The Pulse: US-Iran Tensions Flare, Rupee Dips, El Niño Threat Looms, and Judicial Independence Debated

US President Donald Trump cancelled planned military strikes against Iran following progress in high-level negotiations, though the naval blockade will continue until a final agreement

. Despite this, US airstrikes on Iran continue, with Iran's IRGC claiming retaliatory attacks on US military bases in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait

. The US Central Command, however, denied Iranian claims of its warships being struck in the Strait of Hormuz, confirming naval traffic continues

. Amidst these tensions, Kuwait temporarily closed and then reopened its airspace as a precautionary measure

. Domestically, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara stated that proposals to increase judges' retirement age are being considered positively, but the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) urged the President against it, citing concerns for judicial independence

. The wife of former SIS Director Suresh Salley requested family visits due to his hunger strike amidst PTA custody, and a writ petition was filed to quash his detention order

. Senior DIG Waruna Jayasundara also sought court protection from arrest in the ongoing Easter Sunday attacks probe

. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed confidence in the government's ability to manage El Niño and other external challenges through proper planning

. The Colombo High Court upheld a two-year prison sentence for Shashi Weerawansa for possessing an irregular diplomatic passport

. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa discussed macroeconomic challenges and Cyclone Ditwah's impact with the Canadian High Commissioner, appealing for international assistance and eased IMF conditions

. The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) successfully conducted the first test flight of its upgraded Kfir C12 fighter jet, a significant milestone in its modernization program

. Sri Lanka also climbed 14 places to 67th globally in the 2026 Global Peace Index, ranking as the second most peaceful nation in South Asia

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Sri Lanka is navigating dynamic weather, with showers and thundershowers expected in several provinces and districts, including fairly heavy falls exceeding 50 mm

. The Meteorological Department issued a red notice for rough seas from Kankesanthurei to Mannar, with wind speeds up to 70 km/h, and also forecast moderate heavy rain and winds for several provinces and districts

. A significant concern is the warning that El Niño impacts are expected from July 2026, potentially causing a significant reduction in rainfall and raising concerns about a major drought lasting until April 2027

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The Sri Lankan Rupee has depreciated again against the US dollar on June 11, with the selling rate reaching Rs. 337.82 according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka

. Commercial banks reported selling rates as high as Rs. 338.50

. In other economic news, the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has issued a gazette notification setting new maximum retail prices for bottled drinking water, effective June 10th, with prices increasing across all sizes

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The Health Ministry has warned that one in five Sri Lankan schoolchildren is malnourished, highlighting a 'triple burden of malnutrition' across the country, with the highest prevalence among children under five in Uva Province

. In a significant international recognition, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) in Angoda has been designated a WHO Collaborating Centre for Training and Research on Dengue Case Management, the first hospital in Sri Lanka to achieve this

. A three-day national dengue eradication program inspected 97,871 premises, detecting dengue mosquito larvae in 6,268 premises and identifying 25,626 high-risk areas

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The security officer arrested in connection with the Horana State Bank robbery of Rs. 35 million has been further remanded until June 23, with investigations highlighting his close ties to the already arrested Assistant Manager

. In separate incidents involving elephant tusks, one suspect was apprehended in Welikanda with tusks and a gun, while three suspects were arrested in Hali Ela with suspected 'Gajamuthu' and remanded until June 19th

. Kuwaiti security forces arrested seven individuals, including three Sri Lankan nationals, in a drug trafficking operation, seizing hashish, heroin, and narcotic pills

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Sri Lanka is experiencing the full force of the Southwest Monsoon, with forecasts of heavy rain exceeding 75 mm in several provinces and districts, and strong winds of 40-50 km/h across the island

. The continuous rainfall has led to flooding in Monaragala, minor flood levels in major rivers, and 19 major and 18 medium-sized reservoirs overflowing. The adverse weather has affected 31,072 individuals and prompted landslide warnings for 6 districts

. Separately, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) announced a 12-hour water cut in Mahara and Gampaha districts today due to pipeline relocation for the Central Expressway

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Two separate bus accidents were reported, with a head-on collision on the expressway near Unathuwewa injuring approximately 15 individuals on November 11th

. Another collision occurred on November 13th on the Colombo-Kataragama main road involving a private school bus and a Langa bus

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