 4am on Friday by what police suspect was a trio of young men or possibly teenagers. Two worshippers were in the temple at the time; there were no major injuries but a Jewish man who fled when a window was smashed burnt his hand on a door. Millions of dollars of holy texts, handwritten Torah scrolls, artefacts and furniture were destroyed or badly damaged. Flowers and messages of support have been laid at the site in the days since the attack, and on Sunday morning a vigil was held. About 300 hundred people gathered in a park near the synagogue, with many people draped in Israel flags and many others wearing traditional clothing signifying their Judaism. Attending media report a relatively high spirit among the crowd - given the circumstances -including singing and chanting. Former federal Liberal Party deputy leader Josh Frydenberg was in attendance but did not speak to the crowd. Local federal Labor MP Josh Burns took to the stage and received some jeers, but was defended state Liberal MP David Southwick. After the 45-minute gathering, people continued to place flowers on the temporary fencing surrounding the badly burnt temple. In the wake of the attack on Friday, the Prime Minister said the “shocking” and “un-Australian” incident “should be unequivocally condemned”. “To attack a synagogue is an attack of anti-Semitism. It’s attacking the right that all Australians should have to practice their faith in peace and security,” the Prime Minister said. Despite the condemnation, Anthony Albanese was criticised by current and former political opponents for not calling the attack a terrorist act. On Sunday he labelled the firebombing as an act of terrorism. “If you want my personal view, quite clearly terrorism is something that is aimed at creating fear in the community and the atrocities that occurred at the synagogue in Melbourne clearly were designed to create fear in the community,” Mr Albanese told reporters. “And therefore, from my personal perspective, certainly fulfils that definition of terrorism.” ASIO and Victorian anti-terrorism police are investigating and have not yet ruled the attack as a terrorist incident. Victorian and federal police forces will meet on Monday to officially determine whether the arson attack was an act of terror. The firebombing happened at the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea, in Melbourne’s southeast. Ripponlea and the surrounding suburbs have a high concentration of Jewish Australians. The Adass Israel Synagogue is home to members of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community and is one of the busiest Jewish temples in the country. The male members of this sect are recognisable by their white collared shirts, long black coats, broadbrimmed black hats and circular fur hats - the latter called shtreimel. Melbourne’s Adass Israel community traces its origins to Holocaust survivors from countries such as Hungary and Czechoslovakia. The Adass’ are known to be particularly insular and highly observant of Jewish religious law. Originally published as Vigil held at Melbourne’s firebombed Adass Israel Synagogue after fire attack
76ers' star Paul George sidelined the next 2 games with bone bruise in left knee(Excerpted from the autobiography of MDD Peiris, Secretary to the Prime Minister) The end of January saw the arrival of President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia and his party. We were involved with the usual organizational and logistical arrangements relevant to such important occasions, as well as preparations and participation at the talks. With the Non-Aligned Conference approaching, President Kaunda’s visit was particularly important in relation to the discussions of African opinion and issues. The Prime Minister had arranged an impressive state dinner in honour of the visiting President and party at President’s House in the Fort, with soft music provided by the Navy band. President Kaunda was jovial and relaxed, and very soon he and his delegation which included the Foreign Minister and other distinguished personalities, were clapping to the tune of the music. At the end of the dinner, after the speeches and toasts, President Kaunda got up and whilst thanking the Prime Minister again for a memorable evening called upon his delegation to stand and sing an African song, the name of which he suggested. Soon we were treated to a beautiful and haunting song sung by a number of deep baritone voices, with the visiting President outstanding. A very relaxed President Kaunda was trying to encourage the Prime Minister to initiate singing on our side. But one could see that she was somewhat shy. Altogether, it was a lovely evening. There were other important visits during 1975. In July, President Echeverria of Mexico arrived. This visit was again, important from the point of view of a discussion on Non-Alignment and other international and bilateral issues. This visit was followed by the arrival of the Yugoslav Prime Minister in September, again extremely important, due to the impending Non-Aligned Conference, where President Tito was expected to play an important role. In November, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Sonny Ramphal arrived. There were discussions, followed by a public lecture he delivered at the BMICH. He was an excellent speaker. The middle of December witnessed the arrival of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan. He was polished, bright and an excellent speaker. The discussions were interesting and thorough and included the situation arising from the break up of Pakistan. In between these visits we had a number of other dignitaries visiting Sri Lanka, including Deputy Ministers from various countries and the Rt. Hon. Malcolm Macdonald of Britain. We therefore had much to do on the international front. In addition, preparations for the Non-Aligned Conference were now taking up a significant portion of our time. The break-up of the coalition On the domestic front a momentous change occurred. In September 1975, came the final break with the LSSP and that party left the government. As my previous comments would have indicated, this was not a sudden break. The interaction of personalities and issues in a negative direction was gradually leading towards this situation. There were undoubtedly differences that surfaced in many areas including constitutional matters; economic polices; nationalization issues and the pace and timing of policies that were even agreed upon. But in the end, what I saw from my vantage point at least, was a serious problem of personal relations. In this, the Minister of Plantation Industries, and Constitutional Affairs Dr. Colvin R.de Silva, was an exception. He projected an image of propriety, reasonableness and courtliness, which the Prime Minister appreciated. The Minister of Communications, Hon. Leslie Goonewardena was a silent person by nature. He didn’t speak much, but the Prime Minister thought he was hard line. The fact that the stormy Vivienne Goonewardena, M.P. was his wife did not improve matters. There was a problem of chemistry. The biggest problem, however, was Dr. N.M. Perera, the Minister of Finance. A D.Sc. from the London University, he was conscious of his intellectual standing. Unfortunately, in his dealings with the Prime Minister, he conveyed a sense of intellectual arrogance and even condescension. Whenever an argument occurred, he appeared to be talking down to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister had no intellectual pretensions. But she was by now a seasoned politician and a charismatic leader, intelligent, quick on the uptake and much respected at home and abroad. It was a serious error to treat her as some kind of lightweight. It was a personality flaw, which led to serious repercussions. This was amply demonstrated by the following reference in a statement made by the Prime Minister on the LSSP leaving the government. “There is another matter on which I should say a few words and that is, that unity within the United Front could only be possible on the basis of the acceptance of the leadership of the Prime Minister who is also the acknowledged leader of the United Front. I regret to say that during the last five years there have been several instances of reluctance to accept this fundamental necessity, particularly on the part of the Minister of Finance, who is the leader of the LSSP, as well as on the part of the Minister of Transport, perhaps to a lesser extent. I have with me several letters and documents which support this.” In the end, it was a collapse of chemistry. This is not to say that Dr. Perera was some kind of boor. He was in many ways quite charming and a gentleman. I remember the occasion when I had invited him, in my capacity as the President of the Government Services’ Cricket Association to the distribution of shields and awards to the winners and runners up of the various Divisions under which the tournament was conducted. I did not invite him because he was Minister of Finance. I did so because of his background as a fine cricketer; a former President of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka and as President of the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) one of the leading Cricket Clubs in the country. He graciously accepted the invitation, but fairly close to the date of the ceremony came down with pneumonia. I kept in touch with Sena Gunasekera his Private Secretary, because in case he could not come I had to invite someone else. Sena always replied that Dr. Perera said that he would somehow come and not let me down. I was quite touched by this. However, I told Sena to remind him that the function was to take place in the cool of a December evening, out in the open, since group photographs had to be taken, and in view of his bout of pneumonia, I would not advice the Minister to come. But Dr. Perera was determined to come, and in fact he did come wearing his customary suit and a thick pullover. Such was the graciousness of Dr. Perera. The problem was, that at this time he appeared to be subject to considerable mood swings, from absolute charm at one end, to anger and asperity at the other. At the same time, he was quite a sport having the ability to laugh at a joke or barb directed against him. A classic instance of this was when the Cabinet was debating the issue of our de-linking from Sterling and linking the Rupee to a basket of currencies. The Cabinet Secretary told me of the most amusing episode that occurred at this meeting. Dr. N.M. Perera as the Minister of Finance had given a most erudite lecture on this complex subject to his Cabinet colleagues reciting in the process economic history, explaining the workings of the gold standard, the current economic thinking of floating currencies, exchange rates, etc. Now everybody was aware that for quite sometime Dr. Perera was being lampooned in the press as “the golden brains.” At the conclusion of his learned lecture, there had been dead silence in the Cabinet. It had been evident that it had gone over the heads of many. After the moment of silence, one Minister had stood up. He was dressed in white cloth and the flowing banian, of what we loosely term “the National dress.” The Minister was Hon. TB Tennekoon, Minister of Social Services, a Sinhala poet and excellent Sinhala speaker who did not pretend to know too much English. Mr. Tennekoon had addressed himself to the Prime Minister and said, “Madam Prime Minister, I did not understand a word of what the Finance Minister said. I think he referred several times to gold. All I know is that all the gold is abroad, but the brains are here!” This was vintage TB Tennekoon. It was a telling comment on “the golden brains.” The Cabinet had roared with laughter, the Minister of Finance being among the loudest. Such was the complex personality of Dr. Perera. It would be unfair if I were to create the impression that among other things, Dr. Perera’s personality was almost the sole or principal factor that led to the breach with the LSSP. In my view, the Prime Minister must also share at least part of this responsibility. Those were days of very stringent Exchange Controls and the government did not favour much foreign travel. There also existed at this time a cumbersome process of obtaining “Exit Permits,” in order to leave the country. In this environment the Prime Minister was very strict about her Ministers traveling abroad. In fact she was too strict, and this was causing considerable irritation. She also liked to check whether the Ministers were back on the day they had stated they would return. I remember an occasion when an indignant Prime Minister called me and asked me to check whether her Minister of Posts & Telecommunications, Mr. Kumarasuriar, was back from his visit abroad, because he had promised to return the previous day. When I checked I found that he was due the next day, that is, one and half days later than originally planned. The Prime Minister was quite upset at this. I told her that she was being too strict with her Ministers on matters like this and that these were not major infringements. Sometimes a plane could be delayed, or there could be some other matter, which could cause a small delay. She was not prepared to agree with me. I told her that this was causing considerable irritation among her Ministers. She disagreed. She thought that they should be more responsible. I enjoyed complete freedom of speech with her, and on one occasion I told her “Madam, you are acting like the Principal of a school dealing with some errant pupils.” She enjoyed that. This kind of thing unfortunately caused a degree of irritation and frustration among members of her Cabinet, more so in the case of persons such as Dr. N.M. Perera, who would have found these Prime Ministerial interventions carping, somewhat demeaning, and unnecessary in the case of someone of his stature. In the end, the break-up was accelerated as a result of personality conflicts and a rapidly eroding understanding and trust among the two main coalition parties. There was stubbornness on both sides, and once there is a diminution of trust even small matters tend to get magnified, and when there were two interpretations possible of a given matter, the more negative one tended to be given credence. With the break up of the coalition, there was a Cabinet reshuffle, and once again, we were spending hours on the allocation of the new Departments, Subjects and Functions to Ministers. We also had to work on a major statement to Parliament by the Prime Minister on the reconstitution of the government. 1976, was quite hectic. The Prime Minister had to undertake a number of foreign visits. Elections were approaching in 1977 and there were many domestic political and economic issues that engaged her time and attention. Besides, the Non-Aligned Summit was due to take place in August, and the preparations for it were quite formidable.
UniAbuja Council approves promotion of 154 staffIsraeli attorney general orders probe into report that alleged Netanyahu's wife harassed opponents
Shocking moment man escapes being bundled into white van by thugs in kidnap bid
Franklin Fire, burning near Pepperdine University, prompts evacuation orders
The United States is expected to announce that it will send 1.25 billion dollars (£1 billion) in military assistance to Ukraine, US officials said on Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on January 20. The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the Hawk air defence system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defence officials acknowledged that the US Defence Department may not be able to send all of the remaining 5.6 billion dollars (£4.5 billion) in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Mr Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many US and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he will not provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about 4.35 billion dollars (£3.46 billion). Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky decide it is time to negotiate. One senior defence official said that while the US will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until January 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about 1.2 billion dollars (£0.9 billion) remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the US will have provided more than 64 billion dollars (£50.8 billion) in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.
Top war-crimes court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and others in Israel-Hamas fightingRIYADH: Saudi authorities have foiled a smuggling bid of the addictive drug Captagon into the Kingdom, confiscating more than 300,000 pills. The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) thwarted five different attempts to smuggle a huge cache of drugs, worth millions of dollars, into the Kingdom through the Al-Haditha border crossing, local media outlets reported. The authorities in Saudi Arabia confiscated a total of 313,906 Captagon pills, arresting several suspects involved in drug smuggling. With the help of cutting-edge security technology, ZATCA uncovered the pills concealed in various locations within vehicles and trucks. According to details, at least 86,000 pills were hidden under a smuggler’s clothing, whereas 65,116 pills were stored inside a truck cabin refrigerator and 52,907 pills were stashed on the floor of a vehicle. Additionally, Saudi authorities confiscated around 55,232 pills concealed within a vehicle’s fuel tank, and 4,651 pills were discovered inside a spare tyre compartment. ZATCA called on the public to play a role in combating smuggling by reporting any suspicious activities, assuring them that all the reports related to smuggling or violations of the unified customs law are handled with the utmost confidentiality. ZATCA also promised financial rewards for individuals who provide accurate information about drug smuggling. According to a report by Reuters , curbing the Captagon trade has become a key demand by Arab states seeking to restore ties with Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, whose government is accused of benefiting from the trade. As early as 2014, Syria was thought to be a major producer and consumer of the drug. Intelligence sources based in the region say Captagon is still produced in small factories along the Syrian-Lebanese border as well as larger ones closer to Syria’s frontier with Jordan. Some quantities are also produced in Lebanon, according to security sources. The United States, Britain and European Union have blamed Syria’s government for the production and export of the drug, naming Maher al-Assad – the head of the army’s Fourth Division and the president’s brother – as a key figure. Pinning down the trade’s value is difficult but diplomatic sources say it is worth several billion dollars a year. The United States, the European Union and Britain have accused the Fourth Division and other Syrian officials of benefitting from the trade, but it is not clear to what extent, if any, it fills state coffers. What is Captagon Captagon was the brand name of a stimulant first produced in Germany in the 1960s to help treat attention deficit disorders, narcolepsy and other conditions. It was discontinued but an illicit version of the drug continued to be produced in eastern Europe and later in the Arab region, becoming prominent in the conflict that erupted in Syria following anti-government protests in 2011. The illicit version is thought to be made of a mix of fenethylline, caffeine and other fillers. It generates focus and staves off sleep and hunger. In 2021, Saudi Arabia put in place an import ban on all Lebanese products over drug smuggling and the issue has become a top concern for Arab countries seeking a solution to Syria’s war.
Watts scores 20, Washington State takes down Boise State 74-69This year, the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka proudly marks the 20th anniversary of the English Access Scholarship Program (Access), a free, transformative initiative that has empowered over 1,300 Sri Lankan youth with English language skills, leadership development and cross-cultural connections since its inception, a U.S. Embssy news release said. “Launched globally in 2004 by the U.S. Department of State, the Access Program provides economically disadvantaged students aged 13 to 15 with a robust foundation in English language skills. Through its free, two-year, 360-hour curriculum, Sri Lankan youth gain leadership training, professional development opportunities, and exposure to U.S. culture and democratic values. These Access experiences open doors to better educational and career opportunities and prepare students to compete for future exchanges and study programs in the United States.” it said. “Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the English Access Scholarship Program in Sri Lanka is a testament to our enduring commitment to empowering youth through education,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “This program not only provides essential English language skills but also fosters leadership, professional development, and cross-cultural understanding. By bridging communities and creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged students, we are investing in a brighter, more inclusive future for all.” The Access Program doesn’t just transform students’ lives—it also strengthens English teaching in Sri Lanka and connects students to the global Access network and peers from all corners of the island, the release added. Access teachers get top-notch training and join a global Community of Practice, along with opportunities to attend national and regional conferences. Earlier this year, 34 Sri Lankan educators, coordinators, and alumni joined the 20th Anniversary Regional Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal. “The English Access Scholarship Program has been a key part of how we’re expanding educational opportunities and building stronger ties between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Officer Heidi Hattenbach. “In a country rebuilding after conflict, Access has done so much more than teach English—it brings students and teachers together from diverse backgrounds, connects them to a global network, and gives them the skills and confidence to chase their dreams while fostering understanding and collaboration across communities.” Access providers have emphasized connecting students from diverse backgrounds, using English as a bridge language. These bonds often transcend ethnic and religious differences, creating lifelong connections. As Mathangi, an Access alumna from Jaffna, shared, “Access transformed the way I connect with others, giving me the confidence to engage with people from diverse backgrounds and the skills to speak and present with clarity and self-assurance.” To mark this 20th anniversary milestone, a four-day camp in Kandy will bring together 150 current Access students and teachers from Jaffna, Galle, Kurunegala, Trincomalee, and Nuwara Eliya. The event will feature interactive sessions led by Georgetown University-sponsored English Language Fellows, a community service project, and a “Culture Night” showcasing students’ unique experiences. Ambassador Julie Chung will join as a special guest, alongside other speakers. Starting with just 56 students from Sri Lanka’s Western Province, Access now boasts alumni from over 50 locations nationwide, including Kandy, home to the program’s largest alumni cohort of 185. For the upcoming 2025-2027 cycle, the program will enroll 150 new students from schools in Jaffna, Nuwara Eliya, Batticaloa, Ampara, Puttalam, and Ratnapura. “The U.S. Embassy and its local Access partners are proud to offer this free program, continuing the legacy of enhancing English language and leadership skills and while cross-cultural connections in Sri Lanka and beyond,” the release said. For more information about U.S. initiatives in Sri Lanka, visit https://lk.usembassy.gov/ and follow @USEmbassySL on social media.