Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich took a second off the women-only half-marathon world record on Sunday when she won the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, stopping the clock at one hour, five minutes, and 15 seconds.

Ngetich, who also broke the women-only 10km (6.2-mile) world record last year, pushed to the front from the outset on a sunny morning in the Danish capital and led until the end, finishing 50 seconds ahead of compatriot Veronica Loleo, who came in second.

The previous record was set by Peres Jepchirchir, another Kenyan, when she won the World Half Marathon title in Poland in 2020.

The overall women’s half-marathon world record is held by Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey, who clocked 1:02:52 in 2021 at the mixed-gender Valencia Half Marathon in Spain.

Sunday’s win was the latest major title this year for the 25-year-old Ngetich, who also won the team half marathon in Copenhagen and the World Cross Country Championships in Florida in the US in January.

(Aljazeera)

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 21 SEPTEMBER 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 21 September 2026 by the Department of meteorology

The low-pressure area that has formed over the Andaman Sea region of the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify further over the next few days.

Although this system will not have a direct impact on Sri Lanka, the prevailing rainy conditions in the southwestern part of the island are expected to continue due to the wind flow towards the system.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya Districts. Heavy showers  about 100 mm are likely at some places in the above areas.

Several spells of showers may occur in the North-central province and Mannar district. Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the Uva province and in Batticaloa and Ampara districts after 2.00 p.m.

Fairly strong winds of about (30-40) kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the Central hills, the North-central and North-western provinces and in Trincomalee, Hambantota and Matale Districts.

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

By PRIYAN DE SILVA

The government’s position on the abolition of the Executive Presidency and the future of the Provincial Council system will be set out in a new Constitution, NPP General Secretary Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe has said.

Abeysinghe made the remarks when a delegation from the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) met him at the NPP headquarters in Pelawatte on Friday evening. Former NPP General Secretary and MP Laxman Nipunarachchi also participated in the discussion.

Dr. Abeysinghe said the JVP, the main constituent of the NPP, had consistently advocated the abolition of the Executive Presidency and that it was also a key pledge in the NPP election manifesto.

Responding to calls for the Provincial Council elections to be held under the existing electoral system, Nipunarachchi said the system was being changed to introduce the new electoral system.

He stressed that conducting the elections under the old system was therefore not acceptable.

CaFFE Executive Director Manas Makeen suggested that the Election Commission should be vested with adequate financial authority to ensure that elections are held on time.

Dr. Abeysinghe also requested CaFFE and other stakeholders to submit any proposals for constitutional amendments for consideration.

The NPP made the abolition of Sri Lanka’s executive presidency and the adoption of a new Constitution a central constitutional pledge in its 2024 presidential election manifesto, A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life. It promised to draft and enact a new Constitution after public discussion and a referendum, abolish the executive presidency and replace it with a president without executive powers elected by Parliament, while introducing a new parliamentary electoral system.

However, in June 2026, Public Administration Minister Chandana Abayaratne was quoted by the media as having said that although this remained an electoral promise, the Government did not regard it as a priority at that point, saying other constitutional and electoral reforms were being considered first.

The Opposition has accused the goverment of trying to retain the executive presidency by delaying the constitution making project.