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Government efforts to raise the retirement age of judges will fail to address Sri Lanka's economic hardship or enrich the nation, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said.

Speaking during an inspection tour of the Kirinda fishing harbour, Premadasa accused the government of ignoring pressing public issues.

He alleged that the proposed legislative change is a calculated move to concentrate state administrative power within the ruling party headquarters in Pelawatte.

Addressing members of the local fishing community, the Opposition Leader criticised the official national development program.

He said that government pledges of widespread prosperity cannot be realized without direct support for farmers, fishermen, industrial workers, and entrepreneurs.

He questioned the official policy focus, noting that national wealth cannot be generated by altering judicial service conditions while vital public sectors languish.

He argued that the government appears to prioritize judicial tenure extension over necessary investment in state healthcare and education services.

The Opposition Leader warned that the government intends to introduce a new constitutional amendment to solidify political control.

He described the move as a direct attempt to erode public trust in state institutions and warned that centralizing state authority under party control poses a serious threat to democratic governance in Sri Lanka.

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A sophisticated cyberattack targeting WhatsApp accounts on older iPhones has reportedly affected users in Sri Lanka, prompting complaints to the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (Sri Lanka CERT).

Unlike common online scams that rely on victims opening links or scanning fraudulent QR codes, the reported attack can compromise an account without any action from the user. The threat is believed to exploit weaknesses in the way WhatsApp handles synchronization with linked devices.

Several people from Sri Lanka’s media and business sectors have reportedly encountered or raised concerns about similar incidents, suggesting that the threat has reached local users.

A forensic examination by an Italian cybersecurity company found that compromised WhatsApp accounts were allegedly used to contact other people with fraudulent requests for money. In some cases, victims reportedly did not see unfamiliar devices in their WhatsApp linked-device lists, potentially allowing the unauthorized access to go unnoticed.

The attackers have also reportedly gained administrator control of WhatsApp groups after taking over individual accounts.

The incidents are believed to involve iPhones operating on iOS versions older than 16.7.12, underscoring the security risks associated with using outdated software.

Cybersecurity experts are urging iPhone users to install the latest available iOS and WhatsApp updates. They also recommend activating WhatsApp’s two-step verification and Chat Lock features as additional security measures.

Users have further been advised to independently confirm any unexpected request for money or sensitive information, even if the message appears to have been sent by someone they know.

The reported incidents highlight how increasingly sophisticated zero-click attacks are being used by financially motivated cybercriminals and reinforce the need for users to keep both their devices and applications updated.

The Chief Prelates of the three major Buddhist Chapters have urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to abandon proposed constitutional amendments extending the retirement age of superior court judges, following the public disclosure of their joint letter in Colombo on Wednesday (12).

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Sujeewa Senasinghe released the letter during a press conference, bringing official documentation to an ongoing political debate surrounding the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution.

Under existing constitutiona provisions, Court of Appeal judges must step down at 63, while Supreme Court judges retire at 65, limits the Chief Prelates insisted should remain unchanged.

“We believe that it is not appropriate for the Government to act in this manner to increase those age limits,” the letter states, according to the section released by Senasinghe.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa and Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara conducted high-level consultations with the Chief Prelates of the Asgiriya, Malwathu, Ramanna, and Amarapura Chapters to clarify the NPP government's policy stance.

They informed the prelates that the proposed tenure adjustments form part of an overarching judicial overhaul designed to resolve massive case backlogs, expedite court proceedings, and enhance system-wide efficiency.

Minister Jayatissa clarified that the age extension is not tailored for specific individuals, explaining that the revision would uniformly apply to approximately 400 judicial officers ranging from magistrate level up to the apex court bench.

Traffic was disrupted on the Colombo-bound side of the Southern Expressway following a collision involving three vehicles this morning (11).

The crash took place near the 115-kilometre marker, along the stretch between the Kokmaduwa and Imaduwa interchanges.

One of the vehicles overturned as a result of the collision. Two people are reported to have sustained injuries in the accident.

Further details regarding the cause of the crash and the condition of those injured have not been disclosed.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has proposed to declare the Sri Lankan elephant as the country’s National Animal while calling for comprehensive legal and environmental safeguards to resolve the escalating human-elephant conflict.

The recommendation was put forward in an official statement issued in Colombo to mark World Elephant Day today (12), targeting national policy reforms across agrarian and wildlife sectors nationwide.

Habitat loss and co-existence framework

Addressing the root causes of regional tensions, Premadasa noted that the destruction of natural habitats and traditional migration corridors has forced wild herds into human settlements, triggering severe agricultural damage and animal deaths.

He stressed that resolving the crisis requires a balanced approach that protects farming communities without compromising wildlife conservation. He added that the country must establish a sustainable framework where rural families can live free from danger while wild populations remain safe from harm.

Policy commitment and conservation strategy

Emphasising the need for concrete action, Premadasa stated that conferring national status on the species must extend beyond symbolic gestures to encompass a formal state pledge toward scientific conservation.

He said that responsible development policies must integrate the protection of natural ranges alongside the preservation of rural livelihoods.

He highlighted that true peaceful coexistence must become a national priority, ensuring that rural residents receive adequate protection while preventing any unlawful persecution of wild elephants.

Two separate motorcycle accidents in Dambulla and Galle have claimed the lives of two young men, police said.

In the first incident, an 18-year-old youth died after the motorcycle he was riding crashed into a culvert in the Welihena area of Dambulla.

The motorcycle was travelling towards Bulagala when the rider reportedly lost control, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and collide with the culvert.

The teenager suffered critical injuries and was taken to Dambulla Hospital. He later died while undergoing treatment.

Dambulla Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

In a separate incident near Galgodadeniya Junction on the Galle-Udugama Road, a 27-year-old man was killed when the motorcycle he was riding struck a bus stop.

The motorcycle had been travelling towards Galle when the rider lost control and the vehicle veered off the road. Both the rider and the pillion passenger suffered serious injuries and were admitted to Karapitiya Hospital.

The rider later died from his injuries. He was identified as a resident of Udugama.

Akkmeemana Police are conducting further investigations into the second accident.

Sri Lanka is observing World Elephant Day today (12) against the backdrop of mounting concerns over the survival of wild elephants and the continuing loss of human lives in encounters between people and wildlife.

The Ministry of Environment has warned that expanding human activity is placing growing pressure on elephant habitats. According to the Ministry, years of development without adequate planning have disrupted established elephant corridors and migration paths, affecting both ecosystems and biodiversity.

The scale of the crisis has also been highlighted by environmental groups. Hemantha Withanage, Chairperson of the Centre for Environmental Justice, said more than 400 elephants are killed in Sri Lanka each year, while the human-elephant conflict claims nearly 200 human lives annually.

According to Withanage, 180 elephant deaths and 56 human fatalities have already been reported this year.

He said around 75 of the elephant deaths recorded so far were linked to human actions. These included approximately 30 deaths caused by gunfire, 23 from electrocution and 19 involving explosives commonly known as ‘hakka patas’.

Withanage also questioned existing estimates of the country’s wild elephant population. While earlier figures had placed the population at around 5,000, he said a recent wildlife survey found that the number had surpassed 7,000.

He noted that the conflict is becoming increasingly difficult to contain, with human settlements and elephant habitats overlapping across more than 40% of Sri Lanka’s land area.

The Centre for Environmental Justice has proposed a systematic programme aimed at addressing the escalating conflict, with Withanage calling for the implementation of such measures.

The issue was brought into sharp focus again last evening (11), when a 43-year-old man was killed in a wild elephant attack in Ambanpola.

According to police, the man had entered his paddy field to drive away wild elephants that had moved into the area when he was attacked.

The victim, who was a resident of Ambanpola, died following the incident, while police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

As Sri Lanka marks World Elephant Day, the latest figures and incidents underscore the growing challenge of protecting the country’s elephant population while reducing the danger faced by communities living alongside them.

A 78-year-old man has died following an alleged assault with a sharp weapon in Thorapitiya, Laggala.

Police rushed the critically injured man to hospital after the incident, but he had succumbed to his injuries before he could receive treatment.

The deceased, who was from the Ma Oya area, is believed to have been attacked following an argument with his son-in-law.

According to preliminary police inquiries, the dispute between the two escalated before the alleged attack took place.

The suspect has reportedly fled the area following the incident.

Laggala Police have launched further investigations and are working to locate and arrest the suspect.

Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Rajapaksa arrived at the CID a short while ago in connection with an ongoing investigation being conducted by the department.

He is currently before CID officials as part of the investigative process. No further details regarding the nature of the inquiry were immediately available.

Powerful overseas drug kingpins are allegedly manipulating incarcerated addicts to engineer widespread violence across Sri Lankan correctional facilities following a major crack-down on contraband smuggling routes.

Security authorities and intelligence agencies revealed that major international syndicates are behind the recent wave of violent clashes at the Colombo New Magazine, Kuruwita, Mahara, and Pallansena prisons, which left four inmates dead and over 50 people injured.

The fatal unrest, which escalated after strict law enforcement measures effectively severed illicit drug supply chains into the facilities, stems from traffickers exploiting severe withdrawal distress among the high proportion of addicted prisoners.

Fatalities included a high-profile homicide suspect linked to organised crime who was beaten to death during a gang feud for dominance at the New Magazine Prison, an incident sparked when officers intercepted a narcotics-filled ball thrown over the perimeter wall.

Joint operations involving the Police, Special Task Force, and Tri-Forces were subsequently deployed under senior command to quell rioting, secure outer perimeters, and facilitate the immediate transfer of key instigators to separate facilities.

Official inquiries are proceeding swiftly, with forensic experts examining heavily damaged infrastructure such as the Kuruwita Prison Hospital while authorities await the formal submission of internal investigation reports and post-mortem results.

The sudden, coordinated outbreak of violence across multiple correctional centers within a single day underscores growing national security vulnerabilities as transnational crime networks attempt to destabilise state institutions from abroad.

Further multi-agency investigations led by the Police and intelligence services are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the suspected conspiracy, alongside magistrate inquests and comprehensive infrastructure damage assessments.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says that while other political parties have exerted various pressures on the judiciary at different times, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) is the only untainted political party that has made no such interference.

Addressing a public meeting in Galle yesterday (10), he warned that the National people's Power (NPP) government is engaging in an undemocratic act by extending the retirement age of judges.

He emphasised that the government intends to pave the way for a single party rule through these statutory amendments.

Highlighting past instances of judicial interference, the Opposition Leader noted that a previous political faction took measures to impeach and remove former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake from her office.

He also recalled how another political faction had previously threatened members of the judiciary, declaring that judges would be summoned before a Parliamentary Select Committee over decisions made regarding local government elections.

The Opposition leader stressed that while other political parties have repeatedly exerted pressure on the courts at different times, the SJB stands out as the only untainted political party in the country that has never compromised judicial independence.