Pakistan FM holds talks with Bangladeshi officials during ‘historic’ visit

As the two South Asian countries attempt to rekindle relations amid Dhaka’s strained ties with India, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has met with senior Bangladeshi officials and politicians, including Touhid Hossain, the country’s top foreign affairs adviser.

Islamabad described the visit as “historical” and a “significant milestone in Pakistan-Bangladesh relations” and that Dar was the most senior Pakistani official to visit Dhaka since 2012.

Since Sheikh Hasina was ousted as Bangladesh’s prime minister last August, there have been fewer strained relations between Dhaka and Islamabad, which has led to her emigrating to New Delhi. Hasina was viewed as more in favor of India.

According to reports, the two countries have eased visa requirements for travel between them, making Dar’s visit come just days after.

On Sunday, Pakistan and Bangladesh are expected to sign a number of agreements, including ones relating to trade. The two nations expanded government-to-government commerce in February last year as they started sea trade.

After meeting with Bangladesh’s commerce adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin on Sunday morning, Dar and Commerce Minister Jamal Khan and Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs discussed ways to promote economic and commercial cooperation, with a particular emphasis on boosting trade and encouraging connectivity.

Local carriers are also looking into getting local carriers’ approvals for direct Dhaka-Karachi flights, according to Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star.

Dar will meet Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh’s interim leader, according to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry.

Dar emphasized his country’s “strong desire to forge a cooperative and forward-looking relationship with Bangladesh” at a press conference held on Saturday at the Pakistani High Commission in Dhaka.

Ishaq Dar (L) greets Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam (R) at the Dhaka airport. [Handout/Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AFP]

Stronger and more active

The top Pakistani diplomat also met with Jamaat-e-Islami political delegates from Bangladesh, which supported Pakistan’s partition and helped create Bangladesh in 1971.

After the meeting, Jamaat-e-Islami’s deputy leader Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher addressed reporters about how to strengthen and strengthen relations with the brotherly Muslim state of Pakistan in the coming days.

Dar also met with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leadership and the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), which was responsible for the uprising last year.

Top military leaders from both nations sat down in Pakistan on Friday.

In Dhaka, Pakistani Minister Khan agreed to establish joint commissions to promote trade and investment a day earlier.

During the 1971 war, East Pakistan reunified into Bangladesh, the Pakistani military was accused of carrying out numerous atrocities. Many Dhaka residents still demand Islamabad apologise for the killings, which hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis estimate to be the millions.

India, which almost encircles Bangladesh’s 170 million people, leaned heavily on the island nation after 1971.

However, Yunus has pressed for India to return Hasina, who is still refusing to testify against charges of crimes against humanity.

Sinner, Sabalenka Chasing Rare Repeats As US Open Begins

  

As the final Grand Slam of the season begins in New York on Sunday, defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka are chasing elusive repeat victories.

In one of the highlights of the first-ever Sunday singles competition, world number one Sabalenka faces Swiss player Rebeka Masarova, who is the unseeded player from Switzerland, on the Arthur Ashe Stadium’s Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Meanwhile, Sinner, the world number one in Italy, will face Czech Vit Kopriva on Monday to begin his bid for back-to-back titles.

Both Sabalenka and Sinner are attempting to win the first titles they have successfully won in more than ten years.

Since Serena Williams won the final of her hat-trick of titles in 2014, following victories in 2013 and 2012, no woman has ever won the US Open.

Also read: Sinner defends his second Grand Slam triumph at the US Open.

Men’s history: 17 years since a successful title defense, with Roger Federer’s victory in 2008 closing a remarkable run of five straight championships.

The Flushing Meadows fortnight, where everything is noisier, flashier, and simply bigger than other Grand Slams, is a challenge, according to Sabalenka, who believes repeatability is a part of it.

“I believe there is a lot of pressure,” she says.

The Belarusian remarked, “Just because this place is so big, and it feels bigger than the other slams in some ways,” “…

“Maybe they put so much pressure on themselves every time the defending champions arrive.” However, I don’t think I’ve done enough to try to emulate that outcome because I’m so experienced.

Sabalenka remarked, “My thought is to change it, given that the last 11 US Open titles have been split by 10 players.

Very challenging

Sinner echoed Sabalenka’s assertions, pointing out that the difficulty of repeating in New York is a result of a number of factors, including size, game scheduling, and season-ending fatigue.

Some players are tired because we are approaching the end of the season, according to Sinner.

It’s also the year’s final significant trophy. I’m not sure what will happen this time because things can change. But, he continued, “It’s a very, very challenging tournament.”

The top seeds, who will receive a $90 million prize money, will make the US Open the world’s richest tournament.

The men’s and women’s singles champions will each receive $5 million.

Spanish second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz poses the greatest threat to Sinner’s chances of defending his title.

Carlos Alcaraz
On day 15 of the French Open tennis competition at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on June 8, 2025, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz reacts after winning a game against Jannik Sinner from Italy. (Photo by AFP photographer JULIEN DE ROSA)

The 22-year-old, who won the US Open in 2022, has already faced Sinner twice in Grand Slam finals this year, winning a five-set classic at the French Open in June before falling short to the Italian in the Wimbledon final last month.

As Alcaraz prepared to face unseeded American Reilly Opelka in the first round on Monday, he said, “Every time we face each other on court, we raise the level to the top.”

Former world no. 1 Novak Djokovic will also attempt to win a record 25th Grand Slam in the men’s draw.

Djokovic, 38, hasn’t played since reaching the semi-finals of last month’s Wimbledon against Sinner, who was also systematically defeated.

Novak Djokovic, a Serbian tennis player, gestures as he addresses the audience after winning a second-round match of men’s singles against Daniel Evans in a Wimbledon, southwest London, match on July 3, 2025. Adrian Dennis/AFP photo:

Iga Swiatek, who won the Cincinnati Open and later a title that came with a breakthrough win at Wimbledon, will be wary of Sabalenka, who is back in the women’s draw.

Emiliana Arango of Colombia is Swiatek’s opponent in her Monday campaign.

Iga Swiatek of Poland and Cristina Bucsa of Spain play in a women’s singles match on day five of the Australian Open tennis competition in Melbourne on January 20, 2023. (Photo by Martin KEEP/AFP) / IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE – IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE

Venus Williams might bid her adieu at the US Open after Monday’s first round matches.

After recently returning to tennis after missing 16 months, the 45-year-old tennis legend was given a wild card into the draw.

FILE: On August 29, 2023, the US Open women’s singles first round match takes place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City. (COREY SIPKIN/AFP photo)

It’s “super exciting to be back.” Williams said on Saturday ahead of his record-breaking 25th US Open appearance, “It does not get old; it just gets more exciting.

Salt, Simeone and Inzaghi – Pisa’s fall and rise

Press office for the PISA Sporting Club

The Leaning Tower’s Leaning Tower’s tilt has changed as a result of the Italian city of Pisa’s long wait for Serie A football.

The renowned landmark is now straighter than it was thanks to restoration work that started in the early 1990s.

Additionally, there is a rise in the city’s football team.

Pisa won promotion last year under the direction of legendary former Italian international Filippo Inzaghi, putting an end to a 34-year Serie A exile.

Before his time at the helm, Inzaghi revived a team that had just finished in the bottom half of Serie B.

But they were unable to persuade him to stay. The 51-year-old left for Italy’s second division, Palermo, a division of the City Football Group, in June, to take on a new challenge.

Leaning tower of Pisa with the city's football stadium in the backgroundGetty Images

From a rise to a fall, and then a rise once more.

The return to the top flight will bring back fond memories for Pisa fans who have spent the last two years of the competition.

That was in 1990, when they were promoted to the top of the Italian charts and had some notable names on their books.

Diego Simeone, the current manager of Atletico Madrid, and Jose Chamot, his fellow Argentine, would later join the Lazio, Atletico, and Milan among those who were involved.

Romeo Anconetani, the club’s illustrious and popular president at the time, helped lead the club to success.

Under his leadership, Pisa moved from Serie C to Serie A, where they defeated Napoli in the Coppa Italia semifinals in 1987.

Anconetani would perform an unusual ritual before each home game because he was also incredibly superstitious.

To ward off bad luck, Pisa-based sports journalist Andrea Martino reported to BBC Sport, “He would scatter kilos and kilos of coarse salt around the pitch.”

He frequently used his players’ fingers to cross as they went to practice their movements and gestures if they had been performed for the first time during a victory.

He may have had a sense of relief after Pisa once enjoyed a top-league position because of his superstitious actions, but a subpar run of form eventually caused relegation.

Three years later, they were back in Serie C and declared bankrupt, and the financial cost of the downturn was significant.

Inzaghi motivates Pisa to advance

Filippo Inzaghi and Pisa's players celebrate promotion to Serie AGetty Images

When the Corrado family purchased them in 2018, their fortunes truly started to change.

Before the Russian-American billionaire Knaster became the club’s majority owner in 2021, with the goal of returning to the top flight, a year later, the club was promoted back to Serie B.

Pisa fans had to wait patiently for Inzaghi’s appointment in 2024 to become a success.

Inzaghi’s management style, which was a prolific striker as a player, also resulted in goals. With 64 goals in 38 games, they were the second-highest scorers in Serie B last year.

Inzaghi has “brought a breath of fresh air” since his arrival last summer, as stated by Martino.

He succeeded in achieving his objective of restoring the fans’ support for a strong team that can give even the best-equipped foes a run for their money.

However, he made the decision to leave at the end of the season and instead accepted the challenge of defending his third Serie B title in charge of Palermo.

Pisa apprehensibly hoping diligent study will pay off.

After spending so much time outside of the top flight, Pisa has no desire to spend any time in Serie A this time.

Juan Cuadrado, a 37-year-old former Chelsea winger and six-time Serie A champion, is one of them.

Alberto Gilardino, who led Genoa to promotion from Serie B two years ago, is now in charge of them after Inzaghi leaves in the summer.

“To stay in Serie A at all costs is,” Martino remarked.

They “have a number of players from the Serie B triumph plus some priceless, high-quality additions in mind.”

However, the effort to make sure they were well-equipped for a successful Serie A campaign had already begun many years prior to the club’s promotion, as the organization’s scouting system and infrastructure had significantly improved.

Giuseppe Corrado, president of the Pisa, told Calcio e Finanza, “We had a clear idea from our very first steps in the club.

That demonstrated that Pisa’s survival couldn’t be solely dependent on pitch performance. These could only be the direct result of the efforts made off the pitch, in fact.

On Sunday, Pisa travel to Atalanta to end their long Serie A preparations.

related subjects

  • Italian Serie A
  • Football in Europe
  • Football

Salt, Simeone and Inzaghi – Pisa’s fall and rise

Press office for the PISA Sporting Club

The Leaning Tower’s Leaning Tower’s tilt has changed as a result of the Italian city of Pisa’s long wait for Serie A football.

The renowned landmark is now straighter than it was thanks to restoration work that started in the early 1990s.

Additionally, there is a rise in the city’s football team.

Pisa won promotion last year under the direction of legendary former Italian international Filippo Inzaghi, putting an end to a 34-year Serie A exile.

Before his time at the helm, Inzaghi revived a team that had just finished in the bottom half of Serie B.

But they were unable to persuade him to stay. The 51-year-old left for Italy’s second division, Palermo, a division of the City Football Group, in June, to take on a new challenge.

Leaning tower of Pisa with the city's football stadium in the backgroundGetty Images

From a rise to a fall, and then a rise once more.

The return to the top flight will bring back fond memories for Pisa fans who have spent the last two years of the competition.

That was in 1990, when they were promoted to the top of the Italian charts and had some notable names on their books.

Diego Simeone, the current manager of Atletico Madrid, and Jose Chamot, his fellow Argentine, would later join the Lazio, Atletico, and Milan among those who were involved.

Romeo Anconetani, the club’s illustrious and popular president at the time, helped lead the club to success.

Under his leadership, Pisa moved from Serie C to Serie A, where they defeated Napoli in the Coppa Italia semifinals in 1987.

Anconetani would perform an unusual ritual before each home game because he was also incredibly superstitious.

To ward off bad luck, Pisa-based sports journalist Andrea Martino reported to BBC Sport, “He would scatter kilos and kilos of coarse salt around the pitch.”

He frequently used his players’ fingers to cross as they went to practice their movements and gestures if they had been performed for the first time during a victory.

He may have had a sense of relief after Pisa once enjoyed a top-league position because of his superstitious actions, but a subpar run of form eventually caused relegation.

Three years later, they were back in Serie C and declared bankrupt, and the financial cost of the downturn was significant.

Inzaghi motivates Pisa to advance

Filippo Inzaghi and Pisa's players celebrate promotion to Serie AGetty Images

When the Corrado family purchased them in 2018, their fortunes truly started to change.

Before the Russian-American billionaire Knaster became the club’s majority owner in 2021, with the goal of returning to the top flight, a year later, the club was promoted back to Serie B.

Pisa fans had to wait patiently for Inzaghi’s appointment in 2024 to become a success.

Inzaghi’s management style, which was a prolific striker as a player, also resulted in goals. With 64 goals in 38 games, they were the second-highest scorers in Serie B last year.

Inzaghi has “brought a breath of fresh air” since his arrival last summer, as stated by Martino.

He succeeded in achieving his objective of restoring the fans’ support for a strong team that can give even the best-equipped foes a run for their money.

However, he made the decision to leave at the end of the season and instead accepted the challenge of defending his third Serie B title in charge of Palermo.

Pisa apprehensibly hoping diligent study will pay off.

After spending so much time outside of the top flight, Pisa has no desire to spend any time in Serie A this time.

Juan Cuadrado, a 37-year-old former Chelsea winger and six-time Serie A champion, is one of them.

Alberto Gilardino, who led Genoa to promotion from Serie B two years ago, is now in charge of them after Inzaghi leaves in the summer.

“To stay in Serie A at all costs is,” Martino remarked.

They “have a number of players from the Serie B triumph plus some priceless, high-quality additions in mind.”

However, the effort to make sure they were well-equipped for a successful Serie A campaign had already begun many years prior to the club’s promotion, as the organization’s scouting system and infrastructure had significantly improved.

Giuseppe Corrado, president of the Pisa, told Calcio e Finanza, “We had a clear idea from our very first steps in the club.

That demonstrated that Pisa’s survival couldn’t be solely dependent on pitch performance. These could only be the direct result of the efforts made off the pitch, in fact.

On Sunday, Pisa travel to Atalanta to end their long Serie A preparations.

related subjects

  • Italian Serie A
  • Football in Europe
  • Football

Man Arrested For Alleged Murder Of Brother’s 39-Year-Old Pregnant Wife In Kwara

In Ilorin, the state capital, police in Kwara State have detained one Sylvester Enemo for the alleged murder of a 39-year-old pregnant woman named Esther Enemo.

According to rumors, the suspect, age 29, killed the victim at Temidire community, Egbejila Road, Ilorin, on August 21, 2025, by dismembering her, which is said to be his older brother’s wife.

The victim, who is the husband of an agricultural chemicals and equipment trader in a border town in the Kwara North district, was left by herself at home on Wednesday night, according to residents.

Also read: Court Sentences Killer Of Kwara Final-Year Student To Death

They claimed that she had a visitor planned that evening and had been seen going out for dinner and buying peppery soup.

When a neighbor allegedly confronted a man who appeared to be her husband’s younger brother, the house was left with a dripping black plastic bag, suspicion persisted.

The neighbor raised the alarm and attracted the attention of other community members, who later discovered that the liquid trail was actually blood.

An arm, a leg, and internal organs that were believed to be the victim’s were later found in nearby bushes, while the head was not discovered.

According to police sources, the case was moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Ilorin after being transferred from the Budo Nuhu Divisional Headquarters along Airport Road.

The incident was confirmed by the police public relations officer (PPRO), Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, who stated that the Kwara State Police Command would be happy to inform the general public about a tragic incident that took place on August 21, 2025 at the Temidire community in Egbejila Road, Ilorin.

A neighborhood resident reported a suspected foul play at one Mr. Ekene Enemo’s home at around 9 am. A team of detectives arrived at the scene where Mrs. Esther Enemo’s (aged 39) body was discovered in the bush behind her home after a quick police response.

Other parts of her body were discovered while a further search was conducted, which was dumped beneath a nearby community bridge. One suspect, one Mr. Sylvester Enemo (aged 29), the victim’s younger brother, was detained in connection with the crime after being seen leaving the residence a short while before the incident was discovered.

In contrast, Mr. Ekene Enemo, the husband, has also been contacted for any necessary clarification. The University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) morgue has now housed the deceased’s remains for autopsy.

Additionally, Ejire-Adeyemi made it clear that CP Ojo Adekimi, the commissioner of police, had ordered a comprehensive investigation into the situation and that the Command would make no mistake in ensuring the delivery of justice.

It urged people to remain calm and refrain from making up speculations that might cause fear or tension in their neighborhood.

The police, according to the PPRO, were fully committed to deciphering the circumstances surrounding this incident and bringing all of its perpetrators to justice.

He reassured the populace that adequate security measures have been put in place to safeguard both people and property throughout the state.

We urge residents to provide useful information to support ongoing investigations and security operations in order to continue cooperating with the police.

‘The stadium was rocking’ – Argentina secure first home win over All Blacks

Images courtesy of Getty
  • 251 Comments

Argentina 29 (13)

Cons: Carreras 2 Pens: Albornoz, Mallia, Carreras 3 Tries: Gonzalez, Garcia

New Zealand 23 (13)

In front of a raucous crowd in Buenos Aires, Argentina defeated New Zealand for the first time in their home country by 29-23.

Argentina scored 13 crucial points from Santiago Carreras’ boot, both of which were scored either side of the break.

Billy Proctor, Samisoni Taukei’aho, and Fletcher Newell crossed the border to New Zealand. However, they were left to rue a poor performance that resulted in the sending of two players to the sin-bin shortly before the break, two of whom were killed.

The visitors, who currently lead the Rugby Championship table with six points from two games, were given a losing bonus point by Damian McKenzie’s last-minute penalty.

40 years after their first official home-grown Test match against New Zealand in 1985, the Pumas finally defeated the All Blacks on their 16th try.

We hoped to prevail.

The All Blacks returned to the top of the world rankings last weekend, but the Pumas avenged their 41-24 defeat in Cordoba, which had resulted in their return.

“The stadium was incredible, honestly, really. Captain Julian Montoya, the captain, praised the team and the entire squad.

It’s a team-oriented endeavor and a team sport. I’m very proud of it. We have been holding out for some time that we could win.

We won the game after suffering a difficult defeat, and we stayed in the fight.

According to New Zealand captain Scott Barrett, “I think they showed more passion and intensity.”

They passed the gainline and held the ball, while we gave away penalties, which only served to improve their situation. We were outclassed by them because they are a good team.

When you have three cards and they dominate the aerial game, test footie is difficult. We simply didn’t receive many little things, which is effort-earned. It’s that straightforward, added New Zealand coach Scott Robertson.

related subjects

  • Rugby Union