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FM Sabry meets US State Secretary Blinken in Washington DC
Minister of Foreign Affairs M.U.M. Ali Sabry, paid an official visit to Washington D.C., from Nov. 30 to Dec. 02. He was in the U.S. capital to meet with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. They held productive discussions at the Department of State on Friday (02), focused on further elevating Sri Lanka – US relations in diverse spheres, including the 75th Anniversary of diplomatic relations which will be marked in 2023.
In addition to the meeting with Secretary Blinken, the Embassy of Sri Lanka to the US facilitated further interactions during the visit which included meetings with key US interlocutors, including political leaders from both the House of Representatives and the Senate representing both major parties and high officials of the State Department.
Minister Sabry met with a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator Bill Hagerty, (Republican – Tennessee). He had talks with members of Congress Rep. Bill Johnson (Republican – Ohio), Co-Chair of the Caucus on Ethnic and Religious Freedom in Sri Lanka and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (Democrat – Illinois) who has shown an interest in Sri Lanka.
The Minister also had a meeting with Administrator, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power, and expressed his appreciation of USAID for their generous support to Sri Lanka. He met with Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Ambassador Uzra Zeya, who was accompanied by Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the Department of State Afreen Akhter.
The Ambassador of Sri Lanka in the United States Mahinda Samarasinghe along with diplomatic officers of the Embassy of Sri Lanka and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also associated with the Foreign Minister at the meetings.
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Showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 02 SEPTEMBER 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 02 September 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
The atmospheric conditions are getting favorable for afternoon thundershowers in the Northern, North-central, Eastern and Uva provinces in the next few days.
Several spells of showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Eastern and Uva provinces and in Mullaitivu district 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 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.
Latest News
Sun directly overhead Anamaduwa, Moragollagama, Dambulla, Manampitiya and Valaichchenai, at about 12.10 noon today (02)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (02) are Anamaduwa, Moragollagama, Dambulla, Manampitiya and Valaichchenai, at about 12.10 noon.
News
SC rejects petitioners’ request for full bench
The Supreme Court yesterday rejected a request that the petitions challenging the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution be heard by a full bench of the Supreme Court.
Rejecting the request, Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena said the consideration of the petitions would proceed before the five-judge bench.
Appearing on behalf of one of the petitioners, President’s Counsel M. A. Sumanthiran made the request when the petitions were called for hearing yesterday before a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Surasena.
President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris, Ali Sabry, Geoffrey Alagaratnam, Eraj de Silva, Srinath Perera, Anura Meddegoda, and Maithri Gunaratne, along with other counsel appearing for several other petitioners, also made the same request.
Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, pointed out that the authority to determine the composition of a judicial bench rested with the Chief Justice. Refering to Article 132(3) of the Constitution, the Solicitor General argued that the discretion to determine the number of judges on a bench lay with the Chief Justice and that no other party had the authority to interfere in the matter.
Counsel including President’s Counsel Nigel Hatch, appearing for an intervening petitioner, also made submissions pointing out that the discretion to determine the composition of a bench rested with the Chief Justice.
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