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A few showers will occur in Uva province and in Batticaloa, Ampara, Matale, Nuwara-Eliya and Hambantota districts

Published

1 year ago

2025/02/1

Priyan

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 01 FEBRUARY 2025

Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 01 February 2025 by the Department of Meteorology

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western and Southern provinces during the morning.

Prevailing showery condition over the island is expected to be reduced from tomorrow (02).

A few showers will occur in Uva province and in Batticaloa, Ampara, Matale, Nuwara-Eliya and Hambantota districts. Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara and Kandy districts in the evening or night.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR SEA AREAS AROUND THE ISLAND DURING NEXT 24 HOURS

(Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 01 February 2025)

Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the sea areas off the coasts extending from Batticaloa to Galle via Hambantota. Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places in the sea areas off the coasts extending from Galle to Puttalam via Colombo during the evening or night.

Winds will be north-easterly and speed will be (25-35) kmph. Wind speed can increase up to (40-45) kmph at times in the sea areas off the coast extending from Chilaw to Mannar via Puttalam and from Galle to Pottuvil via Hambantota.

The sea areas off the coasts extending fromChilaw to Mannar via Puttalam and from Galle to Pottuvil via Hambantota will be fairly rough at times. Strong gusty winds and very rough seas can be expected during thundershowers.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

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Israel claims to have assassinated commander of Iran’s Basij militia unit

Published

18 mins ago

2026/03/17

Priyan

Gholamreza Soleimani, a senior officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who commands Basij forces, attends a gathering during Basij Week in the Iranian capital Tehran [File: Aljazeera]

The Israeli military has claimed in a post on X Tuesday that it has killed Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij unit, the internal security paramilitary militia of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

“Guided by precise intelligence from Military Intelligence, the Air Force conducted a targeted strike yesterday in the heart of Tehran, eliminating Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij unit over the past six years,” it said on Tuesday.

Iran has not commented on, nor confirmed this claim.

If confirmed, Soleimani would be the highest level assassination in the war since United States-Israeli strikes killed the former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and several members of his family on the first day of the war they launched on February 28.

The US Treasury records Soleimani’s birth year as 1965. He has been sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, and other countries for his alleged role in suppressing dissent through the Basij.

[Aljazeera]

Latest News

Trump seeks to delay meeting with Xi in China

Published

40 mins ago

2026/03/17

Priyan

Trump and Xi when they last met in October [BBC]

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is planning to delay a high stakes visit to China later in March by about a month because of the Iran war.

“We’ve requested that we delay it a month or so,” he told reporters at the White House, adding that it was important that he remained available to oversee the war.

The meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is currently set to take place between 31 March to 2 April, following their last face to face talks i October last year.

Chinese foreign affairs spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday that Beijing and Washington are in talks over “the timing and related matters of President Trump’s visit to China”.

The Iran War has eclipsed most of Trump’s other foreign policy priorities, faced with an intensifying conflict and disruptions to the global oil supply, which has threatened to raise prices in the US.

Trump said he had proposed the delay solely to make sure he was around to manage the war.

“I’m looking forward to being with him,” he said, referring to Xi. “We have a very good relationship.”

“There’s no tricks to it either,” Trump added. “It’s very simple. We’ve got a war going on. I think it’s important that I be here.”

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that the meeting’s delay would not be due to Washington’s request that Beijing help in the Gulf, or any trade disagreements.

Bessent said: “The President wants to remain in DC to coordinate the war effort… Travelling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal.”

The latest development comes a day after Trump told the Financial Times that he might postpone the meeting if China did not help unblock the Strait of Hormuz – a critical waterway for the Gulf’s energy shipments.

He also called on other nations to help ships transit safely through the channel.

Trump’s remarks come as frictions between the world’s two largest economies have grown, fuelled by the Iran war.

Beijing is a major buyer of Iranian energy exports and has criticised the US and Israeli strikes against the country.

Washington also announced it would investigate trade practices among a list of countries, including China, after Trump’s signature tariff policy was struck down by the Supreme Court in February.

Representatives from the US and China have met in Paris in recent days for negotiations, such as over investments, tariffs and economic sanctions.

The sides reached consensus on some issues and will carry on with negotiations, Chinese trade representative Li Chenggang was quoted as saying in state media outlet Xinhua on Monday.

US representatives briefed their Chinese counterparts on changes to Washington’s tariff measures, said Li.

Chinese negotiators expressed “serious concern” about Washington’s plans to probe the country’s trade practices and urged the US to maintain economic stability, he said.

[BBC]

Latest News

Heat Index at Caution Level at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Monaragala, Mannar and Vavuniya districts

Published

10 hours ago

2026/03/17

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. on 16 March 2026, valid for 17 March 2026

The general public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Monaragala, Mannar and Vavuniya districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED

Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.

Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.

Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.

Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.

Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.