Latest News Commander of the Navy promoted to the rank of Admiral Published 6 hours agoon 2026/06/30 The President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, promoted Commander of th…

Latest News Commander of the Navy promoted to the rank of Admiral

Published 6 hours agoon 2026/06/30

The President of the  Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, promoted Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda to the rank of Admiral effective from today (30 Jun 26). He was appointed as the 26th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy on 31 Dec 24, promoting to the 3-star rank of Vice Admiral. Upon being promoted to the 4-star rank, Admiral Kanchana Banagoda arrived at the Navy Headquarters, where he was received, and accorded a Guard of Honour in accordance with time-honoured naval traditions.

Latest News Morocco beat Netherlands in dramatic World Cup shootout to reach last 16

Published 12 hours agoon 2026/06/30

Morocco's Ismael Saibari celebrates after scoring the winning penalty in the penalty shootout (Aljazeera) Morocco defeated the Netherlands in a penalty shootout to advance to the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup  after a thrilling battle in Monterrey finished 1-1 following extra time. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made the crucial save to block the Netherlands’ fourth penalty from Crysencio Summerville, before striker Ismael Saibari stepped up to blast home the winning spot-kick that sealed a 3-2 shootout win on Monday. The victory sends Morocco into a last-16 clash with Canada  in Houston on Saturday. An enthralling match had gone to extra time after Issa Diop had glanced in a dramatic equaliser for Morocco in the first minute of stoppage time as the Netherlands had closed in on victory. The Dutch had taken the lead midway through the second half with a goal from Cody Gakpo, playing just days after his partner had confirmed the death of the couple’s unborn son. Morocco players celebrate after the match as the team qualifies for the round of 16 [Aljazeera] Liverpool forward Gakpo sank to the turf and appeared overcome with emotion as his teammates surrounded him in a prolonged group embrace. But Morocco forced extra time when an unmarked Diop headed home from substitute Chemsdine Talbi’s cross in injury time. Morocco had created the better chances in the fractious encounter, which saw players from both sides flying into tackles to test the patience of Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio. The Atlas Lions almost took the lead on 20 minutes when Neil El Aynaoui glanced an Achraf Hakimi corner goal-wards only to be denied by a superb reflex save from Netherlands goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. Verbruggen was pressed into action moments later, this time doing well to tip a vicious strike from Hakimi over the bar. Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo celebrates scoring their first goal with Crysencio Summerville [Aljazeera] The fierce nature of the contest was on full display midway through the half, when Saibari was lucky to escape sanction after elbowing Jan Paul van Hecke in the face. The Dutch continued to enjoy plenty of possession but were unable to convert it into goalscoring chances. Their best effort came on 44 minutes, when Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven uncorked a ferocious shot from the edge of the area that was tipped over by Bounou. Van Hecke continued to find himself in the thick of the action, and after bloodying his head in a collision in the penalty area, made his presence felt with a crunching tackle that upended El Aynaoui just before half-time. As the half ended, Saibari just failed to connect with a cross that flashed across the Dutch goal before going behind. Netherlands’ Jan Paul van Hecke looks dejected after the penalty shootout as the Dutch are eliminated from the World Cup [Aljazeera] The drama continued into an end-to-end second half, but appeared to have tilted in the Netherlands’ favour when coach Ronald Koeman brought on forward Wout Weghorst in a flurry of substitutions after the hydration break. Weghorst made an immediate impact, flicking on a long ball to send Summerville bearing in on goal. Summerville crossed to Gakpo, who hurled himself at the ball to score. The Netherlands, superbly marshalled by Gakpo’s Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk, appeared to be heading for victory, but Diop’s late header sent it to extra time. Morocco looked to have made the breakthrough when Soufiane Rahimi went through on goal in the 96th minute, only to be denied by a jaw-dropping save from Verbruggen. The Netherlands held on for penalties, but despite Morocco missing their first when El Aynaoui hit the bar, the North Africans recovered to win. Morocco’s Ismael Saibari, who has been their star player of the tournament, once again proved instrumental in the team’s victory [Aljazeera] (Aljazeera)

Latest News Paraguay shock Germany in shootout win for one of all-time World Cup upsets

Published 15 hours agoon 2026/06/30

Paraguay's Julio Enciso celebrates scoring their first goal with Gustavo Gomez [Aljazeera] Germany’s World Cup 2026 campaign is over after a shock defeat – arguably the competition’s greatest – by Paraguay in the round of 32. The Germans trailed 1-0 at half-time to Julio Enciso’s 42nd-minute header from Matias Galarza’s cross on Monday. It was a limp display by the four-time winners in the first period, but they drew level in the second half, when Kai Havertz scored eight minutes after the restart with a glancing header from Florian Wirtz’s ball in from the flank. Germany then had a Jonathan Tah goal from a corner ruled out after a VAR review for a foul on Paraguay’s keeper, and with no further goal, the game went to spot kicks after extra time. Havertz, who helped Arsenal end a 22-year wait to win the English Premier League title this season, missed the opening kick of the shootout. The forward’s side would miss three kicks in total, as Paraguay, who themselves missed two kicks, eventually prevailed 4-3. Nick Woltemade and Tah were the other two German players to suffer the pain of penalty misses, while Paraguay’s Jose Canale scored ‌the decisive spot kick. Paraguay’s defender Jose Canale scores a penalty kick past Germany’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to win the penalty shootout [Aljazeera] Germany were ranked number 10 in the world by the game’s governing body, FIFA, entering the tournament, while Paraguay were ranked 41st. The German defeat is potentially the greatest upset in World Cup football, but is surely the biggest at the knockout stage. The previous match it surpasses was another German defeat at the US 1994 World Cup, when a Hristo Stoichkov-inspired Bulgaria knocked out the defending champions in the quarterfinals. Stoichkov, then a Barcelona player, was named the Ballon d’Or winner for 1994, while Bulgaria were ranked 29th in the world at the time. It was the Germans’ first defeat on penalties at a World Cup, and they have now failed to reach the last 16 since they last won the competition in 2014. Paraguay will face ‌either France or Sweden in the last 16 ‌in ‌Philadelphia on July 4. [Aljazeera]