Jun 30 (Island) Before SL Cricket could assess and decide whether Chris Silverwood should get an extension, the Head Coach threw in the towel indicating that family reasons made it impossible for him to stay away from home. Silverwood, who is 49, has three young boys. Indications are that he might return home to take up as coach of Yorkshire, where he made a name for himself as a fast bowler. The process to appoint Silverwood’s successor has begun and many local and foreign coaches more..

Jun 30 (ST) Adani, Indian company involved in the West Terminal development at the Colombo Port and the controversial wind power project in Mannar, is also engaged in a third project here – proposed mining for valuable minerals in Sri Lanka’s ocean bed. According to a high official, Adani Group has stepped in to form a joint venture with a Taiwanese company Umicore Taiwan to exploit the cobalt reserves. more..

Jun 30 (DM) Dept of Immigration and Emigration has extended the validity of all passports that expire from June end by one year until the issuance of the e-passport project takes off in January next year. Dept announced that passports that expire after a period of ten years by June 30th will be extended up to one year free of charge. New electronic chip-inserted e-passport will be issued to the public by January next year, and the public is encouraged to get their new passport converted to an e-passport. more..

Jun 30 (EN) Sri Lanka’s current foreign exchange earnings from exports, remittances and gross services totalled US$ 2,016 million, exceeding imports of US$ 1,404 million by US$ 611 million in May 2024. SL’s exports were US$ 1,011 million in May, remittances were US$ 460.1 and gross services inflows including from tourism was US$ 460.1 million. The net services account surplus, after deducting outward like tourism, sea and air transport of US$ 229.8 million was US$ 230.3 million. more..

Jun 30 (DM) 25-year-old Israeli tourist, Tamar Amitai, who went missing on Wednesday while visiting SL, has been found, according to police. Amitai, who arrived in SL on June 22, was traveling alone in the Trincomalee area. She had booked a room online and was staying at the Rolex Guest House in Trincomalee. The guesthouse owner reported that she checked in on June 22 and had not returned since Wednesday. Uppuweli Police launched an investigation after the guesthouse owner more..

Jun 30 (TM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed Parinda Ranasinghe, PC, Senior Additional Solicitor General, as the Acting Attorney General. This temporary appointment will be in effect from 28 June to 11 July, as per Article 61E(b) of the Constitution, read with Article 41C, according to high-level sources. Sources confirmed that Ranasinghe’s appointment as Acting Attorney General was in addition to his current responsibilities. more..

Jun 30 (TM) The tender for the construction of the new terminal at the BIA is to be awarded to the controversial SL-China Joint Venture (JV) company, as per the decision given by Procurement Appeal Board (PAB), Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Aviation Secretary K.D.S. Ruwanchandra said. SL-China JV company involves Consulting Engineers and Contractors Ltd (CEC), a local company & China National Aero-technology more..

Jun 30 (ST) Nearly 2000 kilos of drugs, held as court evidence, were destroyed yesterday by using a high powered incinerator at Wanathawilluwa. The haul of drugs included 614 kg of ice (methamphetamine), 581 kg of ketamine (a dissociative anaesthetic drug), and 13. 681 kgof heroin. The incinerator belongs to the Police Dept, and the drugs were destroyed in the presence of Puttalam Magistrate Ayoma Wimalaratne. Haul of drugs, seized during operations on land and sea more..

Jun 30 (DM) Kollupitiya Police have obtained a travel ban against Sena Yaddehige, Chairman of Richard Pieris Group, in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of a female business analyst from the company. The victim, a 39-year-old resident of Colombo, lodged a complaint last month claiming she was sexually abused by the Chairman on May 7 at a star-class hotel in Kollupitiya. Complainant stated she had been working online as a business analyst for at least a month while more..

Jun 30 (ST) President Ranil Wickremesinghe revealed his strongest indication so far that he would be a candidate at the upcoming presidential election during his address to the nation on Wednesday night. “I pose a critical question—will you move forward with me, or will you align with those groping in the dark, still struggling to grasp the issues,” he asked. He then declared that he comprehended economic, financial issues more..