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Opposition MP and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa has called on the government to immediately provide a fair price for paddy farmers' harvests, claiming that farmers are facing increasing hardships while the cost of living continues to rise.

Rajapaksa alleged that the government had failed to address farmers' concerns over paddy prices, fertiliser availability and rice imports.

He said farmers have been demanding a price of Rs. 140 per kilogram of paddy and accused the government of failing to honour promises made before the election regarding guaranteed purchase prices.

Rajapaksa also claimed that farmers were being intimidated for demanding higher prices and criticised the continued importation of rice despite earlier assurances that imports would be halted.

Referring to the previous SLPP government, he said a guaranteed price for paddy had been maintained through subsidised fertiliser and purchases by the Paddy Marketing Board, while acknowledging that the organic fertiliser policy introduced later had been a mistake.

He also alleged that despite the government's pledge to purchase paddy directly from farmers, the programme had failed to attract producers, while rice prices had ultimately increased.

Rajapaksa said the rising cost of living and increasing tax burden had made daily life unaffordable for many people and urged the government to immediately present its plan to address the concerns of farmers and the wider public.

Sri Lankan intelligence agencies have uncovered a coordinated plot involving politicians, prison officials, and inmates to incite violent clashes across five key penal facilities and trigger widespread national destabilization, according to a report published by the 'Divaina' newspaper.

The report states that security forces identified the plan after monitoring suspicious activities linked to recent unrest within Sri lanka's correctional facilities.

The syndicate behind the plot is preparing to target the Dumbara, Kalutara, Galle, Colombo Magazine, and Welikada Female prisons.

Authorities believe this nexus of powerful actors aims to manufacture artificial unrest without any legitimate grievances to exploit for political or criminal gain.

Investigators suspect that the network orchestrating this fresh conspiracy is the same organized group responsible for directing the recent violent outbreaks at both the Negombo and Mahara facilities.

The violence at the Mahara Prison alone led to property destruction valued at over Rs. 150 million, with probes failing to find any reasonable cause or catalyst for the outbreak.

Authorities note that high-ranking members of the Department of Prisons collaborated directly with incarcerated individuals and political figures to coordinate these incidents.

A comprehensive inquiry led by senior investigative teams is currently underway to identify all co-conspirators and dismantle the network before further disruptions take place.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee to resolve critical structural delays and rising case backlogs within the Sri Lankan judicial system.

Addressing the House regarding growing tensions over proposed judicial reforms, Premadasa urged the government to pause legislation until comprehensive consultations are conducted with key legal stakeholders.

The country currently faces an unprecedented judicial backlog of approximately 1.1 million pending cases, a situation the Opposition Leader says threatens democratic governance and fundamental legal rights.

In a proposal submitted directly to the Speaker, Premadasa urged all 225 Members of Parliament to attend a special briefing scheduled for Wednesday (05) at 3.00 p.m., where representatives from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) will outline the severe ramifications of altering judicial service conditions without consensus.

The Opposition Leader stressed that recent executive attempts to amend the mandatory retirement age of judges have generated widespread uncertainty across the legal fraternity due to a complete absence of prior dialogue.

He said that by establishing a dedicated legislative committee, Parliament can conduct a holistic review of court administration, safeguard judicial independence, and introduce long-overdue efficiency measures to restore public trust in the rule of law.

A delegation of ministers called on the Most Venerable Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatu Chapter yesterday (03) to brief him regarding the proposed Bill to extend the retirement age of judicial officers.

The delegation attending the meeting included Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara and Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr Nalinda Jayatissa.

Expressing his views on the matter, the Malwathu Mahanayake Thera emphasised that if the retirement age of judges is to be extended, the same benefit should be granted to all public servants.

The Chief Prelate pointed out that it is inappropriate to introduce such amendments targeting only one individual or a specific group.

"It would be advisable if there is an age extension for every government official, just as it is for every judge. It is not good to do this by targeting a single individual," the Mahanayake Thera said.

Clarifying the matters before the Chief Prelate, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said that in many countries across the world, the retirement age for judges is set at 70 years or higher.

The Justice Minister said this measure is being taken to safeguard the independence of the judiciary and as a solution to the prevailing shortage of judges.

He pointed out that when applications were called to recruit 50 judges, only 33 candidates applied, making the extension of the retirement age an imperative necessity.

The Ministers also said that the approval of the Attorney General has been received for the Bill, and it is scheduled to be published via Extraordinary Gazette in the near future.

They also assured the Most Ven. Mahanayake Thera that this step is by no means being taken with the intention of targeting any single individual.

Morocco has named its 1,055-km. Tiznit-Dakhla expressway the “Donald J. Trump Highway” in recognition of the US president’s support for Rabat’s sovereignty claim over Western Sahara, the Moroccan state news agency MAP reported on Saturday.

King Mohammed VI informed US President Donald Trump of the decision in a letter dated July 2, saying relations between Morocco and the United States had become particularly strong and productive during Trump’s two presidential terms.

“Your historic recognition, in 2020, of Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara will forever be etched in the memory of Moroccans,” the king wrote.

Mohammed VI said the route was one of Morocco’s most important road projects and described it as the longest road infrastructure in Africa. The expressway connects northern and southern Morocco and forms part of an Atlantic transport corridor linking Europe with West Africa.

The roughly $1 billion route begins in Tiznit and passes through Guelmim, Tan-Tan and Laayoune before reaching Dakhla. Much of the southern section runs through Western Sahara, which Morocco considers part of its southern provinces.

Moroccan authorities say the road will shorten travel times, reduce disruptions caused by flooding and shifting sand, and improve the movement of people and goods between the country’s economic centers and its southern regions.

Trump publicly thanked the Moroccan monarch in a July 26 post on Truth Social.

“Such a Great Honor! I look forward to traveling the entire length of this Great Highway someday, hopefully soon!” Trump wrote.

The naming reflects the diplomatic relationship that developed during Trump’s first administration. In December 2020, Washington recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara alongside a US-brokered agreement under which Morocco agreed to normalize relations with Israel.

Morocco subsequently became a member of the Abraham Accords framework, expanding diplomatic, economic and security ties with Israel.

Western Sahara has been disputed since Spain withdrew from the territory in 1975. Morocco controls most of the region, while the Algeria-backed Polisario Front seeks the establishment of an independent Sahrawi state.

Israel formally recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2023 and reaffirmed that position the following year.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution in October 2025 that supported negotiations based on Morocco’s autonomy proposal, under which Western Sahara would receive limited self-government while remaining under Moroccan sovereignty.

In his letter to Trump, Mohammed VI presented the expressway as both an infrastructure project and a symbol of the two countries’ strategic partnership, saying it would strengthen Morocco’s position as a commercial link between Europe and Africa.

(THE JERUSALEM POST)

A 65-year-old man has died after being trapped beneath a collapsed earth embankment in the Solankanda area of Nawalapitiya as severe weather continues to affect parts of Sri Lanka.

Director of the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), Pradeep Kodippili, confirmed the fatality during a special media briefing held today (03) on the ongoing impact of the adverse weather conditions.

Heavy rainfall has also triggered minor flooding in the Nawalapitiya area of the Kandy District, prompting authorities to evacuate residents from vulnerable locations.

According to the DMC, 138 people from 38 families have been relocated to safer places due to the flood risk.

Authorities said they are closely monitoring the evolving situation and have urged residents in affected areas to remain alert as adverse weather conditions persist.