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Spain’s king and queen pelted with mud in flood-hit Valencia

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The King and Queen of Spain have been pelted with mud and other objects by angry protesters during a visit to flood-hit Valencia.

Shouts of “murderer” and “shame” were directed at the royal couple, Spain’s prime minister and other leaders as they walked through the town of Paiporta – one of the worst-affected in the region.

With mud on their faces and clothes, King Felipe and Queen Letizia were later seen consoling members of the crowd.

More than 200 people were killed in the floods, the worst in Spain for decades. Emergency workers are continuing to comb through underground car parks and tunnels in the hope of finding survivors and recovering bodies.

There has been anger at a perceived lack of warning and insufficient support from authorities after the floods.

Footage showed the king making his way down a pedestrian street, before his bodyguards and police were suddenly overwhelmed by a surge of protesters, hurling insults and screaming.

They struggled to maintain a protective ring around the monarch, as some of the protesters threw mud and objects.

The king engaged with several, even embracing them.

Images showed mud on the faces and clothes of the king, queen and their entourage, who held umbrellas over the monarch as they departed.

Queen Letizia in tears on visit to flood-hit Valencia

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the head of Valencian regional government, Carlos Mazón, joined the royal couple on the visit, but were swiftly evacuated as the crowd grew increasingly hostile.

Spanish media reports that objects were hurled at Sánchez, while footage verified by the BBC appears to show stones being thrown at his car as he was driven away.

After he left, the crowd chanted: “Where is Sánchez?”

“I’m just 16,” one boy, Pau, told the BBC through tears. “We’re helping – and the leaders do nothing. People are still dying. I can’t stand this anymore.”

Another woman said: “They left us to die. We’ve lost everything: our businesses, our homes, our dreams.”

The civil guard and mounted officers were later seen attempting to disperse the angry crowd.

The royal entourage had intended to travel on to Chiva, another town in the Valencia province badly impacted by the flooding, but that visit has since been postponed.

The king later said he understood the “anger and frustration” of the protestors in a video posted on the royal household’s Instagram account.

The mayor of Paiporta, Maribel Albalat, told the BBC she was shocked by the violence, but that she understood “the frustration and desperation of the people”.

Juan Bordera, a member of the Valencian parliament, called the king’s visit “a very bad decision”.

Authorities “didn’t listen to any warnings,” Mr Bordera told the BBC.

“It’s logical that the people are angry, it’s logical that the people didn’t understand why this visit is so urgent,” he added.

On Saturday, Sánchez ordered 10,000 more troops, police officers and civil guards to the area.

He said the deployment was Spain’s largest in peacetime. But he added that he was aware the response was “not enough” and acknowledged “severe problems and shortages”.

The flooding began on Tuesday, following a period of intense rainfall. Floodwaters quickly caused bridges to collapse and enveloped towns in thick mud.

Many communities were cut off, left without access to water, food, electricity and other basic services.

On Sunday, the death toll from the flooding rose to 217, with many more feared missing.

Almost all of the deaths confirmed so far have been in the Valencia region on the Mediterranean coast.

Some areas have been particularly devastated. Authorities in Paiporta, the town visited today by the royal delegation, have reported at least 62 deaths.

Spain’s meteorological agency AEMET issued its highest level of alert on Sunday for parts of southern Valencia – including the cities of Alzira, Cullera and Gandia.

Intense storms forecast to pass the area will not be on the scale of Tuesday’s, the agency said, with 90mm (3.45 inches) of rainfall expected.

(BBC News)

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President meets ex-South African President Thabo Mbeki   

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President Anura Kumara Disanayake met with former President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, this afternoon (June 26) at the Presidential Secretariat.

Mr. Mbeki, who is on his first visit to Sri Lanka, expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to visit the country, stating that he has long followed Sri Lanka’s efforts toward national unity and reconciliation with keen interest. He noted that he was pleased to visit Sri Lanka at this significant moment.

Although South Africa and Sri Lanka are geographically distant, the former President observed that both nations share similarities in their multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multicultural compositions. He added that both countries face similar challenges in achieving peace and reconciliation and expressed his willingness to share lessons learned and experiences from South Africa’s own reconciliation journey.

Mr. Mbeki stated his confidence in President Disanayake’s ability to unite Sri Lanka’s diverse communities and overcome current economic and reconciliation related challenges.

President Disanayake reaffirmed his commitment to fostering national harmony and reconciliation while leading the country forward amidst economic challenges. He emphasized that he remains dedicated to building unity among all ethnic groups and steering the nation toward stability and progress.

Also present at the meeting were South African High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Sandile Schalk, Chief Executive Officer of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, Maxwell Boqwana  and the Foundation’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Lukhanyo Neer.

Representing Sri Lanka were Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananda Wijepala and Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Roshan Gamage.

Executive Group Director of The Capital Maharaja Group, Chevaan Daniel and Group Manager Anushka Lewke also joined the occasion.

(President’s Media Division)

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UN Human Rights chief calls to repeal Online Safety Act & PTA moratorium

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United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has called for the repealing of the Online Safety Act while also imposing a moratorium on enforcement of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

Addressing a media conference in Colombo before concluding his visit to Sri Lanka,  the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called for an expedited review and release of long-term PTA detainees and prisoners.

The UN Rights Chief said, “I also call for the moratorium of the use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and urge an expedited review and release of long-term PTA detainees and prisoners.”

“I also understand that a bill proposing the decriminalization of same sex relationships is before parliament and I hope it will be passed soon”, he added.  

In addition, he also called for police reforms in the country.

Meanwhile, a media release by the President’s Media Division states that the UN Rights Chief has expressed his complete support for the direction Sri Lanka is pursuing under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Disanayake to strengthen national unity, promote reconciliation and safeguard Human Rights.

During a meeting with President Anura Kumara Disanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (June 26), the UN Rights Chief has commended the current political and social transformation taking place in the country and noted that people in both the North and the South have placed strong confidence in the President and the Government. Mr. Volker Türk stated that during his visit to Sri Lanka, he was able to gain a clear understanding of the on-going transformation taking place in the country. He expressed his belief that the people of Sri Lanka are now placing a renewed optimism for a brighter future.

The issue of missing persons was also discussed in detail. The High Commissioner observed that families of the missing whether in the North or the South share the same pain and emphasized the expectation of the UN Human Rights Office that the Sri Lankan Government will honour the trust these families have placed in it.

The discussion further stressed the importance of strengthening and restructuring the institutional framework responsible for addressing the issue of missing persons. It was noted that past political cultures had hindered these institutions from effectively delivering on public expectations and protecting the rights of citizens.

In his remarks, President Anura Kumara Disanayake stated that, as a political movement that has directly faced the experience of the missing persons his administration has a deep understanding of their pain.

The President emphasized that his government is fully committed to implementing the necessary reforms to ensure national unity, foster reconciliation and safeguard human rights across the country.

The President also emphasized that restoring economic stability remains a top priority of his administration. While recognizing the scale of the current challenges, the President reiterated his Government’s strong determination to address them and called for the continued support of the international community.

President Disanayake further said that international cooperation, including the support of the UN Human Rights Office and other global institutions, is essential for accurately conveying Sri Lanka’s actual circumstances to the global community and improving the nation’s international reputation.

Also present at the meeting were several senior officials from the United Nations, including UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Marc-André Franche, Chief of the Asia-Pacific Section of Global Operations Division Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) Rory Mungoven, Desk Officer of OHCHR Elaine Chan, Senior Human Rights Adviser at the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator Laila Nazarali, Development Coordination Officer, Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator Azam Bakeer Markar and Public Information Officer of the OHCHR Anthony Headley.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, among other officials.

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CIB Big City fined Rs. 1 mn. for selling overpriced bottled water

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CIB Big City, a private business outlet in Maharagama, has been fined Rs. 1 million by the Gangodawila Magistrate’s Court today (June 26) for selling overpriced bottled water.

A case was filed against the business outlet following a raid carried out by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) officials on May 09, 2025.

During the raid, officials had discovered that a 500 ml bottle of water has been sold at Rs. 90 despite the MRP being declared as Rs. 70 by a gazette notification published on April 01, 2025.

The store is a part of the well known fashion chain – Wijaya Group, which is chaired by Mr. K.R.G Wijesundera.

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