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Authorities have maintained the highest-level landslide evacuation warnings in 13 Divisional Secretariat divisions across six districts as heavy and unsettled weather continues to affect parts of Sri Lanka.

The National Building Research Institute (NBRO) said landslide warnings remain in effect across 10 districts, with Level 3 red warnings issued for areas facing an elevated risk of landslides.

NBRO Senior Scientist Hasali Hemasinghe said the red evacuation warnings cover Neluwa in Galle; Walallawita in Kalutara; Pasbage Korale in Kandy; Mawanella, Deraniyagala, Aranayaka, Yatiyanthota and Dehiowita in Kegalle; Nuwara Eliya, Kotmale East, Kotmale West and Ambagamuwa in Nuwara Eliya; and Ratnapura in Ratnapura District.

Residents in these areas have been advised to remain alert, closely follow instructions issued by authorities and evacuate when directed.

Meanwhile, the Disaster Management Centre reported that 1,616 people belonging to 458 families in 41 Divisional Secretariat divisions across 10 districts have been affected by the prevailing weather.

One person has died while another remains missing following weather-related incidents reported since September 18.

In Gampaha District, strong winds that affected the Biyagama area last night damaged five houses in the Galahitiyawa North Grama Niladhari Division. The electricity distribution network in the area was also damaged.

Authorities said 94 people from 26 affected families are currently staying at three safety centres.

The Department of Meteorology has meanwhile warned that rainfall could become more intense later today. Although conditions may ease somewhat during the daytime, showers are expected to strengthen during the evening and night.

Director of the Forecasting Division Merrill Mendis said intermittent showers are expected across the Central, Sabaragamuwa, Western and North Western provinces, as well as the Galle and Matara districts.

According to the latest weather information, rainfall could increase further tomorrow and the following day.

Authorities have urged residents in landslide-prone locations, low-lying areas and communities near river basins to remain particularly vigilant and monitor official weather and disaster alerts.

Water levels in several major rivers also remain elevated, with minor flooding reported in some locations.

Amid the continuing rainfall, two spill gates at the Polgolla Reservoir and one spill gate at the Kukule Ganga Reservoir have been opened.

An opposition parliamentarian has predicted that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will be jailed once his government leaves office in 2030, linking the claim to a cyberattack that cost the Finance Ministry USD 2.5 million in public funds.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Prasad Siriwardena made the allegation while accusing the President, who also holds the finance portfolio, of allowing the misuse of state resources and failing to enforce accountability within his administration.

Siriwardana stated that Dissanayake would inevitably face imprisonment once the current government was removed from power in 2030.

He noted that the President bore direct responsibility for the reported financial loss linked to the cyberattack, alleging that Dissanayake had failed to respond appropriately once the breach came to light.

The Finance Ministry confirmed in April that its systems had been compromised by hackers in connection with the loss, adding that complaints had been filed with law enforcement agencies and disciplinary action taken against several officials.

Siriwardena drew a parallel with the conviction of former minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, citing remarks he attributed to the director general of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

He said that Aluthgamage's conviction over the distribution of goods using public funds during an election period had set a legal precedent for prosecuting public officials over the misuse of state resources, and he argued that the same principle could eventually be applied to Dissanayake in relation to the cyberattack.

He clarified that he was not suggesting the opposition intended to personally pursue the President's imprisonment, but maintained that existing legal precedent made such an outcome likely.

Siriwardena also extended his criticism to the President's past political conduct, alleging that Dissanayake had failed to take responsibility during previous political alliances and had made use of corruption investigation files for political ends.

He claimed that files compiled during investigations carried out under former President Maithripala Sirisena's administration had subsequently been used to negotiate political arrangements with individuals facing corruption allegations.

Criticising the government's taxation policies, he alleged that substantial revenue was being collected from businesses, workers and farmers without corresponding accountability in how public funds were being spent.

He asserted that the President could no longer avoid responsibility for the state of governance under his government, and called on the public to scrutinise the government's management of state finances.

Several parts of Sri Lanka could receive heavy rainfall of around 100mm as wet weather is expected to persist across the southwestern regions during the next 36 hours, according to the Department of Meteorology.

The department said a low-pressure area currently positioned over the Andaman Sea region of the Bay of Bengal, northeast of Sri Lanka, is expected to develop into a depression within the next 24 hours.

Although the weather system is not forecast to directly affect Sri Lanka, its influence on wind patterns is expected to maintain the prevailing rainy conditions in the southwestern parts of the country.

Showers or thundershowers are expected from time to time across the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Northwestern Provinces, as well as in the Galle and Matara districts. Some areas could receive heavy rainfall of around 100mm.

Several spells of rain are also forecast for the North Central Province and Mannar District. Meanwhile, showers or thundershowers are likely at several locations in the Uva Province and in the Batticaloa and Ampara districts after 2.00 p.m.

The Meteorological Department has also warned of strong winds reaching around 40–50 kmph at times over the western slopes of the Central Hills, North Central and Northwestern Provinces, as well as in the Trincomalee, Hambantota and Matale districts.

The public has been urged to take necessary precautions to reduce the risk of damage from temporary localized strong winds and lightning that may occur during thundershowers.

The proposed legislation to overhaul the administration and governance of cricket in Sri Lanka is set to be published in the Government Gazette after receiving Cabinet approval.

Cabinet Ministers approved a proposal submitted by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports to gazette the Sri Lanka Cricket Bill and subsequently present it to Parliament for consideration.

The move follows an earlier Cabinet decision on June 8, 2026, to introduce legislation aimed at restructuring the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket.

Drafted by the Legal Draftsman, the Bill sets out provisions for the establishment of Sri Lanka Cricket, along with its powers and responsibilities concerning the regulation, development, promotion, governance and administration of the sport.

The proposed framework places emphasis on principles including good governance, integrity, transparency, accountability, inclusiveness and equal opportunity in the development of cricket.

It also contains provisions aimed at protecting the welfare of individuals involved in the sport and preventing corruption and other forms of misconduct within cricket administration.

The Bill has already obtained clearance from the Attorney General.

Once published in the Government Gazette, the proposed legislation will be presented to Parliament for consideration and approval.

Sri Lankan national Sivarasa Anojan has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia following an appeal filed by the Saudi prosecution, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament today.

Herath said an appeal submitted by the Sri Lankan Government on behalf of Anojan had been rejected.

According to the Minister, the Saudi prosecution had appealed for Anojan to be dealt with under Sharia law instead of the country’s cybercrime legislation. Following the appeal, the death sentence was imposed.

The Sri Lankan Government is continuing diplomatic efforts in the case, while arrangements are also being made to obtain legal opinions from experts in both Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia, Herath said.

He further announced that a special delegation headed by the Deputy Speaker is expected to visit Saudi Arabia with a letter from President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed to the Saudi King, requesting a pardon for Anojan.

Herath said he also expects to meet the Saudi Foreign Minister next month on the sidelines of sessions of the UN Human Rights Council. During the meeting, he intends to request that the death sentence be commuted or that the punishment be reduced.

The Foreign Minister assured Parliament that the Sri Lankan Government would cover all legal expenses incurred in Saudi Arabia in connection with Anojan’s case.

He added that any legal costs already paid by Anojan’s family would also be reimbursed by the Government.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has intervened in the case of Sivarasa Anojan, a Sri Lankan national reportedly facing a capital sentence in Saudi Arabia, following a meeting with his family.

The discussions took place at the Opposition Leader's Office today (21), where Anojan’s father, Thambiraja Sivarasa, mother, Rasamanickam Yogalakshmi, and brother, Sivarasa Hamsithan, briefed Premadasa on the current situation.

The Opposition Leader initiated several diplomatic and official contacts to address the crisis, speaking directly with Anojan who is being held in a Saudi correctional facility to check on his well-being.

He also placed a telephone call to the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Sri Lanka to discuss the legal situation and explore pathways toward a full release.

To monitor state-level involvement, the Opposition Leader consulted the Secretary of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to seek information on the government’s efforts to secure Anojan’s release.

He also reassured the distressed family that he would exhaust all available channels to secure Anojan’s release without regard to ethnic or religious considerations.

The Supreme Court has determined that several provisions of the Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Bill are inconsistent with the Constitution and can only be enacted with a special majority in Parliament, the Speaker informed the House today (22).

The Court has also ruled that Clause 17 of the Bill, in its current form, requires an additional constitutional procedure.

According to the determination, Clause 17 can become law only if it is approved by a special majority in Parliament and subsequently endorsed by the people at a referendum.

The Supreme Court’s determination was formally presented to Parliament by the Speaker at the beginning of today’s sitting.

The ruling concerns the constitutional requirements that must be followed for the relevant provisions of the proposed amendments to proceed through the legislative process.

A 15-year-old schoolboy died yesterday after reportedly being struck by lightning while he was sleeping on the floor of a room at his home amid heavy rainfall, Agalawatta Police said.

The deceased was identified as Hasitha Pradeep Kumara, a resident of Delpe in Agalawatta and a Grade 10 student at Agalawatta Mihindu Central College.

Following the lightning strike, the boy was rushed to Agalawatta Pimbura Base Hospital for treatment. However, doctors pronounced him dead upon admission.

Lightning can cause dangerous electrical currents to spread through the ground when it strikes nearby. According to scientific explanations, lying on the ground can increase the amount of the body in contact with the soil, potentially allowing more electrical current to pass through the body, including the torso and heart.

Alubomulla Police have arrested a man after allegedly finding crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as ‘Ice’, and heroin worth more than Rs. 4 million in his possession and at his residence.

The suspect, a resident of Sesatha Mawatha in Wanduramulla, was stopped and searched by police while travelling along the same road.

During the inspection, officers reportedly discovered 15 grams of ‘Ice’ in his possession.

Police subsequently searched the suspect’s residence, where they found another quantity of narcotics concealed inside a wardrobe. The recovered drugs included approximately 190 grams of heroin.

According to police, the suspect has a history of arrests in connection with narcotics offences. He had reportedly been taken into custody on seven previous occasions for possession of drugs and produced before the courts.

Several cases involving the suspect are also said to be pending before the High Court.

Police further said the suspect had been the target of a shooting at his residence around a year ago, when he was allegedly shot while asleep. The attack was reportedly linked to a faction associated with an individual known as ‘Panadura Kudu Nilanga’.

The arrested suspect is scheduled to be produced before the Panadura Magistrate’s Court, according to police.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa met United Arab Emirates Ambassador Khaled Nasser Sulaiman AlAmeri in Colombo to discuss the economic and humanitarian fallout of rising Middle East tensions on Sri Lanka.

The meeting focused on potential disruptions to global energy markets and the immediate security risks facing thousands of Sri Lankan migrant workers living across the Gulf region.

The discussions also underscored the critical need to safeguard Sri Lankan expatriates employed in the UAE, whose remittances remain vital to national foreign exchange stability.

Both sides also explored strategies to expand bilateral trade, investment, and tourism, pointing to emerging sectors where economic collaboration could deepen despite regional volatility.