WEATHER FORECAST FOR 25 October 2026
Issued at 5.30 a.m. on 25 October 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
The low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal in the vicinity of the North Andaman Islands has now intensified into a depression. As of 11.30 p.m. on 24 October 2026, the system was centred near latitude 15.5°N and longitude 91.0°E. The system is very likely to intensify further into a deep depression while moving over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal on 25 October. Continuing to move west-northwestwards, it is very likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm by the morning of 26 October and into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by the morning of 27 October.
Although this system is not expected to have a direct impact on Sri Lanka, an increase in rainfall is expected over the southwestern parts of the island during the next few days, as the wind flow associated with the system extends across the island.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-western and Northern provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya and Anuradhapura districts and, heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in these areas.
Showers or thunder showers will occur at several places after 1.00 p.m. in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts.
Fairly strong winds of about (40-50) kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the Central hills, Northern, 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.
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Almost 1,000 arrested as clashes follow another day of mass protests across France
Published
2 hours ago
on
2026/10/25
In the southern port of Marseille, protesters erected makeshift street barricades and set them alight late on Saturday (BBC)
Nearly 1,000 arrests were made as hundreds of thousands of people took part in another day of protests across France which were followed by some clashes late on Saturday, officials have said.
After a day of largely peaceful demonstrations, police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters in a number of cities including Paris, while barricades were set alight in Marseille and people ripped boards from a shop in Bordeaux.
But officials have so far managed to avoid rioting and looting on the scale seen last weekend, which resulted in some of the worst scenes of disorder in France’s modern history.
The interior ministry said an estimated 410,000 people protested on Saturday, while the unions put the number at about 800,000.
Some 70,000 police officers were deployed and restrictions imposed in several cities to prevent the latest protests over the cost of living and poor school conditions from descending into the kind of chaos which saw officers outnumbered, hundreds of businesses looted and buildings torched.
President Emmanuel Macron had decreed earlier this week that only demonstrations organised by a recognised trade unions would be permitted. Hundreds of people have been jailed for vandalism, arson and looting after fast-track court hearings in recent days.
Clashes between protesters and riot police in Paris erupted at the end of a peaceful march from the city’s Porte d’Italie towards Porte de Vincennes on Saturday, where the police operation included an elite unit that usually deals with organised crime and counter-terrorism.
Some protesters were seen erecting makeshift barricades and pelting officers with projectiles, while police baton-charged groups of masked youths who were smashing the windows of a car dealership.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said that “several thousand radical activists gathered at the rear of the march, including around 500 individuals identified as rioters”, the AFP news agency reported.
In the southern port of Marseille, rubbish bins were set ablaze and metal sheets used to block streets. A law enforcement vehicle was seen driving through a burning barricade in France’s second-largest city.
Meanwhile, some protesters in dark clothing and face coverings were seen taking boards off a building to build a street barricade in the southern city of Bordeaux.
In Lyon, police used tear gas grenades to disperse a crowd which had reportedly gathered in an area deemed off-limits by the local prefecture.
(BBC)
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Nabi, Rashid and quicks lead Afghanistan to tri-series title
Published
24 hours ago
on
2026/10/24
Rashid Khan finished with 3 for 41
Afghanistan lifted the ODI tri-series trophy in style, comprehensively beating Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the final in Sharjah. They were clinical with bat and ball throughout the competition, capping off with a performance that also saw great fielding on Friday.
Afghanistan bowled out Zimbabwe for 169 in 43.3 overs, before knocking off the target in 34.3 overs. Ibrahim Zadran struck his second half-century in the tournament, as he got them close to the target with an 82-run third wicket stand with captain Rahmat Shah. Zadran was unbeaten on 70 when Hashmatullah Shahidi struck the winning boundary in the 35th over.
Afghanistan’s chase was smooth because of how they had bowled and fielded after Zimbabwe decided to bat first.
Rashid Khan’s 3 for 41 was Afghanistan’s best bowling figures, as he became the second bowler in ODIs to complete six successive innings with at least three wickets each. Afghanistan’s pace trio and Mohammad Nabi had already made Zimbabwe’s life miserable with the first six wickets. Left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi, offspinner Nabi, and seamer Bilal Sami took two wickets each, while Azmatullah Omarzai, the No. 1 ODI allrounder, picked up one wicket.
Only Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza resisted for his side with an innings of 68 that included three sixes and as many fours. Raza thus became the first batter aged 40 years or more to score a fifty in an ODI tournament final.
He walked into bat in what was a familiar situation as Zimbabwe lost their first three wickets quickly. Their top order crumbled similarly even in the two round-robin matches of the tri-series. Farooqi cleaned up Tadiwanashe Marumani, before Omarzai had Brian Bennett caught and bowled with fine reflexes in his follow-through.
AM Ghazanfar, however, topped Omarzai’s efforts with a superb one-handed catch at short square leg after Tafadzwa Tsiga flicked Farooqi uppishly in the next over. When Sami had Brendan Taylor caught behind in the 13th over, Zimbabwe were in freefall at 55 for 4.
But Raza and Ryan Burl briefly rescued Zimbabwe. They focused on picking up the ones and twos, and played out Rashid’s first spell. Raza and Burl struck a few boundaries, until Zadran dropped the latter on 30. Raza soon reached his half-century, as it looked like the pair were about to drag Zimbabwe out of a tough situation.
Raza became the second Zimbabwe captain to score a fifty in a tournament final, after Allistair Campbell’s 51 against Kenya in 1997. Next ball, however, Sami took a tumbling catch at deep square leg after Burl miscued Nabi’s half-tracker.
Nabi’s second wicket followed soon afterwards when wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz affected a superb stumping. Wessley Madhevere missed the ball while coming down the track, as the ball deflected off his pad. Gurbaz collected the ball that was going away from him and broke the stumps in one motion, giving Nabi his 300th wicket across formats in international cricket.
Rashid then came back into the attack and picked up three quick wickets. He trapped Brad Evans lbw for 1 before bowling Newman Nyamhuri with a ball that he delivered from at least two yards behind the popping crease. Rashid then got the big one as Raza’s second attempt for a big hit in the over found the long-off fielder. He had earlier struck Rashid for a 98-metre six over midwicket.
Rashid looked primed to pick up his fourth wicket, but Wellington Masakadza and Blessing Muzarabani resisted him. In fact, the tenth-wicket pair lasted for nearly ten overs during which they added 32 runs. It was the second-highest partnership of Zimbabwe’s innings. When Sami trapped Masakadza for 8, it finally ended things for Zimbabwe as they posted a sub-par total in the final.
Afghanistan tore into the Zimbabwe attack in their reply. Zadran kicked things off with a flurry of boundaries off Evans, including a huge six over square leg in the fourth over. Gurbaz took over from that point, cracking the left-arm quick Nyamhuri for consecutive fours in the eighth over. He launched Muzarabani over fine leg, before picking up Evans down the ground for sixes.
Nyamhuri cut Gurbaz’s stay short when the batter carved a slower ball into Madhevere’s lap at point. Gurbaz struck six boundaries, including the two sixes, in his 31-ball 36. Nyamhuri also removed Sediqullah Atal shortly afterwards, as the left-hand batter was caught behind for 6.
Captain Rahmat Shah then took control of the chase. He picked the singles and doubles quite regularly with Zadran, who was also comfortable at the crease. The pair went through 77 balls without hitting a boundary, but hardly looked out of place. Rahmat’s cover-driven four in the 27th over broke the duck, before Zadran slogged Raza for another four in the over.
Rahmat slammed Masakadza’s short ball for his first six, hammered over midwicket, before Burl took an excellent catch at short midwicket with eight runs left in the chase. Rahmat made 43 off 63 balls with a four and a six each. Shahidi and Zadran, who struck four fours and a six in his 96-ball stay, scored the remaining runs easily thereafter.
Scores:
Afghanistan 170 for 3 in 34.3 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 70*, Rahmat Shah 43; Newman Nyamhuri 2-43) beat Zimbabwe 169 in 43.3 overs (Sikandar Raza 68; Rashid Khan 3-41, Mohammad Nabi 2-25, Bilal Sami 2-27, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2-41) by seven wickets
(Cricinfo)
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Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Northern, and North-western provinces
Published
1 day ago
on
2026/10/24
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 24 October 2026
Issued at 5.30 a.m. on 24 October 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
The low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal in the vicinity of the North Andaman Islands is very likely to intensify into a depression by today (24).
The system is expected to move west-northwestwards and intensify further into a deep depression by 25 October and into a cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by the morning of 26 October 2026.
Although this system is not expected to have a direct impact on Sri Lanka, an increase in rainfall is expected over the southwestern parts of the island during the next few days, as the wind flow associated with the system extends across the island.
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central and Uva provinces during the early hours of the morning.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Northern, and North-western provinces.
Showers or thunder showers will occur after 1.00 p.m. elsewhere of the island and fairly heavy showers above 50 mm are likely at some places in these areas.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.