In a country where cricket and football dominate the sports scene, boxing often goes unnoticed. Yet, Muhammad Utshob Ahmed, a young boxer from Rajshahi, is breaking barriers and putting Bangladesh on the global boxing map.
For the first time, a Bangladeshi professional boxer has qualified to compete under the prestigious World Boxing Council (WBC). Utshob, a 19-year-old fighter, will contend for the WBC Asia Silver Super Flyweight title against India's top contender, 32-year-old Mazhar Hussain. This historic match is scheduled for May 25 at the InterContinental Dhaka during the "Beximco Xcel Boxing Championship (XBC) 3.0," according to a media release.
The WBC is one of the four major international boxing organizations, and its belts are among the most prestigious in the sport.
While Bangladesh has already seen its first professional boxing star in Suro Krishna Chakma, who competes in the Lightweight category, Utshob is making waves in the Flyweight division. He is one of the youngest boxers from Bangladesh to step onto the global stage.
In the world of boxing, championship belts are hotly contested and must be defended or relinquished regularly. Currently, the Silver Super Flyweight belt is vacant, providing an opportunity for Utshob and Mazhar to claim it.
Through XBC Xcel Sports Management &amp; Promotions, Utshob earned his shot at the title. Ranked 99th out of 784 in the world in the flyweight division, Utshob's impressive record includes eight bouts, totaling 28 rounds, with 37.5% of his fights ending in knockouts. He has zero losses and eight straight victories, making him a formidable contender.
Utshob's journey to professional boxing began on May 19, 2022. Raised without a father, Utshob was supported by his maternal family, with his mother, Ayesha Khatun, being his sole provider. His passion for boxing was evident from a young age, starting his first fight at seven. Recognizing his talent, Utshob's uncle enrolled him at Bangladesh Ansar VDP in Shafipur for training. There, his skills caught the attention of Kancho Robert McInnes, president of the World Kumite Organization.
Financial hardships were a constant challenge, but Utshob's determination never wavered. Xcel Sports Management &amp; Promotions saw his potential and provided the support he needed to advance. Utshob faced and defeated many of Bangladesh&rsquo;s rising boxers, including notable victories at the BoxStar Series 1 tournament and the Path to Glory event.
His most significant victory came against the undefeated Indian Bantamweight, Pawan Kumar Arya, in a unanimous decision at Beximco XBC 2. Utshob has also won a gold medal at the first Bangabandhu Boxing Competition in 2018, a silver medal at the Bangladesh Youth Games, and a gold medal at the 22nd Junior Boxing Competition.
XBC, in collaboration with WBC Asia, is arranging the first-ever WBC Asia Title match in Bangladesh. Alongside Utshob&rsquo;s highly anticipated bout, other national boxers will face international contenders from China, France, India, Iran, Thailand, and Turkey.
Boxing enthusiasts can watch the event live at the venue or tune in to T Sports and Bongo for live coverage. The event runs from 6 pm to 11 pm. &nbsp;

19-year-old Utshob taking Bangladesh to the global boxing ring

BSS/AFP

Leonardo Campana came off the bench and scored a stoppage time winner as Inter Miami beat D.C. United 1-0 in Major League Soccer on Saturday.
Despite the return of Lionel Messi to the starting line-up, after he missed the 0-0 draw at Orlando on Wednesday, Miami struggled to create chances against a very well organized D.C. defense.
Ecuador international striker Campana, who has lost his starting place to Luis Suarez this season, was brought on in the third minute of stoppage time and scored with his first touch.
Campana made a darting, diagonal run across the D.C. back line and was picked out by Sergio Busquets, bringing down the lofted pass and then blasting an unstoppable shot past Alex Bono.
It was a cruel end to the game for Troy Lesesne's team, who look vastly improved on the performances they produced under Wayne Rooney last term.
With the win, league leaders Miami clinched their ninth victory of the season - matching their total for last season after just 15 games.
The start of the game was delayed by 25 minutes due to lightning and 15 minutes after the game began there was a torrential downpour.
Miami enjoyed the vast majority of possession in the opening 45 minutes, with the visitors appearing happy to concede the ball while keeping their shape and aiming to counter.
That approach almost paid off, after the break, but Jared Stroud missed a glorious opportunity, poking hesitantly wide from close range.
Messi had been restricted to two free-kick efforts, which both struck the wall, and the Argentine -- who missed the midweek game with a knee injury -- was well below his best.
D.C. grew into the game and Matti Peltola flashed a shot just wide in the 69th minute.
Two minutes later, Messi found space in the inside-left channel, bringing a high ball down with his chest but he blasted his shot just over the bar.
United had a chance to win the game in the final moments of regulation after a smart move but Cristian Dajome's meek shot was parried away by Drake Callender.
Then came Campana's instant impact to extend Miami's unbeaten run to nine games after a night where little had worked for Gerardo Martino's team.

Campana's late stunner gives Messi's Miami victory over D.C.

Manchester City go into their last match against West Ham with a two-point lead, knowing that victory would secure the title for an unprecedented fourth successive season.
If Arsenal beat Everton, a defeat or even a draw would not be enough for Pep Guardiola's men, who have an inferior goal difference by one. Arsenal, who also finished second behind City last year, are seeking to become English champions for the first time in 20 years. Guardiola's men have dropped just six points since mid-December, in draws against Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta's men have set a club record by winning 27 Premier League games this season, but that still might not be enough to dethrone City. "We have to give ourselves the opportunity to live a beautiful day on Sunday, where the dream is still alive and is possible," Arteta said. "It's football and once we are there we just have to live the moment."
European places
Liverpool and Aston Villa are secure in third and fourth -- which guarantee entry into the Champions League, leaving the remaining attention on qualification for next season's Europa League and Conference League. Tottenham need only a point away to relegated Sheffield United to guarantee fifth place, sending them directly to the Europa League group stage. Defeat would allow Chelsea, three points behind with a better goal difference, to leapfrog them by beating Bournemouth. Mauricio Pochettino's Blues would be secure in sixth with at least a point but defeat would open the door to Newcastle, who travel to Brentford. Manchester United, who play at Brighton, can realistically only climb to seventh due to their negative goal difference. Erik ten Hag's side need to better Newcastle's result to do so. However, they would also reach the Europa League by winning the FA Cup. Should City win that final next week, the cup winners' Europa League group-stage spot would pass to the sixth-placed finishers, with seventh place bringing Conference League football.
Relegation
Sheffield United and Burnley will be joined in the second-tier Championship next season by Luton, barring a spectacular combination of scorelines on the final day. Luton are three points behind Nottingham Forest and would need a win over Fulham, defeat for Forest against relegated Burnley and a huge swing in goal difference to survive. If Luton's fate is sealed then all three promoted teams will go straight back down for only the second time in the Premier League era.

City eye history as Arsenal dare to dream

Skipper Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli hit key knocks to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru seal the last play-off spot in the Indian Premier League with a 27-run win over defending champions Chennai Super Kings on Saturday.
Bengaluru posted 218-5 after Du Plessis, who hit 54, and Kohli, who smashed 47, laid the foundations for the total in a rain-hit innings at their home M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Chennai were held to 191-7 in reply and with both sides level on 14 points, Bengaluru went through to the play-offs on run-rate after a sixth win in a row.
"What a night! Such a great atmosphere," player of the match Du Plessis, who did a lap of honour with his team for the home fans, said.
"Just a pleasure to finish the season in front of the home crowd with a win."
Bengaluru will now play in the eliminator on Wednesday in Ahmedabad.
Table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad had already made the play-offs, which will begin with the first qualifier on Tuesday in Ahmedabad.
The final is on May 26 in Chennai.
Rachin Ravindra hit 61 before Ravindra Jadeja, who made an unbeaten 42, and old warhorse M.S. Dhoni (25) gave Bengaluru a scare in a stand of 61 as Chennai fell short of the qualification mark.
The match could be Dhoni's last IPL outing as a player and also the final face-off between him and Kohli -- two legends of Indian cricket.
Dhoni, 42, was widely expected to retire after he led the team to a record-equalling fifth title last year, but vowed to come back for one more season after a knee operation.
Dhoni handed over the Chennai captaincy ahead of the season to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who won the toss and elected to field first in the virtual knockout for the final play-off place.
"Happy with the seven wins, couldn't get over the line though," said a disappointed Gaikwad.
Du Plessis stunner
Kohli, who leads the batting chart with 708 runs, and Du Plessis started on the offensive before rain halted their charge after the third over and suddenly the ball began to turn once play resumed.
Both openers waded their way through Chennai's spin charge from Maheesh Theekshana and Mitchell Santner as Kohli hit a couple of sixes.
New Zealand's Santner, a left-arm spinner, denied Kohli his fifty and got Du Plessis run out through a deflection from his finger at the non-strikers end.
Rajat Patidar, who hit 41, and Cameron Green, who struck an unbeaten 17-ball 38, then steadied the ship and hit back in a partnership of 71 off 28 balls.
Bengaluru returned strong with the ball and Glenn Maxwell struck on the first ball to send back Gaikwad for a duck.
Fast bowler Yash Dayal had Daryl Mitchell caught by Kohli to dent their chase.
But it was Du Plessis who pulled off a stunning one-handed airborne grab at mid-off to send back Santner.
Jadeja and Dhoni raised hopes of a turnaround as Chennai needed 17 off the last over to qualify but Dayal kept his calm to dismiss Dhoni and then gave away just one run.

RCB win six in row to make IPL play-offs, Chennai out

Nicholas Pooran starred in Lucknow Super Giants' 18-run victory over pre-tournament favourites Mumbai Indians in the last game of a disappointing Indian Premier League season for both teams Friday.
The maverick West Indies' wicketkeeper-batsman hit eight sixes in his 29-ball 75 to take Lucknow to 214-6 after Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and chose to field first.
Mumbai crashed to 196-6 despite an impressive start by openers Rohit Sharma and Dewald Brevis in their rain-interrupted chase.
Pandya said that it was "quite difficult" for five-time champions Mumbai, who finished the 10-team league in last spot.
"This season we didn't play good quality cricket and it cost us the whole season," Pandya said.
Lucknow too failed to qualify for the playoffs and ended the tournament in sixth spot.
Captain KL Rahul said that it was "very disappointing".
He blamed mid-season injuries to key players and said that they "didn't play well enough collectively and couldn't come together" as a team.
Earlier, Nuwan Thushara got Mumbai off to a great start and removed opener Devdutt Padikkal for a first ball duck.
Padikkal's partner Rahul stitched together a 48-run partnership with Australia's Marcus Stoinis, who fell to Piyush Chawla's leg-spin for a 22-ball 28 in the sixth over.
Chawla also removed Deepak Hooda (11) to reduce Lucknow to 69-3 by the 10th over.
Thushara finally removed Pooran in the 17th over to end his match-defining, 109-run partnership with Rahul.
He also removed rookie Arshad Khan (0) in the same over and finished with 3-28 in his four-over spell.
Chawla removed Rahul, who took 41 balls for his 55 runs, in the 18th over and finished with 3-29.
Key unbeaten cameos by Ayush Badoni (22) and Krunal Pandya (12) took Lucknow to 214-6.
Mumbai's openers took their team to 88 before Brevis fell for 23 in the ninth over.
India skipper Sharma top-scored with a 38-ball 68 with 10 fours and three sixes before he fell in the 11th over.
In between, Mumbai also lost their best T20 batsman, Suryakumar Yadav, for 0 and were reduced to 97-3 while out-of-form skipper Pandya fell for 16.
Indian rookie Naman Dhir hit five sixes and four fours in his unbeaten 28-ball 62.
Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, who removed Sharma, and Afghanistan's Naveen-ul-Haq, who removed Brevis, took four key Mumbai wickets between them.

Pooran powers Lucknow to dead-rubber IPL win over hapless Mumbai

Desk Report

Speedster Shaheen Afridi believes Pakistan will come good in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 after missing out on success in the recent editions and has a good opportunity to win their second title.
Speaking to the PCB Podcast, the left-arm speedster opined that Pakistan were close to success after recent near misses in the 2021 and 2022 edition, reports ICC.
"It's not possible that you put in the hard yards, and you don't get the results. Like Lahore Qalandars put in the hard work for six years [in PSL]," Shaheen said. "They did the player development program as well and despite finishing at the bottom in the early years, they won back-to-back tournaments recently.
"And the Pakistan team is in a similar process, we're very close to achieving [T20] World Cup glory."
Shaheen recalled the previous two events, where Pakistan did well before faltering at the closing stages.
Shaheen was a central character in both the contests. In the 2021 Men's T20 World Cup semi-final, he was taken to the cleaners by Matthew Wade in the 19th over as Australia emerged as the eventual winners.
In the final of 2022, he injured his knee while fielding and couldn't complete his spell against England. His absence was felt as Pakistan were a bowler short and England managed to overcome a middle-over stutter to win their second title.
"You're disheartened if you get so close and still lose the World Cup. Both events were painful. We were hurt after the first loss [2021] and in the second event, I couldn't help the side because I was injured. I tried my best to come back [on the field] but I wasn't allowed to do so."
However, Shaheen added that this time, Pakistan are ready to overcome the disappointments of the previous events.
"Our efforts during the World Cup is to play in a united fashion. This isn't a time for disagreements. Everyone should follow the same process in a united way to achieve a singular goal."
Recalling newly appointed white-ball coach Gary Kirsten's words, Shaheen said the focus was on playing as a team over individual performances.
"Gary [Kirsten] told us, don't play for the name on the back of your jersey but for the badge in front of your shirt. And that stayed with me."
When asked about Pakistan's historic maiden T20 World Cup win against India in 2021, during which Shaheen played a crucial role with the wickets of India's top-order batters, the left-arm pacer recalled that he had contacted Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi before the game for advice.
"I called up Lala (Shahid Afridi) as his performance has always been the best against India. He advised me not to take any pressure, and to give my best. To ensure that my presence is felt on the field, to give my best in all departments: bowling, batting or fielding.
"So we tried our best, and achieved success."
Recalling his three crucial scalps, namely of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, Shaheen said the breakthroughs turned the game in favour of Pakistan.
"If you pick the first three wickets against any side, you essentially break their back because the top three are very important to set the tone.
"It's always my effort to attack more [with the new ball], and that's what I tried because if you get the early wickets you make it easier for your bowlers because the openers cannot get set and make the most of later overs."
After losing to Pakistan in 2021, India won their rematch in 2022 on the back of a brilliant 82* from Kohli. The two sides will meet again in the 2024 event on June 9 in New York.

We’re very close to achieving World Cup glory: Shaheen Afridi

Former Manchester United and Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez on Friday quit as coach of Argentinian club Independiente.
According to local media, the former Argentina international will lead the club for the last time on Sunday against Platense for the second match of the championship.
Tevez's departure comes after the club failed to qualify for the final phase of the Argentine League Cup and lost their first league match of the season 3-1 at home to Talleres de Cordoba.
The 40-year-old arrived at Independiente, a club from the province of Buenos Aires, last August and saved them from relegation.
His record was 14 wins, 11 draws and six defeats in 31 matches.
Despite a rich history seven-time Copa Libertadores winners Independiente are also struggling off the pitch with a financial crisis.
Before Independiente, Tevez made his coaching debut in 2022 with Rosario Central, resigning after five months due to differences with club management.
Tevez's playing career included successful stints in the Premier League with both Manchester clubs, as well as a spell with Juventus in Italy before his third and final playing contract with Boca Juniors.
At Manchester United he won two Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League.
He helped Manchester City win the 2011-12 Premier League, their first English league title since 1968.
At international level he won 76 caps for Argentina, and was a member of the 2004 Olympic gold medal-winning team.

Tevez quits as Independiente coach

Reuters

The napkin on which Barcelona promised to sign Lionel Messi when he was a 13-year-old has been sold for 762,400 pounds ($969,000, auction house Bonhams said on Friday.
The napkin was signed in December, 2000 by Barca's former sporting director Carles Rexach and transfer advisor Josep Minguella along with Argentine agent Horacio Gaggioli over lunch at a tennis club.
Messi became one of Barcelona's greatest players, winning over 30 trophies and leaving the Catalan club as their all-time leading scorer with 672 goals.
He also won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards for the world's best player and led Argentina to the World Cup crown in 2022. Messi now plays for U.S. club Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
"Yes, it's a paper napkin, but it's the famous napkin that was at the inception of Lionel Messi's career," Ian Ehling, the head of fine books and manuscripts at Bonhams New York, said in a statement.
"It changed the life of Messi, the future of FC Barcelona, and was instrumental in giving some of the most glorious moments of football to billions of fans around the globe."

Napkin used by Barcelona to sign Messi sold for nearly $1 million

Massimiliano Allegri was sacked by Juventus on Friday after exploding with anger during his team's midweek Italian Cup triumph.
Juve said in a statement that they had dismissed Allegri for "certain behaviour during and after the Italian Cup final that the club deemed incompatible with its values".
The Serie A club won their 15th Italian Cup on Wednesday night but Allegri burst into a rage, first being sent off in the final minutes after ranting at match officials and then dismissively waving away sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli during the post-match celebrations.
He is also alleged to have manhandled and threatened the chief editor of newspaper Tuttosport before the post-match press conference.
Juve had already been widely rumoured to be replacing Allegri with Bologna coach Thiago Motta in the summer, but were pushed to announce their decision with two matches of the season remaining.
Juventus sit fourth in Serie A after collecting just 15 points in their last 15 league matches and are at Bologna on Monday night, with the two teams level on 67 points and already qualified for next season's revamped Champions League.
The Turin giants did not specify whether they had dismissed Allegri with just cause, a move which would potentially save the club from paying Allegri the remaining year of his contract, worth around seven million euros before bonuses.
The Italian Football Federation's disciplinary tribunal has launched an investigation into Allegri, who on Thursday was given an automatic two-match ban in the cup for his straight red card but could receive further punishment.

Juventus sack coach Allegri after Italian Cup rampage

The Bangladesh cricket team has arrived in the USA to participate in the ninth edition of the ICC T20 World Cup, which kicks off on June 2.
Led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, the Tigers are placed in Group D alongside South Africa, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, and Nepal. The top two teams from this group will advance to the Super 8 stage.
Before commencing their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka in Dallas on June 8, Bangladesh will engage in two warm-up matches. They will face the USA on May 27 in Texas, followed by a match against India on June 1, with the venue and timing yet to be confirmed.
Prior to the warm-up games, Bangladesh will also compete in a three-match series against the USA on May 21, 23, and 25 in Texas.
Warm-up Fixtures (Bangladesh Time)
May 27: Bangladesh vs. USA, Texas, 09:30 PM June 1: Bangladesh vs. India, TBC
First Round Fixtures (Bangladesh Time)
June 8: Bangladesh vs. Sri Lanka, Dallas, 06:30 AM June 10: South Africa vs. Bangladesh, New York, 08:30 PM June 13: Bangladesh vs. Netherlands, St. Vincent, 08:30 PM June 17: Bangladesh vs. Nepal, St. Vincent, 05:30 AM

Bangladesh gears up for ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in USA: Full fixture inside

World champion N'Golo Kante will make a surprise return to international football as France coach Didier Deschamps announced Thursday the 25 players that will make up the French squad at Euro 2024.
Kante left English side Chelsea last summer to join Saudi club Al Ittihad and has not represented France since June 2022.
"He played a full season (Kante struggled with injury during his time with Chelsea), albeit not in a European league, as he is in Saudi Arabia," said Deschamps on French TV channel TF1.
"He's back to full fitness. With his experience, I'm convinced that the French team will be stronger with N'Golo Kante."
The 2018 World Cup winner was the big surprise in Deschamps' squad, but the 33-year-old's experience will doubtless be a help to youngsters Warren Zaire-Emery and Bradley Barcola, who also made the squad after fine seasons at Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Winger Barcola, 21, is the only uncapped player in the squad but forced his way in with a strong finish to the season, impressing particularly with his performances in the knock-out stages of the Champions League against Real Sociedad and Barcelona.
Also making a return to the international fold is Real Madrid defender Ferland Mendy, who has not played for France since September 2022, but has been a regular this term for his club who are on course to complete a Spanish league-Champions League double.
Star attacker Kylian Mbappe was also included in the squad, as were Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud and Arsenal defender William Saliba.
Mbappe comes into the tournament in fine form, despite uncertainty about where he will play his football next season after confirming he would leave PSG this summer.
The France captain has scored 44 goals so far this season and can add to that tally in his team's remaining Ligue 1 match and the French Cup final.
Exams can wait&nbsp;
After a stunning breakthrough season at PSG, Zaire-Emery earned his first call-up in November of last year, marking the occasion with a goal in a 14-0 rout of Gibraltar.
"Very happy to be on the list, it's one of the best competitions to play with France and I'm very happy and proud to represent my country," said Zaire-Emery via video link on TF1.
The 18-year-old added that he had been granted a special dispensation to sit his final school exams later in order to perform at his best at the Euro during the summer.
"I asked to be able to do it in September to be calm and focussed on football," said Zaire-Emery.
Aurelien Tchouameni, who is a doubt for June's Champions League final, Mike Maignan and Kingsley Coman all made the squad despite currently carrying injuries.
PSG's Lucas Hernandez missed out after rupturing his anterior cruciate knee in May.
After defeat in the final at home in 2016 and a disappointing early exit in 2021, France come into Euro 2024 among the pre-tournament favourites to win a third European Championship after victory in 1984 and 2000.
France will begin their Euro campaign in Germany on June 17 against Austria, before taking on the Netherlands four days later and completing their group-stage matches against Poland on June 25.
France squad
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham/ENG), Mike Maignan (AC Milan/ITA), Brice Samba (Lens)
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Marseille), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool/ENG), William Saliba (Arsenal/ENG), Jules Kounde (Barcelona/ESP), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan/ITA), Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid/ESP), Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich/GER), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER)
Midfielders: N'Golo Kante (Al Ittihad/KSA), Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/ESP), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus/ITA), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid/ESP), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco)
Forwards: Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain), Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain), Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich/GER), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan/ITA), Randal Kolo Muani (Paris Saint-Germain), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan/ITA)

Kante returns from wilderness as Deschamps announces France Euro squad

Lionel Messi's record $20.45 million annual salary from Inter Miami makes him by far the best paid player in Major League Soccer but also puts him ahead of the entire squads of 25 of the league's clubs, according to data released by the MLS Players Association on Thursday.
The players union regularly releases the full pay details of the entire league and while it was no surprise to see the eight-times Ballon d'Or winner at the top, the gulf with other players and indeed teams is striking.
Messi has a guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667 made up of a base salary of $12 million plus various bonuses.
The figures from the players' union do not include the huge income the Argentine World Cup winner receives in commercial deals, endorsements and sponsorships from companies such as Adidas and Apple.
Messi signed his last contract with Spanish club Barcelona in 2017, a four-year deal that gave him the potential to earn 138 million euros per season including salary and add-ons.
Messi moved to Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021, after his contract with Barca ended and was reported to be earning between 30-35 million euros with the French club.
The 36-year-old joined Miami in July last year on a deal which runs until the end of the 2025 season but he may still be receiving payments from Barca.
Joan Laporta, the Barca president, said in January 2022 that the club were scheduled to make deferred salary payments to the player until 2025.
Toronto's Italian striker Lorenzo Insigne, who was MLS's best-ever paid player until Messi's arrival, was second on the list with a guaranteed income of $15.4 million from the Canadian club.
Messi's Spanish team-mate, Sergio Busquets, the 35-year-old former Barca midfielder, is the third top earner in the league on $8.8 million guaranteed.
Miami's former Barca duo of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez and Spanish full-back Jordi Alba each earn $1.5 million per year.
Inter Miami's total wage bill is $41.68 million with Toronto second on $31.41 million. Current league champions, the Columbus Crew, had a total salary cost of $15.19 million, ranked 21st in the league.
Messi shares a dressing room with a number of team-mates earning just a tiny fraction of his income -- defender Noah Allen, a regular part of the matchday squad, earns a total of $91,383.
The average MLS salary is $594,390 in 2024 which is up 12.1% from last year.
Miami are able to pay Messi such a high salary because of the 'Designated Player' rule which was brought in to allow Los Angeles Galaxy to sign David Beckham in 2007 on a base salary of $6.5 million a year with his total deal earning him around $50 million in five years.
While Messi's income is huge by MLS standards it is well below the levels of top performers in other major sports in the USA.
Last year Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow signed a five-year deal worth $55 million per season, a new league record.
The NBA's top earner Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors makes $51.9 million.

Messi's record $20.4 million salary dwarfs entire MLS teams

Cristiano Ronaldo topped Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes for the fourth time in his career while Spanish golfer Jon Rahm moved up to second following his sensational switch to Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
Ronaldo became the world's highest-paid athlete after his move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr and Forbes said the 39-year-old's estimated total earnings were in the region of $260 million, an all-time high for a soccer player.
His on-field earnings amounted to $200 million while his off-field earnings were $60 million thanks to sponsorship deals where brands make use of his 629 million Instagram followers.
Twice major winner Rahm joined LIV Golf in December in a big-money move that sent shockwaves through the sport after media reports said the current world number five would be paid at least $300 million.
Apart from that guarantee, Rahm has earned $218 million and joins Ronaldo as the only two athletes to earn over $200 million.
Third on the list is record eight-times Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, who made a lucrative switch to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, helping the Argentine World Cup winner earn $135 million.
The 36-year-old has earned $65 million in on-field earnings but $70 million off it thanks to deals with major sponsors such as Adidas and Apple.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is fourth at $128.2 million and although the 39-year-old, the first NBA player to score 40,000 career points, is nearing the end of his career, the American is set to have one last crack at the Olympics.
Fellow NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo ($111 million) of the Milwaukee Bucks rounds out the top five while France soccer captain Kylian Mbappe has dropped down to sixth ($110 million).
Mbappe announced he would be leaving Paris St Germain after seven years in the French capital where he became the club's all-time leading scorer and the 25-year-old is expected to join Spanish giants Real Madrid in the close season.
Former PSG star Neymar, who also moved to the Saudi Pro League to join Al-Hilal, is seventh ($108 million) despite sitting out the majority of the season with a torn ACL.
French striker Karim Benzema, who also moved to Saudi Arabia, is eighth ($106 million) on the list followed by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry ($102 million).
Lamar Jackson is the only NFL player on the list in 10th place ($100.5 million) thanks to the signing bonus that was negotiated into his new Baltimore Ravens contract last year.

Ronaldo tops Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes again, Rahm second

Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh cricket team have left Dhaka for Dallas, USA in the early hours of Thursday (16 May) for the T20 World Cup.
Najmul Hossain Shanto is leading the 17-member Bangladesh team that include two reserve players and coaching staff.
The Tigers are scheduled to play three T20I matches against USA on May 21, 23 and 25.
The T20 World Cup will begin in USA and the West Indies on June 2.

Bangladesh team leave for USA

Skipper Sam Curran starred with bat and ball as Punjab Kings beat Rajasthan Royals by five wickets for a consolation win in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday.
Chasing a tricky 145 on a sluggish pitch, Punjab depended on Curran's unbeaten 63 to achieve their target with seven balls to spare in Rajasthan's adopted home ground in Guwahati.
Left-handed Curran put on a key 63-run stand with Jitesh Sharma, who made 22, and despite losing his partner in the 16th over steered the team home to lift them from the bottom of the 10-team table.
Impact substitute Ashutosh Sharma smashed 17 and the winning run to hand Rajasthan their fourth successive defeat in this edition of the T20 tournament.
"To be very honest, we have to sit back and accept that we are going through some failures," Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson said.
"You have to find out what's not working well as a team. When you are getting to the business end, we need someone to raise their finger up and say I am going to win the game for the team. We have the players who can do that."
The loss for Rajasthan hurt their chances of a top-two finish in the league stage a day after they confirmed their play-off spot.
Rajasthan, who stay in second place with one game in hand, and table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders are the only two teams to have booked their play-off berth.
The top four teams make the play-offs, but the first and second-placed sides have the advantage of two chances to qualify for the final on May 26 in Chennai.
Punjab, who had already bowed out of the play-off race, kept the opposition down to 144-9 despite a 34-ball 48 by Riyan Parag.
Left-arm quick Curran bowled Yashasvi Jaiswal, for four, in the first over and then Samson departed for 18 off Nathan Ellis after a slow start.
Parag found Ravichandran Ashwin, who hit 28 off 19 balls, for company and the two attempted to push the scoring in their partnership of 50.
The rest of the batting faltered against a disciplined attack as Curran, fellow quick Harshal Patel and spinner Rahul Chahal took two wickets each.
&nbsp;

Curran stars for Punjab as Rajasthan lose four in row

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu extended his country's best wishes to the Bangladesh team ahead of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by the United States and the West Indies.
"We wish the Bangladesh Men's National Team good luck," he told reporters after making his cricketing debut Wednesday, in a friendly cricket match with the Bangladesh Women's cricket team, where he and Ambassador Peter Haas wore Bangladesh shirts.
He also wished the best in their future endeavours for the Bangladesh Women's cricket team.
Earlier on the second day of his visit to Bangladesh, Lu described his visit as an effort to "rebuild the trust" between the people of the two countries.
"Last year, there was a lot of tension between US and Bangladesh," he told reporters in a brief statement, frankly noting that they want to look forward - the hallmark of US pragmatism.
Lu had a courtesy meeting with Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud at his office and discussed ways to deepen the "forward-looking" bilateral relationship between two countries.
The United States said they stand with Bangladesh in building a "prosperous, secure, and democratic" future.
Both the Men's and Women's teams were supposed to join the assistant secretary and Ambassador but the Men could not join as they were flying today for their World Cup journey.
Bashundhara Group Vice-Chairman Safwan Sobhan welcomed Donald Lu and Peter Haas when they reached Bashundhara Sporting Club Complex.
"I would like to thank Bangladesh Cricket Board and Bashundhara Group," Lu said.
"I never played cricket before but we tried. It's really a lot of fun. And we are super excited to see Women's World Cup in Bangladesh," he said.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) already announced the fixtures for the ninth ICC Women&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2024, taking place from 3 to 20 October in Bangladesh, an event that promises to inspire and connect with a new generation of fans across the globe.
Ten teams will play 23 matches, over 18 action-packed days, at two venues in Bangladesh, the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka and the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet as the world&rsquo;s best battle it out for the ultimate prize in T20 cricket.
Former Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar said the US side wanted to interact with them. "They are quite happy to interact. They know cricket is very popular in Bangladesh."
The special event marks the Bangladesh cricket team's participation in the inaugural T20 World Cup in the US.
The 2024 Men's T20 World Cup starts on 2 June at 01:30 BST with hosts United States facing Canada in Texas.
Bangladesh's campaign begins on June 7, against Sri Lanka in Dallas, followed by a match against South Africa in New York on June 10.
The team will then travel to the West Indies for their remaining two first-round matches.
Prior to the tournament, Bangladesh will play a practice match against India in New York on June 1 and a three-match T20I-Series against the hosts, USA, in Houston. This series will also feature the World Cup Squad.

Lu proves adept at diplomatic spin

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto believes his team is capable of beating any team if they can perform to their true ability in the upcoming T20 World Cup.&nbsp; &nbsp; The Tigers are drawn in a strong group which featured teams like Sri Lanka, South Africa and Nepal. Bangladesh though are believed to beat Nepal with ease, there is a strong sense of belief the next three opponents will be tougher for them. &nbsp; Considering the opponents, it looked a bit tougher for Bangladesh to get through the first round. But Shanto looked quite upbeat to overcome the hurdle of the first round.&nbsp; &nbsp; He stressed on making small plans to get the expected result.&nbsp; &nbsp; "I think we have to make small plans to get through the first round. We are in a strong group. It will be difficult. There's no big or small team in T20s. If we play well on the particular day, we can beat any team," Shanto said in an official press conference for the T20 World Cup today. &nbsp; The Bangladesh squad will leave Dhaka for Huston via Dubai at 1.40AM on Thursday.&nbsp; &nbsp; Shanto said the team combination and preparation was perfect for the prestigious tournament. Even though the captain himself was not in good form, Shanto believes he can make a good comeback in the World Cup.&nbsp; &nbsp; "If our preparation and team combination is taken into account, I think it is a very good team. It is important to perform their individual duty during the particular day. I am sure they will deliver," he opined. &nbsp; "I made a good comeback in the last World Cup. I am not too worried about my batting in this tournament. I am working hard, improving in practice. I am confident that I can make another comeback in this World Cup." &nbsp; But what makes Shanto more confident for doing well in the World Cup, is that his fast bowling troop, which has been excellent of late in all conditions.&nbsp; &nbsp; "We have a much improved fast bowling department. There's a higher possibility of winning a T20 match if the bowling unit does well. Bowlers are bigger match winners in T20s. We are also likely to play on conditions that may aid spin so given our variation in attack, they should also do well. Bowling is overall our strength," he informed.&nbsp; &nbsp; Shanto also explained about the exclusion of allrounder Saifuddin and the inclusion of Liton Das. These two players made headlines ever since the team was announced.&nbsp; &nbsp; Pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib was chosen ahead of Saifuddin, who took eight wickets in four matches against Zimbabwe while Liton still made the team despite his poor form.&nbsp; &nbsp; "Coach, myself and the three selectors have been discussing selection even before the Zimbabwe series. We took a collective decision with the squad. Sakib bowls faster than Saifuddin, who hasn't performed up to our expectations. They were close, but we had more confidence in Sakib as an overall package," Shanto explained. &nbsp; "Liton is a very important player. He hasn't had a good time recently. It can happen to any cricketer. We didn't want to bring in a new player in such a big event. We valued Litton's experience." &nbsp; Shanto believes that fast bowler Taskin Ahmed will recover from his side strain injury ahead of the World Cup.&nbsp; &nbsp; "We are hopeful that Taskin will be available from the first game (of the T20 World Cup). That's what I have heard from the medical team. He is our main bowler. If he is not in the team, we have to go ahead with the backup options. Everyone has to be prepared," he said. &nbsp; Citing legspinner Rishad Hossain a complete package, Shanto said he wants to give him the license so that he can bring up his true potential.&nbsp; &nbsp; "We have a good legspinner in our team. Rishad performed with bat and ball in most of the recent matches. Team gets extra benefit from his batting. He is also one of our best fielders. He is a complete package. If he can give his best, the team will go ahead. I don't want to put him under any pressure. I want him to do what he can do." &nbsp; Bangladesh open their T20 World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on June 8 in Dallas. Ahead of the tournament, it will play a three-match T20 series against co-host USA. &nbsp; Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto ( Captain), Taskin Ahmed (Vice Captain), Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan. Traveling reserves: Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud.

We can beat any team if we play well on given day: Shanto

The race to be the No.1 ranked all-rounder at the start of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup has further intensified as two players share top billing following the latest update to the ICC Men's T20 Player Rankings.
Just 23 rating points separate the top five players on the updated list for T20I all-rounders, with Bangladesh veteran Shakib Al Hasan joined by Sri Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga in the top spot with just over a fortnight to the start of the T20 World Cup, according to an article by the ICC.
Shakib drops three rating points following two appearances at the backend of Bangladesh's recent five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, with Hasaranga joining the veteran in a share of the top spot and Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi just a further 10 rating point adrift.
Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza gains two places to rise to fourth on the back of some strong performances against Bangladesh, while South Africa's Aiden Markram loses one spot to drop to fifth ahead of the Proteas' campaign at the T20 World Cup.
There was also some movement on the updated T20I rankings for batters, with a pair of Ireland players and a dasher from Pakistan the biggest eye-catchers following their recently completed series in Dublin.
Ireland opener Andrew Balbirnie jumps six places to 53rd for T20I batters on the back of 128 runs from three games against Pakistan, while teammate Harry Tector improves 12 spots to 69th on the same list following 98 runs in the same series.
Hard-hitting Pakistan left-hander Fakhar Zaman rises four places to 57th on the updated rankings for T20I batters, while compatriot Imad Wasim moves up 24 spots to equal 52nd on the list for T20I bowlers and five rungs to equal 16th for T20I all-rounders following his economical efforts with the ball against Ireland.
There is also some joy for a pair of Bangladesh pacers on the updated list for T20I bowlers, with right-armer Taskin Ahmed jumping three places to 23rd and teammate Mustafizur Rahman moving up five spots to 25th after some good performances against Zimbabwe.

Tied at the top: Shakib has company at head of T20I all-rounder rankings

Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior inspired runaway Spanish champions Real Madrid to a 5-0 rout of Alaves on Tuesday.
Carlo Ancelotti's side continued warming up for the Champions League final with a comprehensive demolition of their Basque visitors at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Bellingham scored the opener and played a part in Madrid's next three goals, two scored by Vinicius, finding his best form at the business end of the season.
Turkish teenager Arda Guler added a late fifth to put the cherry on Madrid's cake and moving them 17 points clear of second-place Barcelona.
"We've had just one defeat in the league and I think that a big part of the success is because of (the defence)," Ancelotti told reporters after his side's 30th consecutive league game unbeaten.
Madrid celebrated their title with an open-top bus parade on Sunday but with the Wembley final a little over a fortnight away, nobody is letting their concentration slip.
Least of all Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who made a fine double save from Samu Omorodion in the opening minutes.
After missing most of the season with a severe knee injury, Courtois is hoping for a Champions League final start and boasts three clean sheets in three matches since his return.
"I knew I'd come back strongly -- I'm the same Courtois, or even better," said the goalkeeper.
Ancelotti selected the vast majority of his first choice line-up after resting them at the weekend, and Madrid's usual suspect opened the scoring. It was Bellingham, with his 19th league goal and perhaps his luckiest.
The England international directed Toni Kroos' cross towards the far post where Dani Carvajal was running in, but the ball sank directly into the net.
Bellingham trails La Liga's top scorer, Girona's Artem Dovbyk, by one goal.
Madrid doubled their lead after Bellingham threaded a pass through for Eduardo Camavinga.
The French midfielder burst forward in the box and unselfishly squared for Vinicius to tap home when other players might have taken the chance to shoot.
Alaves midfielder Ianis Hagi, son of legendary Romanian playmaker Gheorghe Hagi, stung the palms of Courtois with a fierce drive at the other end.
The visitors have enjoyed a strong season and are safely ensconced in mid-table, avoiding the stress of a relegation battle.
However, Madrid dismantled them with consummate ease and Fede Valverde rattled home the third in first-half stoppage time after Bellingham played him in.
The Uruguayan midfielder hammered a strike into the top corner at the near post for his second league goal of the season, far fewer than his tally of seven last year due to his deeper role.
Five-star Madrid&nbsp;
Courtois denied Omorodion and Hagi again in the second half as he continued stating his case to Ancelotti, and he ended up making nine saves altogether.
Vinicius extended Madrid's lead after Bellingham played him in, lashing home his second of the night with a fine finish.
"I'm at my best," said Vinicius. "Now we've got time to train and that lets us stay calm, do good work and arrive better than ever at Wembley."
Rodrygo should have added the fifth but goalkeeper Jesus Owono denied him from close range after Vinicius teed him up, and so it was Guler instead after a deflected effort fell his way in the box.
"Every time a small team comes here, it's a torment," lamented Alaves coach Luis Garcia Plaza.
Eder Militao and Carvajal ended the game with apparent physical issues, but they turned out to be nothing serious.
"What happened with the knee is nothing," Militao said after the game, while Ancelotti confirmed the Spanish defender was also fine.
Elsewhere high-flying Girona, third, fell to a 1-0 home defeat against Villarreal -- Barcelona can move four points clear if they win at Almeria on Thursday.
Mallorca, 15th, rescued a 1-1 draw at Osasuna to add one more point in their battle for survival. The Copa del Rey runners-up are seven points clear of the relegation zone.

Bellingham, Vinicius shine as champions Madrid smash Alaves

Erling Haaland's double put Manchester City within touching distance of an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 away on Tuesday.
The Norwegian tapped home his side's opener early in the second half and settled nerves in stoppage time when he blasted home a penalty for his 27th league goal of the season.
City had failed to earn a point or score a goal in their first four league visits to Tottenham's new stadium but ended that jinx in timely fashion to the joy of their supporters.
Pep Guardiola's City have 88 points to Arsenal's 86 and will be guaranteed to make history if they beat West Ham United at home on Sunday when Arsenal host Everton.
It was far from a vintage City performance and they almost conceded an equaliser to Son Heung-min late on, just before Haaland made sure they kept their destiny in their own hands.

Haaland double puts City on brink of title

Pakistan dominated Ireland to claim a six-wicket win in their T20 series decider in Dublin on Tuesday.
Pakistan eased to their victory target of 179 with 18 balls remaining as a second-wicket partnership of 139 between Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam proved decisive.
Rizwan's 56 from 38 balls was his 28th T20 fifty on the international stage, while skipper Babar smashed five sixes - including four from a Ben White over - and six fours in his 42-ball 75.
Ireland's total of 178 for seven was built around a second-wicket partnership of 85 from 49 balls between Andy Balbirnie and Lorcan Tucker.
Tucker hit 13 fours and a six in a 41-ball 73, but Ireland failed to take full advantage of being 95 for one at the halfway stage.
Shaheen Shah Afridi produced a superb spell of three for 14 from four overs, removing Ross Adair, Neil Rock and Mark Adair.
Harry Tector's 30 produced late defiance, but the target proved well within Pakistan's reach, who responded from losing the opening match of the series to take it 2-1.
&nbsp;

Pakistan beat Ireland to edge T20I series 2-1

Fiery fifties from Abishek Porel and Tristan Stubbs helped Delhi Capitals sign off their IPL league phase on a high as they beat Lucknow Super Giants by 19 runs on Tuesday.
The win took Delhi, led by Rishabh Pant, to 14 points in 14 matches and they remain technically in the mix to reach the play-offs of the T20 tournament, but a run-rate in the negative keeps their chances slim.
KL Rahul-led Lucknow have 12 points with one more match to play and have their hopes hanging by a thread.
The result confirmed a play-off spot for Rajasthan Royals, who became the second team to enter the final four alongside table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders.
The top four teams make the play-offs. The final is on May 26 in Chennai.
The left-handed Porel hit 58 before Stubbs smashed an unbeaten 57 off 25 balls to steer Delhi to 208-4 after being invited to bat first at their high-scoring home venue, Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Ishant Sharma led the bowling charge with three early wickets as Delhi restricted Lucknow to 189-9 despite valiant knocks from Nicholas Pooran, who smashed 61, and Arshad Khan, who hit an unbeaten 58.
Delhi lost attacking opener Jake Fraser-McGurk for a duck but Porel and Shai Hope, who struck 38, put on 92 runs to lay the foundations of the big total.
Delhi stuttered in the middle after they lost Porel, Hope and then Pant, who made 33 after he returned from a one-match ban due to slow over-rate, at regular intervals and Lucknow bowlers checked the flow of runs.
But Stubbs had other ideas and he hit back with a flurry of fours and sixes to fire Delhi past the 200 as the last three overs cost Lucknow 45 runs.
Lucknow suffered early blows after pace spearhead Ishant took down Rahul, for five, and Quinton de Kock, for 12, inside three overs.
Marcus Stoinis was stumped by Pant off spinner Axar Patel and Ishant struck again to make Lucknow slip to 44-4.
Stubbs made it count with his off-spin as he sent back impact substitute Ayush Badoni out for six to end a 27-run partnership with Pooran.
The left-handed Pooran attempted to drive the chase in his 27-ball knock laced with six fours and four sixes but he left a lot to be done when he departed in the 12th over.
Number eight Arshad then raised hopes of a turnaround with his late charge as he raised his first T20 50 in 25 balls to give Delhi a scare.
Arshad kept losing partners as he continued the charge but in the end failed to match up the asking-rate.

Stubbs gives Delhi play-off hope

La Liga president Javier Tebas says Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe will join Real Madrid next season.
The 25-year-old France captain announced last week he is leaving PSG at the end of his contract this summer, without specifying his destination, and Madrid are poised to sign him after years of failed attempts.
"He's Madrid's next season, yes," Tebas told Argentine daily sports newspaper Ole on Monday.
"If they've signed a five-year deal, he has five seasons of opportunity (to win the Champions League)."
Mbappe is set to join a star-studded Madrid team led by Brazil's Vinicius Junior and England international Jude Bellingham.
Los Blancos strolled to the Spanish title and are in the Champions League final at Wembley against Borussia Dortmund on June 1.
"(Mbappe) is one of the best players in the world, but Vinicius and Bellingham are there too, Madrid will have a great squad," continued Tebas. "But that does not guarantee you will win leagues."
Mbappe is PSG's all-time record scorer with 256 goals, having joined the club from Monaco in 2017 for 180 million euros ($194 million).
With PSG he won six French league titles but failed to earn Champions League glory, finishing as runners-up to Bayern Munich in 2020.
By joining record 14-time winners Real Madrid, Mbappe would increase his chances of finally earning club football's most prestigious trophy.

PSG star Mbappe will join Madrid: La Liga chief

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup with Nazmul Hossain Shanto as captain and Taskin Ahmed as vice-captain of the team.
The announcement came during a press conference held by the BCB at the Mirpur Stadium on Tuesday (14 May).
Bangladesh squad for the T20 World Cup:
Nazmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Taskin Ahmed (Co-Captain), Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanjid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad, Tawheed Hriday, Tanveer Islam, Zaker Ali Anik, Sheikh Mehdi, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shariful Islam, Tanjim Hasan Shakib.
Reserve: Hasan Mahmud, Afif Hossain Dhrubo.

BCB announces squad for T20 World Cup with Shanto as captain, Taskin as vice-captain

Sri Lanka are confident key pacer Matheesha Pathirana will be fit for the start of next month's ICC Men's T20 World Cup as the island nation weigh up how many spinners to include in their XI.
Pathirana hurt his hamstring during a stint with the Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League and was sent home to Sri Lanka to recover ahead of the start of the T20 World Cup on June 1, reports ICC.
The right-armer was one of four quicks named in Sri Lanka's 15-player squad for the T20 World Cup alongside Nuwan Thushara, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera and is expected to play a crucial role in their quest for a second title after they tasted access in Bangladesh in 2014.
Sri Lanka's chief selector Upul Tharanga expects Pathirana to be fit for their first game at the T20 World Cup against South Africa in New York on June 3 and believes his side have enough firepower in their pace attack to trouble opposition sides.
"We have players to bowl at the death, but it's in the Powerplay that we need to focus on picking up wickets. So for that we have Madushanka and then as travelling reserve we have Asitha (Fernando)," Tharanga said.
"If we take our side, Thushara, Pathirana they can bowl in the death overs. But we needed someone that could come in if we needed a wicket-taking option with the new ball, which is why we went with Asitha (as a reserve over Binura Fernando)."
Sri Lanka also have a bevy of spinning options in their squad for the T20 World Cup, with Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka and Dunith Wellalage all capable of providing an extra option alongside skipper Wanindu Hasaranga and star off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana.
Tharanga is still tossing up how to get the balance of his side right for the T20 World Cup, but believes playing three spinners in the same XI is an option worth consideration.
"There could be a chance that we play three spinners sometimes. Looking at that is why we picked Dunith (Wellalage), particularly his batting, because sometimes we could go with him ahead of a fast-bowling all-rounder," Tharanga said.
"As for Dhananjaya, we value his bowling. And with regard to power-hitting, we think we can get that from elsewhere in the side. In terms of his all-round input, and taking into consideration the conditions, he was a better option."
With the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup to be co-hosted by the USA and West Indies, Tharanga thinks teams will face a variety of different pitches throughout the nine different venues and teams will need to adapt quickly during the tournament.
The former Sri Lanka captain does expect the wickets in the USA in particular to be quite slow and believes they will be conducive to spin.
"If you look at the conditions in America and the West Indies, most of it is pointing towards the wickets there being quite slow," Tharanga said.
"The Major League tournament was played in Dallas with drop-in pitches. If you look at those, even though they're being brought down from Australia they are still quite uneven and a little slow. This could of course change, so it's a little hard to predict."
Sri Lanka squad: Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka. Traveling Reserves: Asitha Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Janith Liyanage.
&nbsp;

T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka wait on star quick Pathirana

Ireland have confirmed their men's side will tour Pakistan for the first time in 2025.
While exact details of the tour are yet to be finalised, Cricket Ireland released a statement on Monday to indicate they will travel to Pakistan next year for a tour that has been provisionally set to be held in August/September.
The two teams are currently battling it out in a three-match T20I series in Ireland in preparation for next month's ICC Men's T20 World Cup and Cricket Ireland's Chair Brian MacNeice held discussions with PCB Chair Mohsin Naqvi in relation to their tour of Pakistan in 2025.
MacNeice indicated the discussions were healthy and it had been agreed that Ireland would tour Pakistan next year, in what would be the first visit of their men's side to the Asian country.
"We are delighted to have welcomed Chairman Naqvi to Dublin and we had a very productive meeting. The presence of the PCB chairman in Ireland was very much appreciated and is a strong indicator of the excellent relationship between the two boards," MacNeice said
"Discussions were wide-ranging, and included exploring men's, women's and Wolves-level fixtures in the future. I'm very pleased that we were able to agree a men's tour next year - this will be yet another historic first, coming after the tour to Pakistan by our senior women in 2022."
The ongoing series between Ireland and Pakistan is currently locked at one-game apiece, with the third and final match of the series scheduled to be held in Dublin on Tuesday.
"The Pakistan squad have been excellent ambassadors for their country over the last week and have been very generous in their interactions with fans throughout their time in Ireland. We very much look forward to the deciding game in the series tomorrow and of course our meeting in the T20 World Cup next month," MacNeice added.
"The cricketing friendship between Ireland and Pakistan runs very deep &ndash; indeed, the first meeting between the two sides was in 1962 here in Dublin, and Pakistan has been our opponent for both our inaugural women's and men's Test matches.
"We look forward to this auspicious tour and thank Chairman Naqvi and the PCB for their ongoing friendship and support."

Ireland set for historic tour of Pakistan in 2025

Gujarat Titans have been knocked out of the play-off race after rain forced their IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders to be abandoned without a ball bowled in Ahmedabad on Monday.
The two teams took one point each, confirming a top-two finish for table-toppers Kolkata, who remain the only side to have already qualified for the next stage.
The last times Kolkata ended in the top two in the league stage, they went on to win the tournament in 2012 and 2014.
The top four teams will make the play-offs, but the first and second-placed sides have the advantage of two chances to qualify for the final on May 26 in Chennai.
The unseasonal rain in Ahmedabad left thousands of fans disappointed at the world's biggest cricket stadium.
Rain was unrelenting for close to five hours as the two captains eventually shook hands without even going for the toss.
Shubman Gill-led Gujarat, who won the IPL in their debut season in 2022 under Hardik Pandya, joined Mumbai Indians and bottom-placed Punjab Kings to be out of the title race.
Kolkata, led by Shreyas Iyer, have been the team to beat in this edition with 10 wins and 19 points in 13 matches to stay ahead of second-placed Rajasthan Royals.
Six teams including defending champions Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru stay in the hunt for the remaining three spots for the play-offs.

Gujarat out of IPL play-off race after washout

Barcelona reclaimed second place in LaLiga with a 2-0 home win over Real Sociedad on Monday courtesy of a Lamine Yamal first-half strike and a late Raphinha penalty.
Xavi Hernandez's side leapfrogged Girona to move on to 76 points, one clear of their Catalan rivals who dropped points in Friday's 2-2 draw at Alaves.
Real Madrid have already secured the league title, sitting on 90 points with three games left.
"There is still a long way to go. It will be a battle to the end. Girona are very strong," Barcelona defender Inigo Martinez told Movistar.
"It's in our hands now. I think the team is very good. Three valuable points. We had some mistakes in the first half. In the second half I think we could have finished it off earlier."
Yamal put Barcelona ahead in the 40th minute when he coolly slotted home from Ilkay Gundogan's pass after a quick breakaway for his fifth LaLiga goal this season.
"It was an important game to regain second place and we have to try to make it a nine-point week," the 16-year-old Yamal said referring to the upcoming games.
"Real did very well in the first half but then we were able to improve. There was good feeling in the whole team."
Raphinha's penalty in stoppage time sealed victory for the hosts after a VAR review for handball, leaving the Basque side in seventh place with 54 points, one behind Real Betis in the last Europa League spot.
"Real always make it difficult for us. They are always very organised, aggressive, you don't create danger for them," Xavi told reporters. "It's an important victory for us. We played a good game in general."

Barcelona reclaim second spot with 2-0 win over Real Sociedad

Former heavyweight king Mike Tyson said Monday his decision to step back into the ring at the age of 57 was a "no-brainer", brushing off recent criticism that he was too old to make a comeback.
At a press conference in New York to promote his upcoming bout against YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul, Tyson admitted training for his return had taken a toll.
"I'm doing great but my body is shit right now, I'm sore, I'm really sore," said Tyson, who faces Paul on July 20 at the AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, that is home to the Dallas Cowboys NFL team.
But the boxer who terrorized the heavyweight division in the 1980s and 1990s as the self-styled "baddest man on the planet" insisted he had no reservations about lacing up his gloves again, nearly two decades after his last professional fight in 2005.
"It was a no-brainer," said Tyson. "He's a new up-and-coming guy on the scene. And I like shaking the sports world to its core and I am doing it now. It's just something that I want to do."
Tyson, who turns 58 in June, takes on the 27-year-old Paul in a professional bout comprising eight two-minute rounds that has been sanctioned by boxing authorities in Texas.
However several members of the boxing community, including former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, have voiced reservations about the fight, expressing concern Tyson could be hurt.
Tyson dismissed the doubters though when asked for his response on Monday.
"I'm beautiful, that's all I can say," Tyson said. "The people who said that wish that they were up here. No one else can do this."
Paul meanwhile said he is ready to deal with Tyson's experience and power.
"A lot of people are doubting me," Paul said. "I see the comments, saying, 'if Jake wins this fight it's rigged' because of how incredible he looks. Age doesn't matter.
"He's a killer. He's a warrior. He's been doing this his whole life so it's second nature to him. I've only been doing this for four years and at a super high level.
"On July 20, I'm going to show the world that I can outbox Mike Tyson and prove everyone wrong, and show that I'm going to be the one doing the killing."
Tyson meanwhile said he held no animosity towards his much younger opponent.
"I really like Jake a lot. But once he's in that ring, he has to fight like his life is depending on it, because it will be," Tyson quipped.
The former heavyweight icon even refused to rule out further fights down the line.
"Maybe we'll do it again," Tyson said. "But can I take care of Jake first, please?"

Tyson says comeback at 57 was 'no-brainer'

Kylian Mbappe was named France's player of the year on Monday at an awards ceremony in Paris, as he comes to the end of his seven-season stay with Paris Saint-Germain.
Mbappe, 25, picked up the prize for the best player in Ligue 1 at the UNFP (French players' union) Trophies gala for the fifth time in a row after a season in which he has scored 44 goals in all competitions for PSG.
The France captain last week confirmed he will leave PSG at the end of the campaign when his contract expires, with Real Madrid expected to be his next destination.
"It is a page that is turning, a chapter of my life that is going to close," Mbappe said.
"Ligue 1 will always have an important place in my life. It is the only league I have known in my career up to now.
"I have always tried to be an honourable representative of this league," he added.
"I will miss it for sure. It is a part of my life that is coming to an end. What is coming next is very exciting but that is something else."
Mbappe played his final home game for PSG on Sunday and scored as the champions suffered a shock 3-1 defeat against Toulouse.
That goal took him to 27 for the season in Ligue 1, eight goals more than the next best marksman, Lille's Canadian striker Jonathan David.
The season is not finished yet, with Mbappe's PSG having two more Ligue 1 games to play this week before the French Cup final against Lyon on May 25.
Mbappe saw off the other nominees for an award voted for by his fellow players and handed over by Marie-Jose Perec, the French former 200m and 400m Olympic champion.
His PSG teammate Ousmane Dembele had also been in contention along with Pierre Lees-Melou of Brest, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Marseille and Edon Zhegrova of Lille.
PSG's domestic dominance was reflected in the other awards, with teenage midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery named young player of the season and Gianluigi Donnarumma the best goalkeeper.
Eric Roy of Brest was named coach of the year after leading the modest Brittany club to European qualification for the first time in their history -- with one game left they are guaranteed to finish at least fifth, meaning a Europa League place at worst.

Mbappe wins award for France's player of the year

Colombian super-sub Jhon Duran scored two late goals as Aston Villa salvaged a 3-3 home draw with Liverpool in a Monday night thriller that left them on the cusp of a place in the Champions League next season.
A match that started with Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez conceding a shocking own-goal after 62 seconds turned into a great escape, and near-win, as Duran came on to save the night with strikes in the 85th and 88th minutes.
Villa are now on 68 points with one game remaining, five clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur who have two matches still to come but must beat title-chasing Manchester City on Tuesdayto stay in contention.
Tottenham end their season at bottom side Sheffield United on Sunday, while Unai Emery's side play their last game at 12th placed Crystal Palace.
Liverpool were gifted the opener when Argentine international Martinez fumbled a tame Harvey Elliot cross, desperately clawing the ball across the line and into his own net.
It was the third own-goal Martinez has scored in the Premier League, more than any other goalkeeper in the competition's history.
Villa, who would have made sure of fourth place with a win, equalised 10 minutes later through Youri Tielemans on the Belgian's return from three matches out due to injury.
The joy was short-lived as Cody Gakpo made it 2-1 to the third-placed visitors in the 23rd, after a VAR check for offside, and Jarell Quansah then headed in off the post from a free kick for his first Premier League goal in the 48th.
Liverpool looked set for all three points in manager Juergen Klopp's penultimate match, a clash that could have ended with a far higher scoreline with both sets of fans disappointed by VAR and plenty of missed chances.
"We got a bit of luck. It's been a tough few weeks with lads coming back and playing through the pain barrier. This place got us going," Villa captain John McGinn told Sky Sports television.
"Big Jhon is a bit nuts at times, he's a nightmare to play against.
"There's some of us that have never been close to the Champions League in our life. The manager has a no-excuse mentality. People have written us off and we've floated under the radar. We'll have our Man City tops on tomorrow."
VAR CALLS
Diego Carlos missed a great chance for an equaliser for Villa while Ollie Watkins, who set up Tielemans goal with a pass from the byline, had the ball in the net in the first half but was ruled offside.
Elliot thought he had Liverpool's fourth but was also denied by the flag for offside and then Duran came on and changed the match.
The equaliser almost took him by surprise, the ball ricocheting off him with Alisson stranded.
"It got away from us. We played really good football. We were really good, played a lot of good stuff and caused a lot of problems," said Klopp, whose last game with Liverpool will be against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield.
"They scored an equaliser and I don't even know how," added the German.
"We wanted to win the game. In the moment, when we gave away the 3-2, that was really tricky. That's it, that's the story of the game."
Emery saluted the home fans and celebrated a successful season.
"Even after we scored the two goals we had chances," said the Spaniard. "We are only thinking of us. We will prepare for our match on Sunday, everything is in our hands."

Duran to the rescue in 3-3 Villa thriller with Liverpool

With the ICC Men's T20 World Cup less than a month away, most participating teams have already announced their squads. However, Bangladesh is among the few yet to make an official announcement, despite sources confirming the team has been finalised and submitted to the ICC.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has scheduled a press conference for Tuesday (14 May), to unveil the squad. This delay has sparked curiosity and speculation within the cricketing fraternity.
UNB has learned that the delay stems from a recent injury sustained by right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed. The injury occurred just before the final match of the Zimbabwe series on May 12th in Dhaka.
BCB President and Sports Minister, Nazmul Hasan, has indicated that if Taskin's recovery takes longer than three weeks, a replacement might be called up. However, if doctors are optimistic about a quicker recovery (within two weeks), Taskin could be included in the main squad with his rehabilitation continuing in the USA, where the team will travel early next week.
&ldquo;If needed, we will consult with doctors in the USA,&rdquo; Nazmul said, underscoring the board's commitment to exploring every possible ways to include Taskin.
Bangladesh's first World Cup match is on June 7th against Sri Lanka in Dallas, followed by a clash with South Africa in New York on June 10th. The team will then travel to the West Indies for their next two matches in the first round.
Before the main event, Bangladesh will play a practice match against India in New York on June 1st, preceded by a three-match T20I series against the hosts, the USA, in Houston.

Why Delay in Bangladesh's World Cup Squad Announcement?

Bangladesh ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan stood on the brink of adding another feather to his illustrious cap. &nbsp; He needs just two wickets to complete a 700-wicket haul in all three formats of the cricket. And it is highly likely that he would reach the milestone when Bangladesh take on Zimbabwe in the fifth and final T20 tomorrow (Sunday) at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. &nbsp; In the last match yesterday, which was his first T20 in 10 months, Shakib claimed 4-35 to take his International wicket tally to 698. He however failed with the willow, scoring just 1. &nbsp; At this moment, Shakib had 237 wickets in Tests, 317 in ODIs and 144 in T20Is. Overall he had 698 wickets in 432 matches at an average of 28.15 and economy rate of 3.90. He has five-wicket haul 25 times and 10-wicket haul two times under his belt.&nbsp; &nbsp; Amongst the Bangladeshi bowlers, Shakib has been far away from the other bowlers with Mashrafe Bin Mortaza coming second with 389 wickets and Mustafizur Rahman in the third spot with 305 wickets. &nbsp; Shakib is waiting for the milestone of 700 wickets as only the seventh spinner of the world. If only the left-arm spinner is taken into consideration, Shakib is just behind to New Zealand's Daniel Vettori who had 705 wickets in 442 matches.&nbsp;
If no miracle happens, it is certain that Shakib would go past Vettori very soon to be the most successful left-arm spinner in cricket's history.&nbsp;

Shakib on the verge of 700-wicket milestone

England's James Anderson will retire from test cricket after the first test against West Indies at Lord's in July, the fast bowler said on Saturday.
Anderson, 41, is the most successful pace bowler in test history with 700 wickets, behind only Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Australia's Shane Warne (708) on the all-time list.
"It's been an incredible 20 years representing my country, playing the game I've loved since I was a kid. I'm going to miss walking out for England so much," Anderson said in a statement.
"But I know the time is right to step aside and let others realise their dreams just like I got to, because there is no greater feeling."
England's first test against West Indies takes place from July 10-14.
&nbsp;

England's Anderson to retire from tests after Lord's match

AFP/BSS

French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday he hoped star footballer Kylian Mbappe would be freed up by his likely future club Real Madrid to take part in the Paris Olympics for France.
"I'm counting on Real Madrid to free up Kylian for the Olympic Games so he can come play with the French team," Macron said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Mbappe confirmed on Friday that he will leave French champions Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, with Real Madrid widely expected to be his next destination.
Real Madrid has already said that it will not lift its players' obligations to the club in favour of their participation in the Olympics Games which are not part of the FIFA-designated international tournaments for which clubs must free up their players.
The 25-year-old World Cup-winning forward and France captain said himself last week that he wasn't "thinking much" about the Games.
Mbappe will lead France at Euro 2024 which runs from June 14 to July 14 in Germany.
The Olympic football competition begins on July 24 and runs to August 9, with France in a group alongside the United States, New Zealand and another side still to be determined.

Macron 'counting on Real Madrid' to let Mbappe play at Olympics

India's cricket board will hunt for a new&nbsp;coach to take charge after the T20 World Cup in June, but left the door open&nbsp;for Rahul Dravid to reapply.
Dravid, who became head coach of the men's team in November 2021, was handed&nbsp;a short-term extension when his two-year contract expired after India's loss&nbsp;to Australia in the ODI World Cup final last November.
"We will call for applications in the next few days," Jay Shah, secretary of&nbsp;the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), told reporters in Mumbai.
"Rahul Dravid's tenure is coming to an end in June. If he wants to re-apply,&nbsp;he can."
Shah said the next coach would be offered a contract through to the next ODI&nbsp;World Cup in 2027 and ruled out hiring different coaches for the three&nbsp;formats.
"We are looking for a long-term coach for three years," Shah said, in comments reported by Indian media on Friday.
"There is no precedent of different coaches for different formats in Indian&nbsp;cricket. Besides, we have a number of all-format players. Ultimately, it will&nbsp;be the Cricket Advisory Committee's (CAC) call. I have to implement what they&nbsp;decide."
India have not won a global title since the 2013 Champions Trophy and will be&nbsp;looking to end the drought in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies&nbsp;and the United States starting June 2.
Rohit Sharma's team will begin their campaign against Ireland on June 5&nbsp;followed by a blockbuster clash with arch-rivals Pakistan in New York on June&nbsp;9.

BCCI hunting for new India cricket coach after T20 World Cup

Bangladesh secured a five-run victory over Zimbabwe in the 4th T20I at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.
Tanzid Hasan Tamim's half-century and Mustafizur Rahman's three-wicket haul proved to be the difference in a low-scoring affair.
Bangladesh, batting first, managed a modest total of 143 runs. The innings began promisingly, with openers Tamim (52) and Soumya Sarkar (41) forging a solid 101-run partnership.
However, their dismissals triggered a dramatic collapse, with the remaining batters failing to build on the foundation. Only Towhid Hridoy managed to reach double figures (12) as Bangladesh lost all their wickets for a mere 42 runs, with Luke Jongwe claiming three wickets for Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe, in their chase, also struggled to build partnerships and lost wickets at regular intervals.
Johnathan Campbell top-scored with 31, while Ryan Burl and Wellington Masakadza contributed 19 runs each. Despite their efforts, Zimbabwe faltered in the face of disciplined Bangladeshi bowling.
The match reached a thrilling climax in the final over, with Zimbabwe needing 14 runs for victory. However, Shakib Al Hasan held his nerve, taking two crucial wickets and successfully defending the target to secure a hard-fought win for Bangladesh.
The final match of the series will be played at the same venue on May 12th, with Zimbabwe aiming to salvage some pride and avoid a series clean sweep.

Tigers edge out Zimbabwe in low-scoring affair

Bangladesh endured a catastrophic batting collapse in the 4th T20I against Zimbabwe at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Friday, losing all ten wickets for a mere 42 runs after a promising start.
Being sent to bat first after losing the toss, Bangladesh appeared to be cruising towards a big total, with openers Soumya Sarkar (41) and Tanzid Hasan Tamim (52) forging a 101-run partnership for the first wicket. However, Tanzid's dismissal, caught after mistiming a shot, triggered an inexplicable collapse.
The middle and lower order crumbled under pressure, succumbing to a series of poor shot selections and dismissals.
After the openers, only Towhid Hridoy managed a double-digit score (12) as the remaining batters fell cheaply, with Luke Jongwe claiming three wickets for Zimbabwe.
The collapse exposed the fragility of Bangladesh's batting lineup. Shakib Al Hasan, returning to T20Is after nine months, and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto both departed without showing any intention to fight back.
Shanto's dismissal, clean bowled attempting an extravagant shot, and Shakib's bowled through a gap between bat and pad, proved the lack of application and composure from the experienced players.
Despite the initial promise of a high score, Bangladesh's innings ended at a disappointing 143, leaving them with a challenging task to defend against Zimbabwe.
&nbsp;

4th T20I: Tigers go from 101/0 to 143 all out

Bangladesh lost the toss and were sent to bat first by Zimbabwe in the 4th match of the five-match T20I series on Friday in Dhaka.
Bangladesh made three changes to their playing XI, with Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, and Mustafizur Rahman returning to the fold.
Litton Das, Mahmudullah Riyad, and Mohammad Saifuddin were rested to accommodate their inclusion.
Shakib's return marks his first appearance in international T20 after a hiatus of over nine months.
Litton Das, the right-handed batter who has been struggling for form, was finally omitted from the lineup. His dismissal in the previous match raised eyebrows, as he attempted a scoop shot three times in a row, ultimately losing his wicket on the final attempt.
Soumya Sarkar makes a comeback after recovering from a long-term knee injury.
Tigers have already secured the series, having won the first three matches in Chattogram.
This series serves as crucial preparation for Bangladesh ahead of the T20I World Cup, which will be held in the USA and West Indies next month.
Meanwhile, before the match kicks off, the BCB will observe a one-minute silence to mourn the tragic demise of the Squadron Leader Mohammed Asim Jawad, who passed away in an aircraft accident on Thursday.
&nbsp;

4th T20I: Shakib, Soumya, Mustafizur return as Bangladesh bat first against Zimbabwe

Bayer Leverkusen staged a remarkable late comeback to move into the Europa League final with a 2-2 draw at home to AS Roma on Thursday as they won 4-2 on aggregate and set the longest unbeaten run in all competitions including European matches.
Leverkusen were 2-0 down on the night in the 82nd minute when Roma defender Gianluca Mancini put through his own goal before late substitute Joseph Stanisic pulled the hosts level after Leandro Paredes netted two penalties for the visitors.
Bundesliga champions Leverkusen, who have also reached this month's German Cup final as they chase a treble, played their 49th match without defeat to surpass Benfica's record set from 1963&ndash;65 but they had to battle in the semi-final second leg.
Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen, who have 40 wins in their unbeaten run, face Atalanta in the May 22 final in Dublin after the Italians comfortably got past Olympique Marseille.
It will be a third European final for Leverkusen, who won their only continental title when they lifted the UEFA Cup in 1988 and lost in the 2002 Champions League showpiece.
"For the mentality we showed again today against a big team to come back like this and go through to the final. We are more than happy today," said Leverkusen captain Granit Xhaka.
"You see the desire from the team, we didn't want to slow down. We wanted to score the next goal to keep going unbeaten, 49 times now. We are proud of it.
"Roma is a team that has a lot of experience and they do things very well but I think over two games the better team has gone to the final," he told TNT Sports.
DIFFICULT MISSION
Leverkusen went into the match with a 2-0 advantage from Rome a week ago with goals by Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich.
The Italians knew they had a mountain to climb after losing the first leg but they remained composed in an evenly contested match in which Leverkusen gradually seized control
Leverkusen's Exequiel Palacios struck the post just before halftime, with the rebound deflecting off Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar's back, but Evan Ndicka cleared the danger.
Svilar then made another acrobatic save just before the break, denying Amine Adli and then blocking the rebound.
Despite Leverkusen's pressure Roma took the lead with a penalty from Paredes just before halftime after Jonathan Tah fouled Sardar Azmoun. Paredes scored with another spot kick in the 66th minute after Adam Hlozek handled.
With eight minutes remaining, a Leverkusen corner confused the visiting defence, including the until then excellent Svilar, leading to defender Mancini inadvertently deflecting the ball into his own net at the far post.
Late substitute Stanisic then secured Leverkusen's place in the record books deep into stoppage time with the equaliser after a skilful move into the box to delight the ecstatic home fans and leave battling Roma distraught.
"It was a heroic performance but Leverkusen are a really strong team," Roma boss Daniele De Rossi told Sky Sports Italia.
"I thought our performances in both legs were good. We didn't have enough shots on goal and sometimes that can make the difference, but the players were incredible."

Leverkusen reach final with late comeback against Roma

All-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga will lead an experienced Sri Lanka outfit for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.
Hasaranga, who was named the Sri Lanka T20I captain in December last year, will lead the team in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 in West Indies and USA. Middle-order batter Charith Asalanka has been named as his deputy.
Sri Lanka has banked on the experience of veteran Angelo Mathews, who returned to the T20I setup earlier this year in January after an absence of nearly three years. This will be Mathews' sixth T20 World Cup appearance, as he was part of Sri Lanka's victorious campaign in 2014.
There will be leadership experience aplenty in the Sri Lanka setup, with former limited overs skipper Dasun Shanaka also in the mix along with Kusal Mendis (current ODI captain) and Dhananjaya de Silva (current Test captain).
With an emphasis on balance, Sri Lanka have picked multiple all-round options in their squad. Skipper Hasaranga himself is among the spin-bowling all-rounders, along with Dunith Wellalage, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Kamindu Mendis. Mathews and Shanaka are the two dependable pace-bowling all-round options in the squad.
Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara, with their slinging bowling action reminiscent of Lasith Malinga, brings the X-factor to Sri Lanka's pace attack spearheaded by Dushmantha Chameera and Dilshan Madushanka.
Sri Lanka are placed in Group D alongside South Africa, Bangladesh, Netherlands and Nepal. They begin their T20 World Cup campaign on 3 June against South Africa in New York.
Apart from the core 15-member squad, Sri Lanka have also named four players as traveling reserves: Asitha Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Janith Liyanage.
Teams have until 25 May to make changes to their squads, after which any alteration will require approval from ICC's Event Technical Committee.
Sri Lanka squad: Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka (vc), Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dilshan Madushanka

Hasaranga to lead star-studded Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup

IPL heavyweights Mumbai Indians became the first team to be knocked out of the play-off race after Sunrisers Hyderabad hammered Lucknow Super Giants by 10 wickets.
Five-time winners Mumbai are ninth in the 10-team table on eight points after only four wins in 12 matches.
Hyderabad, led by Pat Cummins, moved third on 14 points after they chased down 166 in 9.4 overs on Wednesday night, courtesy Travis Head's 89 and 75 by Abhishek Sharma.
Lucknow and Delhi Capitals are both on 12 points and face each other on May 14 meaning Mumbai cannot qualify for the top four to that will contest the playoffs, even if Hardik Pandya's side win their two remaining matches.
Mumbai lost their first three games with Pandya booed after he replaced the popular Rohit Sharma as skipper this season.
Table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals both have 16 points each.
The final will be on May 26 in Chennai.

Mumbai Indians first to exit play-off race

Real Madrid striker Joselu was in dreamland after he came on in the dying moments of their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich on Wednesday and turned the game on its head with two goals to snatch a stunning victory.
Joselu, whose journeyman career has included spells at clubs such as Hoffenheim, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hannover 96, Stoke City and Newcastle United, only touched the ball a few times in their 2-1 second-leg win, but it was a night he is likely to remember for a long time.
He pounced on a rare mistake by Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer and stabbed the ball into the net to equalise for Real in the 88th minute and two minutes later he volleyed them into the lead from a cross by Antonio Ruediger.
The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel "I don't know anything about being a hero, but I'm very happy... You can imagine," he said. "It was incredible, something spectacular. This team never gives up, it's in its blood to fight to the end and that's what we've done.
"You always dream of this kind of performance, but not even my most beautiful dreams are as big as what happened today."
 On loan from second division side Espanyol, Joselu's journey to becoming the semi-final hero has been long and winding in a career involving a dozen clubs across Europe.
He began his career at Celta Vigo before being bought in 2009 by Real Madrid, where he excelled in their B team but rarely made it to the first team.
He was sold to Bundesliga side Hoffenheim in 2012 and then loaned to Eintracht Frankfurt before joining Hannover 96 in 2014.
In 2015 he moved to Premier League side Stoke City, playing 27 times and scoring four goals, before spending two seasons at Newcastle United. He returned to Spain with Alaves where he scored 36 times in three seasons.
He signed as a free agent with Espanyol in the summer of 2022 and a year later was loaned to Real and has scored nine goals in 32 appearances this season in La Liga.
Joselu, who was born in Stuttgart in Germany, made his debut for Spain aged 33, coming off the bench against Norway to score twice in two minutes in March 2023.
"I don't think Joselu will be sleeping much tonight, he'll be useless in training tomorrow!" team mate Jude Bellingham said. "He deserves it all, he's been an amazing member of the squad all season and it's his night."

Journeyman Joselu takes long and winding road to Champions League final

Real Madrid produced a spectacular comeback against Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League final with Joselu striking twice late on, earning them a 2-1 win on Wednesday to progress 4-3 on aggregate.
Alphonso Davies smashed the visiting German giants ahead in the second half but record 14-time winners Madrid produced a sensational comeback with Joselu netting in the 88th and 91st minutes.
Spanish champions Real Madrid face another German side, Borussia Dortmund, in the Wembley final on June 1, after they stunned the team they call their "black beast".
Squad player Joselu, on as a late substitute, wrote his name in Madrid's history books with his last-gasp brace.
"There have been a lot of times we have looked dead and buried, but we have that mentality of never say die," said Real midfielder Jude Bellingham.
"Joselu deserves it all, he has been an amazing squad member this season."
Madrid had enjoyed the better of the match but it seemed Davies' superb strike had set up a repeat of the 2013 all-German final in London.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel made three changes from the first leg, benching veteran Thomas Mueller and Leon Goretzka.
Dani Carvajal started for Madrid after missing the first leg suspended and was heavily involved as the hosts dominated the opening stages.
Rodrygo Goes was inches away from converting Carvajal's low cross and the Spain defender then cleverly set up Vinicius Junior with a pass nutmegging a defender, and Manuel Neuer tipped the Brazilian's shot against the post.
The rebound fell to Rodrygo but his effort was weak and with a desperate arm Neuer was able to claw it out to complete a fine double save.
Bayern's Serge Gnabry limped off injured with Davies replacing him before Harry Kane's first flash of danger.
Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin was alert to push the England captain's vicious long-range volley around the post.
Neuer palmed away a Vinicius free-kick as the teams ended a high-intensity, relentlessly frantic first half level.
The second period was just as fraught, with Davies' cross deflecting onto the roof of Lunin's goal.
Vinicius was unplayable down Madrid's left and Rodrygo prodded his low cross agonisingly wide of the far post.
The 38-year-old Neuer made superb saves to deny both Brazilian forwards again before the hour mark as Madrid controlled the game and ratcheted up the pressure.
However just as in Munich, when Los Blancos were at their strongest, Bayern pounced.
Kane fed Davies and the Canada international cut inside from the left and smashed a shot beyond Lunin into the far top corner after 68 minutes.
Madrid thought they had levelled moments later through Nacho but after a VAR review the strike was ruled out as the defender had grabbed Joshua Kimmich's face before shooting.
Tuchel took off Kane in the final stages to try and hold on to victory but it slipped through his fingers as Madrid produced more indelible European memories.
Neuer, who had been sublime to this point, fumbled what appeared a simple Vinicius strike and Joselu gratefully bundled home from close range.
With Bayern reeling Madrid struck again, decisively. It was Joselu once more, the striker on loan from second division side Espanyol, turning home after Antonio Rudiger cut the ball back to him.
The goal was ruled offside but officials overturned the decision after review, and after nearly 15 minutes of stoppage time, Madrid earned the chance to go for their 15th Champions League trophy.

Comeback kings Real Madrid stun Bayern to reach Champions League final

Ace allrounder Shakib Al Hasan returned to Bangladesh T20 squad after almost one year as the selectors included him in the final two matches against Zimbabwe.
Shakib's last appearance was a Player-of-the-Match performance against Afghanistan in Sylhet in July 2023. He was the captain of the team that time but an eye condition and a finger injury restricted his appearances after the ODI World Cup in October-November 2023.&nbsp;
Najmul Hossain Shanto has replaced him as captain in all formats this year.
Bangladesh had already clinched the five-match T20 series against Zimbabwe after taking an unassailable 3-0 lead. The last two matches will be held at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on May 10 and 12 respectively.
Shakib was rested from the first three matches, which were held in Chattogram. He, however, played three matches in Dhaka Premier League (DPL) to regain his match fitness. Shakib's performance with the bat and bowl in those three DPL matches was tremendous. He hit his first century in DPL and in doing so ended his five-year long century draught in professional cricket.&nbsp;
"Shakib was in our plan for the last two T20 matches. We decided to give Shakib some game time by playing International cricket ahead of the T20 World Cup," selector Abdur Razzak said.
"He played three DPL matches after spending holiday with his family. He is now ready to play the International Cricket."
Alongside Shakib, pacer Mustafizur Rahman was also rested from the first three T20i against Zimbabwe. Mustafizur who has been in form of his life in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Chennai Super Kings returned to the squad for last two matches.
"We follow the same rule in Mustafizur's case also. He came from IPL and so we wanted him to take rest. The question was whether he will take the rest in&nbsp; the first three matches or for the last two matches. He decided to take rest from the first three matches," Razzak added.
To accommodate Shakib and Mustafizur in the team, Afif Hossain and Parvez Hossain Emon were dropped. Both of the players couldn't make room in the first XI for any of the three matches.&nbsp;
"Both-- Afif and Emon-- are in our plan still. It is not possible to give all players exposure at the same time. But they are not out of consideration," Razzak clarified.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, pacer Shoriful Islam was given rest to manage his workload. Shoriful, who has been playing cricket in all three formats of Bangladesh consistently for the last two years, was off colour in the first two matches against Zimbabwe. He didn't play the third match and now the team management decided him to rest from the reminder of the series.
SQUAD: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Liton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad&nbsp; Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Soumya Sarkar, Tanvir Islam and Mohammad Saifuddin.

Shakib returns to Bangladesh T20 squad after one year

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and batsman Soumya Sarkar return to the T20I squad as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the team for the final two matches of the five-match series against Zimbabwe.
Shakib, who missed the first three matches due to Dhaka League commitments, rejoins the squad alongside Mustafizur Rahman, who returned from the IPL on 2 May. Soumya Sarkar also makes a comeback after recovering from a knee injury.
To accommodate their return, the selectors have left out Parvez Hossain Emon and Afif Hossain for the remaining matches, while Shoriful Islam has been rested.
Bangladesh has already secured the series with victories in the first three matches, but Zimbabwe will be looking to salvage some pride in the final two games, scheduled for May 10th and 12th in Dhaka.
This series marks Bangladesh's final home fixtures before the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which will be held in the USA and West Indies next month.
Bangladesh Squad for Final Zimbabwe T20Is: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Sakib, Soumya Sarkar, Tanvir Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin.

Shakib, Soumya, Mustafizur return as BCB announces squad for final Zimbabwe T20Is

Diego Maradona's Golden Ball trophy won for being named the best player at the 1986 World Cup will be auctioned in France in June, the Aguttes auction house said on Tuesday.
This is the first Golden Ball to go for auction and while the value is still to be confirmed, the auction house expects it to fetch millions on June 6.
Maradona, who died in 2020, won the award after leading Argentina to World Cup victory in Mexico, scoring five goals at the finals where he captained his country and played every minute of the tournament.
That tournament is probably best remembered for Maradona's two goals against England in the quarter-finals.
Maradona outjumped England keeper Peter Shilton as he thumped in the first goal with a raised fist, which he later dubbed as being scored by the "Hand of God".
The second was an incredible mazy slalom run from his own half, when he dribbled past five English outfield players, and was voted as the "Goal of the Century".
The jersey he wore that day, along with the ball from the match, have both previously been sold at auction.
After his display against England, Maradona went on to score the two goals which defeated Belgium in the semi-final and Argentina won a thrilling final 3-2 against West Germany.
The Golden Ball award was introduced at the 1982 World Cup, and its list of winners include Italy's Paolo Rossi, Romario and Ronaldo of Brazil, Zinedine Zidane of France, while Argentine great Lionel Messi is the only player to have won the accolade twice.
Maradona's award had disappeared before resurfacing among several trophy lots in an auction room.
Recently it was entrusted to Aguttes, which carried out an investigation into its provenance and managed to authenticate it as Maradona's Adidas Golden Ball trophy.

Maradona's Golden Ball trophy goes to auction

International Master (IM) Mohammad Fahad Rahman of Bangladesh won against his WIM Nurman Alua of Kazakhstan in the third round games of Dubai Police Global Chess Challenge, Masters event which is now being held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
In the third round games of this competition held on Monday last evening, IM Mohammad Fahad Rahman played with white pieces against WIM Nurman Alua's Sicilian Defense system and IM Mohammad Fahad Rahman won at forty eight moves.
He earned two points after third round games and is also sharing third position along with other 31 players.

IM Fahad wins against Kazakhstan rival

Paris Saint-Germain are bidding to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit and beat Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League semi-final return match on Tuesday, with the aim of bringing the curtain down on the Kylian Mbappe era at the club in the final at Wembley.
The only time PSG have previously appeared in the biggest match in club football turned out to be a depressingly flat occasion, with the French side losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich behind closed doors in Lisbon in 2020, at the height of the pandemic.
Reaching the June 1 showpiece in London, and playing before a crowd of 90,000 against either Real Madrid or Bayern again, would be a different occasion entirely.
Getting there would give Mbappe the chance to end his seven-year stay with the Qatar-owned outfit in the best possible way, as they look to win the Champions League for the first time in their history, and just the second time for a French club after Marseille in 1993.
Mbappe informed PSG in February of his intention to depart the Parc des Princes when his contract expires at the end of the season, ending a prolific association with his hometown team which began when he signed from Monaco in 2017.
Now 25 and the captain of France, Mbappe has become the Parisians' all-time top scorer with 255 goals in 305 appearances so far, including 43 this season alone.
He has 48 in the Champions League -- a tally which includes six with Monaco in his breakthrough 2016/17 campaign -- and Tuesday's second leg against Dortmund would be the ideal time for him to bring up the half-century.
Luis Enrique's team did not produce their best performance in losing 1-0 in Germany last week, and the pressure is on them as favourites to turn the tie around at home.
However, a repeat of what happened when they hosted Dortmund in the group stage last September will suffice -- on that occasion they won 2-0, with Mbappe netting the first goal from the penalty spot.
"We are sure we are going to turn it around and qualify for the final," Mbappe told several media including AFP on Sunday on the sidelines of an event on the French capital's famed Champs-Elysees.
"There is a lot of pressure on us, which is normal because there is a place in the Champions League final at stake.
"All the more so when you know about this club's past in the competition."
Defensive dilemma&nbsp;
PSG were not necessarily expected to get as far as the semi-finals this season, with the squad undergoing a major overhaul following the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar at the end of the last campaign.
They had gone out in the last 16 in five of the last seven seasons, frequently failing in spectacular fashion in that time.
Before this season, and since the Qatari takeover of the club in 2011, PSG had won nine Champions League knockout ties in total.
Five of those came behind closed doors in the Covid era, including two ties played as one-off games on neutral turf in Lisbon in 2020.
This season's draw has been as kind as it could be, with Real Sociedad ideal opponents in the last 16 and Dortmund the best they could have wished for in the semi-finals.
However, their performance in overturning a first-leg deficit to defeat Barcelona in the last eight is not to be dismissed.
While all eyes will, as usual, be on Mbappe, the key to PSG's chances of recovering from another first-leg loss when they face Dortmund may be in defence.
They suffered a huge blow when Lucas Hernandez ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while trying to stop Niclas Fuellkrug's goal in Dortmund. He is set to be out for many months.
In addition, left-back Nuno Mendes, who has himself not long returned from a lengthy spell out, had a torrid time up against Jadon Sancho at the Signal Iduna Park.
Mendes will still almost certainly start at the Parc des Princes, while Danilo Pereira looks the most likely option to partner skipper Marquinhos at centre-back.
"We know how strong we are at the Parc. Nothing is finished, everything is open," Marquinhos said after the first leg.
One other factor in favour of PSG, who have already wrapped up the French title, might be freshness -- their weekend league game at Nice was postponed to help them prepare.

Mbappe and PSG aim to seize moment in Champions League semifinal

Suryakumar Yadav hit an unbeaten 102 to lead Mumbai Indians to a crushing seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday as teams jostle for a play-off berth in the IPL.
Chasing 174 for victory, Mumbai slipped to 31-3 before Suryakumar put on an unbeaten stand of 143 with Tilak Varma to achieve the target with 16 balls to spare at their home Wankhede Stadium.
Suryakumar, also known as SKY, hit the winning six, which also raised his second IPL ton in 51 balls and comes as a welcome sign for India ahead of the T20 World Cup in June in the West Indies and the United States.
However the win for five-time winners Mumbai, placed ninth in the 10-team table, could be late in a tournament fast moving towards its business end.
Hyderabad, led by Pat Cummins, stay fourth in the table but their fifth loss and a big one could hurt their play-off chances.
Hyderabad need to win two of their remaining three matches to make the play-offs as they remain locked at 12 points with third-placed Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants at fifth.
The top four teams will make the play-offs with the final on May 26 in Chennai.
Former champions Hyderabad posted 173-8 courtesy of Travis Head's 48 and an unbeaten 17-ball 35 by lower-order batter Cummins after being invited to bat first.
The left-handed Head gave the team a brisk start with his 30-ball knock before his departure in the 11th over and Hyderabad lost their way with regular wickets.
Skipper Hardik Pandya spinner Piyush Chawla took three wickets each to rattle the opposition middle and lower-order as Hyderabad slipped to 136-8 in 17 overs.
But number nine Cummins had other ideas as the Australian Test and ODI captain hit back in the final three overs and put on an unbeaten stand of 37 off 19 balls with Sanvir Singh.
The batting effort inspired the team and fast bowlers came roaring to reduce Mumbai to 31-3 including the key wicket of Rohit Sharma, out caught behind for four off Cummins.
Suryakumar soon took charge with his attacking batting as he raised his 50 in 30 balls and hammered the opposition bowling with 12 fours and six sixes.
The left-handed Varma made 37 and enjoyed Suryakumar's blitz from the other end.

SKY hits ton as Mumbai dent Hyderabad's play-off push

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker T&uuml;rk has appealed to Bangladesh to once again extend protection to vulnerable people seeking safety, and for the international community to provide all necessary support.
&ldquo;I am deeply alarmed by reports of renewed violence and property destruction in Buthidaung township in Myanmar&rsquo;s northern Rakhine state, resulting in the displacement of potentially tens of thousands of civilians, mainly Rohingya," he said on Sunday, commenting on violence in Myanmar&rsquo;s Rakhine State.
Bangladesh is now shouldering the burden of 1.3 million Rohingyas and seeking international community's support for their safe repatriation first. &nbsp; With inter-communal tensions between ethnic Rakhine and Rohingya high &ndash; and being actively stoked by the military &ndash; this is a critical period when the risk of yet further atrocity crimes is particularly acute, T&uuml;rk said in a message issued from Geneva.&nbsp;
"While we seek to corroborate information indicating serious violations, I appeal directly to the Myanmar military and Arakan Army to pause the fighting, protect civilians, allow immediate and unhindered humanitarian access, and comply fully and unconditionally with international law &ndash; including the measures already ordered by the International Court of Justice for the protection of Rohingya," he said.
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said Bangladesh has been following the path of "negotiations" through diplomatic channels avoiding provocations from Myanmar and other international actors.
"There were provocations from Myanmar and other international actors. We did not step into those provocations. Rather, we have taken the path of negotiations. We are following the diplomatic path to seek a solution to the crisis and repatriation is the only solution," he said while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion at Jatiya Press Club.

Violence in Rakhine: UN rights chief appeals to Bangladesh to provide protection to people seeking safety

Anwarul Azim Anar, the lawmaker from Jhenaidah-4 constituency, has been missing since at least May 14, having gone on a medical trip to India on 11 May.
&ldquo;His whereabouts are still unknown. Family members and party activists could not reach him after 14 May(Tuesday),&rdquo; the MP Anar's personal assistant, Abdur Rauf said.
He also said &ldquo;Anar went to India for medical treatment on 11 May. He maintained contact with his family members till 14 May. Since then, all communication with him has been lost. His WhatsApp number is also unreachable.&rdquo;
MP Anar's wife and daughters went to the DB office in Dhaka on Sunday (May 19) at noon.
The Prime Minister has also been informed about the matter, Abdur Rauf told the media.
Meanwhile, Anar&rsquo;s nephew Simon and three others went to India to try and find him. But they could not give any good news till Sunday afternoon.
According to party insiders, moments before his last known activity, Hemant asked his manager for Rs 4.2. At that time he was in a private car with some Indian friends after attending a wedding ceremony. There is no trace of MP Anar since taking this money, they claimed.
&nbsp; Kaliganj Municipal Mayor Ashraful Alam said on Sunday afternoon that he spoke with the MP the day after he left for India. He did not know anything since then.
Saidul Karim Mintu, general secretary of the Jhenaidah district unit Awami League, said that he came to know about the matter from the MP's family and upazila Awami League leaders. &ldquo;We have informed the party high command in this regard,&rdquo; he added.
Jhenaidah Superintendent of Police Azim ul-Ahsan said, Awami League leaders and public representatives of Kaliganj verbally informed us about MP Anar's disappearance.
&ldquo;Since the incident is from a different state, we have informed it to the higher authorities,&rdquo; added the SP.
Regarding Awami League MP Anwarul Azim Anar's reported missing, Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi and Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata are in touch with the relevant authorities to try to know what exactly happened, a diplomatic source told UNB.
The Ministry of External Affairs has also been informed, the source said.

Jhenaidah-4 MP goes missing after going to India for treatment

Senior Correspondent

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the construction work of the Bangabazar Nagar Wholesale Market on 25 May.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has taken the initiative to construct a new Bangabazar wholesale market to rehabilitate the traders affected by the terrible fire in the Bangabazar complex on 4 April last year.
The blaze razed around 5,000 shops across four markets, shattering the dreams of thousands of traders and leaving employees bereft of their livelihoods.
Sheikh Hasina will also inaugurate the construction of '8-lane Inner Circular Road' from Dhaka South City Corporation&rsquo;s Grihit Postagola to Rayer Bazar Sluice Gate and 'Najrul Sarobar' in the Dhanmondi Lake.
DSCC has initiated the establishment of an 8-lane inner circular road from Postagola Bridge to Rayer Bazar Sluice Gate. This project aims to ensure that North Bengal-bound buses from 21 districts in South Bengal and 16 districts in the Chattogram and Sylhet divisions no longer need to enter Dhaka city.
As part of the initiative, an 8-lane road will be constructed from Lohar Pool in Kamrangirchar to Rayer Bazar Sluice Gate in the 1st phase. Two four lanes in the middle of this road have been kept for expressways and two four lanes on both sides as service lanes.
DSCC is going to construct Nazrul Sarobar on the bank of Dhanmondi Lake adjacent to road number 13/A and 8/A of Dhanmondi residential area to create adequate public space in the city.

PM to inaugurate Bangabazar market on 25 May

The Bangladesh Jewelers Association (BAJUS) has increased the price of 22-carat gold by Tk 984 per bhori, setting the new price at Tk1,19,544.&nbsp;
This change will be effective from Monday (20 May), BAJUS announced in a press release this evening (19 May).
According to the new rates, 21-carat gold is now Tk 1,14,109 per bhori, 18-carat gold is Tk 97,803 per bhori, and traditional method gold is Tk 80,8667 per bhori.
The adjustment is due to an increase in the price of pure gold in the local market, BAJUS said.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Gold price rises to Tk1.19 lakh per bhori

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister crashed on Sunday as it was crossing mountain terrain in heavy fog on the way back from a visit to the border with Azerbaijan, an Iranian official told Reuters.
The official said the lives of Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were "at risk following the helicopter crash".
"We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The bad weather was complicating rescue efforts, the state news agency IRNA reported.
State TV stopped all its regular programming to show prayers being held for Raisi across the country and, in a corner of the screen, live coverage of rescue teams searching the mountainous area on foot in heavy fog.
The 63-year-old was elected president at the second attempt in 2021, and since taking office has ordered a tightening of morality laws, overseen a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed hard in nuclear talks with world powers.
In Iran's dual political system, split between the clerical establishment and the government, it is the supreme leader rather than the president who has the final say on all major policies.
But many see Raisi as a strong contender to succeed his 85-year-old mentor, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has strongly endorsed Raisi's main policies.
Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi told state TV only that one of the helicopters in a group of three had come down hard, and that authorities were awaiting further details.
Raisi had been at the Azerbaijani border to inaugurate the Qiz-Qalaisi Dam, a joint project.

Helicopter carrying Iran's President Raisi crashes in mountains, official says

Drivers of battery-run three wheelers set a police box on fire at Kalshi intersection in the city's Mirpur area on Sunday during demonstration against banning the vehicle on Dhaka streets.
Duty office of Fire Service and Civil Defense headquarters, Shahjahan, said the drivers set the police box on fire around 4:15 pm.
On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot around 4:32 pm and brought the situation under control.
Mukhlesur Rahman, inspector (investigation) of Pallabi Police Station, said necessary steps were taken.
The drivers of battery-run three wheelers staged demonstration blocking roads in Dhaka&rsquo;s Mirpur, Pallabi and some other areas on Sunday morning, obstructing traffic movement in the area.
The protesters also vandalised some buses passing in the Mirpur area after 2:30 pm. A chase and counter-chase between police and protesters also took place.
Munshi Sabbir Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Mirpur Police Station, said the traffic movement in the area remained halted for four hours following the demonstration, causing immense sufferings to the commuters.
Earlier on Wednesday, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader instructed the authorities concerned to take steps to stop the movement of battery-run three wheelers on the roads in Dhaka city.
&nbsp;

Ban on battery-run rickshaw: Drivers set police box on fire in Mirpur

Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said that the government is working to develop an e-waste management system in Bangladesh.
"E-waste management rules have been formulated, and an e-waste management plant will be constructed under the BEST project," the minister told Telenor Asia Senior Vice President Manisha Dogra at the Secretariat on Sunday (19 May).
The minister stated that the government is strongly committed to implementing the sustainable agenda, with goals to reduce fuel consumption, expand the use of renewable energy, and decrease the use of single-use plastics.
He also mentioned that the government is working tirelessly to make Bangladesh a climate-resilient country. He urged Telenor to continue its efforts in building a green Bangladesh.
Climate action plan Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets will be revised soon. The draft of the Enhanced Producer Responsibility (EPR) guidelines will be finalized by June," said the minister.
Telenor Asia Senior Vice President Manisha Dogra said that Telenor Asia is committed to environmental sustainability and climate action in the region and is dedicated to working with the Government of Bangladesh towards a sustainable future.

Govt working to improve e-waste management: Environment Minister

Canada's Indo-Pacific Trade Representative Paul Thoppil said that his country wants to expand trade relations with Bangladesh.&nbsp;
"The Bangladesh-Canada relationship is crucial in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada aims to finalize an investment agreement with Bangladesh to attract investment companies," said Paul Thoppil during a meeting with State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu at the Secretariat on Sunday (19 May).
Indo-Pacific trade representative Paul Thoppil praised the development of Bangladesh and said that Canada is keen to invest in infrastructure projects, cyber security as well as the garment sector.&nbsp;
He said that Canola oil can be exported to Bangladesh, if the oil factory is set up here it will be easier to process the oil.
In the meeting, Ahsanul Islam Titu said that Bangladesh is transitioning to the status of a Least Developed Country (LDC) under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Bangladesh is making bilateral agreements with different countries to gain market advantages in various regions.
"Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations started today. The Ministry of Commerce is working to improve relations with various countries of the world, especially ASEAN countries," said Ahsanul Islam Titu.
The first phase of Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations started on Sunday (19 May) at a hotel in the capital. The negotiations will be held on various commercial issues between the two countries and will end on Thursday (23 May).

Canada wants to expand trade relations with Bangladesh

The State Minister of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury said that the current government is working to build a better, prosperous and sustainable future for expatriate workers.
The government has always recognised the huge contribution of migrant workers, said the minister at the programme titled "The Project Launching and Stakeholder Networking Event for the Reintegration of Migrant Workers Project" at a hotel in the capital on Sunday (19 May).
"Prime Minister always says that we have taken a lot from them (migrant workers), now we have to give them something back," said the minister.
The state minister said that the government is committed to providing job-oriented training, financial assistance and counseling to the returning migrant workers.&nbsp;
He also said that the government is formulating and implementing various projects so that migrant workers can live in society properly, find jobs, and start businesses.
The Chairperson of Parliamentary Caucus of Migration and Development Tanveer Shakeel Joy, Secretary of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry Ruhul Amin, Head of Cooperation of Switzerland in Bangladesh Corinne Henchoz Pignani, Country Director of ILO Tuomo Poutiainen, representatives of various international organizations, NGOs were also present at the programme.

Govt working to build sustainable future for migrant workers: State minister

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) is going to bear the brunt after recent enhancement of US Dollar rate as it will have to spend an additional amount of over Tk 7,300 crore to purchase electricity from the private sector.
According to official sources, the BPDB's annual spending was roughly calculated as Tk 104,000 crore for purchasing electricity from the independent power producers (IPPs) for the fiscal year 2023-24. The total expense will now go up to about Tk 1,11,300 crore, according to officials familiar with the estimate this week.
But after the increase in the rate of USD by the central bank through the introduction of a crawling peg system, the BPDB has been a great victim of such a decision.
The Bangladesh Bank on May 8 unveiled the crawling peg exchange rate system and allowed banks to buy and sell US dollars freely near Tk117, as well as letting go of its regulatory power of the Smart rate, and hiking the repo rate.
Under this system, a crawling peg mid rate (CPMR) has been set at Tk117 per US dollar with immediate effect.
Scheduled banks may purchase and sell US dollars freely around the CPMR with their customers and in interbank deals, the notice also said.
A crawling peg system is a method of exchange rate adjustments that allows a currency with a fixed exchange rate to fluctuate within a band of rates. It is a hybrid of fixed and floating exchange rate systems.
"The payment mode of the power purchase agreements (PPAs) with the IPPS is in USD. So, we have to incur a huge financial loss when the USD rate goes up", a top official of the BPDB told UNB.
As the issue is very sensitive, preferring anonymity, he said the BPDB's loss will be enormous this year as the dollar rate went up in one go by Tk 7 to Tk 117 from the Tk 110.
He said the extra burden of paying Tk 7,300 crore will complicate the situation when the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been insisting on reducing government's loss in buying electricity from the private sector.
He noted that The BPDB has to spend over Tk 12 in each unit of power generation while its average selling rate is about Tk 8.95 with incurring over Tk 3 per unit.
"The IMF has repeatedly been putting pressure on the BPDB to raise the electricity tariff to reduce the financial loss. Now, after enhancement of the USD rate, the financial loss will be tough to manage", said another official of the BPDB.
He, however, said despite the pressure from the international lending agency, the BPDB has not taken any decision to raise the tariff shortly.
"The Power Division and the BPDB have been making their own calculations about the impact of the USD rate enhancement. The final decision will come from the government if any decision is taken politically to raise the power tariff", added.
The BPDB annual report reveals that as the single buyer in the power sector, the organisation's operating expense was Tk 93,797.37 in the fiscal year 2023-24.

BPDB to bear the brunt after recent hike in US Dollar rate

The government has banned fishing in the Bay of Bengal for a total of 65 days, from tomorrow until July 23, to conserve marine fish and ensure their safe spawning.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock issued a notification on Sunday (19 May), prohibiting the fishing of any species using fishing boats in marine waters.
The notification said that during this period, monitoring at navigation entrances will be intensified, and fishing boats will be completely prohibited from operating. To prevent the transport of marine fish, seashore ice mills will operate at a limited capacity, and fishing vessels at sea will remain anchored.
The ministry has sought cooperation from law enforcement agencies to stop illegal fishing in the sea.
The ministry also sent a letter to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, requesting measures to broadcast special awareness programs on television and radio.
Under the direction of the Ministry, the Department of Fisheries has launched a control room and formed three divisional monitoring teams in the Barisal, Chattogram, and Khulna divisions.
The ministry announced that, as an emergency alternative source of income, a total of 311,062 families dependent on fishing for their livelihood will be provided with food aid. Each family will receive 86 kilograms of rice, distributed in two installments over 65 days, through the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme.

65-day marine fishing ban begins tomorrow

Special Correspondent

Tax collection will increase by 5% of the country&rsquo;s gross domestic product (GDP) if 100% e-filing is ensured, according to a study by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
&ldquo;This will increase tax collection by $5.8 billion in the first year and $7.8 billion in the fourth year, which is equivalent of Tk90,862 crore at current exchange rates,&rdquo; CPD Distinguished Fellow Professor Mustafizur Rahman said while presenting the findings at a dialogue titled "Digitalisation of the Taxation System in Bangladesh: The Next Frontier" on Sunday (19 May).
&ldquo;A dangerous co-dependency is developing due to not being able to increase domestic resource extraction,&rdquo; he added.
He also commented that as a result, the entire Annual Development Programme (ADP) has to be implemented with loans.
&ldquo;Entire revenue collection is being spent to meet the government's management and underdevelopment expenses. As a result, no revenue collection money can be spent on development,&rdquo; he added.
&ldquo;The government's 7th 5-Year Plan aimed to raise the revenue to GDP ratio to 14% by 2020, but the achievement was nowhere near it,&rdquo; Dr Mustafizur Rahman said.&nbsp;
It will not be possible to achieve a tax collection target of more than 9% of GDP in the current financial year, he added.
&ldquo;Even if 14% of the GDP can be collected as a tax, even at this time, the government will not have to borrow a penny to implement the budget,&rdquo; the economist said.
Urging to increase the capacity of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) in tax collection, and increase the use of skilled manpower and technology, he said, &ldquo;If other conditions remain unchanged, tax collection will increase to $167 billion by 2030 if 100% digital technology is used.&rdquo;
&ldquo;If the use of technology is not increased, the tax collection at that time will be a maximum of $90 billion. As such, the use of digital technology will help increase tax collection by about 86%,&rdquo; he added.
CPD Executive Director Dr Fahmida Khatun said large investments are needed to sustain the ongoing development of the country.
&ldquo;Although the demand for investment increases with economic growth, domestic resource circulation or tax collection does not increase in line with it. In the meantime, some pressure is coming from the external sector,&rdquo; she said.
&ldquo;After coming out of the list of least developed countries (LDCs), the interest rate on foreign loans will increase. Apart from that, a large amount of money is going away for repayment of existing loans and interest,&rdquo; she further said, adding there is no alternative to domestic resource extraction.
Stating the problems in tax collection are very old and have already been identified, Dr Fahmida Khatun said, &ldquo;NBR should be strengthened to modernise the tax system. The use of skilled manpower and technology should be increased.&rdquo;
"People live in fear of coming into the tax net. This fear of taxpayers should be nullified by simplifying the tax collection system,&rdquo; said Dr Fahmida Khatun.
The dialogue was organised with the support of the European Union (EU) at a hotel in the capital.
State Minister for Finance Waseqa Ayesha Khan, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications &amp; Information Technology Chairman Kazi Nabil Ahmed, National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem and CPD Distinguished Fellow Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya also spoke at the event.

100% e-filing can increase tax collection by 5% of GDP: CPD

Touseful Islam

Serenity is said to echo as the strings of a Sitar are pulled.&nbsp;
And Ustad Shujaat Husain Khan is a maestro of that soul-serenading music.
Born on 19 May 1960, into the formidable Imdadkhani gharana, Shujaat Khan is the son of the legendary Ustad Vilayat Khan, whose own mastery set an almost unassailable standard.
Yet, Shujaat Khan has not merely inherited a legacy; he has sculpted it anew.&nbsp;
His music, while deeply rooted in the classical tradition, is infused with a spontaneity and emotional depth that render it uniquely his own.&nbsp;
This blend of heritage and personal expression is the hallmark of his style, often described as "gayaki ang" - a sitar playing technique that mimics the nuances of the human voice.
His artistry is a seamless confluence of tradition and innovation, reverence and rebellion.&nbsp;
Each note coaxed from his sitar is as intricate as they are evocative - inviting listeners into a world where the boundaries of time and space dissolve.
There is a palpable sense of dialogue in his music&mdash;a conversation between the musician and the divine, the instrument and the infinite.&nbsp;
His renditions are imbued with a profound sense of bhava (emotion), capable of evoking a spectrum of feelings from the serene to the ecstatic.
The impact of Shujaat Husain Khan&rsquo;s music transcends mere auditory pleasure; it is an experience of transcendence.&nbsp;
His performances are not just concerts but spiritual journeys, each one an exploration of the soul&rsquo;s deepest yearnings and exaltations.&nbsp;
Shujaat Khan&rsquo;s collaborations with musicians across genres and cultures further underscore his versatility and openness.&nbsp;
Whether blending the classical with the contemporary or the Eastern with the Western, he approaches each collaboration with the same integrity and passion that define his solo performances.&nbsp;
These endeavours have not only broadened the horizons of his music but have also introduced the richness of Indian classical music to a global audience, fostering a deeper appreciation and understanding of its complexities and beauties.
Through his music, Shujaat Khan has created a legacy that bridges the past and the future, honouring the traditions of his forebears while simultaneously paving the way for new interpretations and expressions.
&nbsp;In a world increasingly dominated by the ephemeral and the superficial, his music offers a sanctuary of purity and depth.&nbsp;
As his sitar sings, it carries the echoes of an ancient tradition, resounding with the timeless truths of beauty, emotion, and transcendence - It is a reminder of the power of tradition to speak to contemporary sensibilities, of the timeless nature of true artistry.

Shujaat Husain Khan: A maestro of soul serenading music

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said on Sunday it is possible to address the Rohingya crisis if the involvement of India and China can be strengthened.&nbsp;
"We are maintaining communication with countries having influence on Myanmar internationally. India and China are playing key roles in this regard," said the minister, expressing hope that Myanmar will start repatriation if international pressure is maintained.
Hasan made these remarks during a discussion titled "Rohingya Crisis: The Future Way Ahead," organised to mark the 45th founding anniversary of the Overseas Correspondent Association Bangladesh at the National Press Club on Sunday (May 19).
The minister said, "We can't push the Rohingyas into a situation where junta troops are fleeing intense conflicts with rebel groups."
"The country has more than six million Rohingyas who are trying to flee to developing countries like Bangladesh. Repatriation is not the solution; guaranteeing basic rights can provide a sustainable solution," Hasan said.
He also mentioned that during a meeting with Myanmar's foreign minister in Uganda, it was observed that Myanmar is keen to take back the Rohingyas to maintain good relations with the world.
"There have always been ethnic conflicts in Myanmar, but the country should come forward with a solution instead of using the crisis as an excuse," Hasan added.
Speaking at the programme, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said, "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave shelter to the displaced Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds. The government is now making all-out efforts to send them back, but it needs time and patience to facilitate repatriation. Not every international effort will fail."

Growing involvement of India, China can address Rohingya crisis: Hasan

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday urged local businesses to make investments in the country's 100 economic zones in addition to foreign investment.
&ldquo;We are setting up 100 economic zones across the country. We are inviting investments there. But we do not want only foreign investments, but also want domestic investments &nbsp;there,&rdquo; she said.
The prime minister said this while inaugurating the weeklong 11th National SME Product Fair to showcase locally made products from small and medium enterprises at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC), jointly organised by the Industries Ministry and SME Foundation.
She said that of the total 100 economic zones the government has so far allocated lands for up to 80 economic zones.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think that from the SME Foundation or those who are entrepreneurs can avail lands in these economic zones alone or with partnership basis to set up their industries there,&rdquo; she said.
Hasina said that along with mechanisation of agriculture the government is putting emphasis on food production, agricultural products production which will contribute to the economy, and industrialisation based on that.&nbsp;
&ldquo;If there is no industrialisation no employment will be created and we won't be able to advance further. So We have to focus on industrialisation,&rdquo; she said.
She said that huge small mechanical parts will be needed for the mechanisation of the agriculture for which the government is providing various types of facilities.
She said that if proper training are provided it will be possible to produce those mechanical parts which can also be exported to many countries.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It will create market in our own country with the increase of our purchasing capacity,&rdquo; she said.
Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun presided over the programme where Senior Secretary of Industries Ministry Zakia Sultana, President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Mahbubul Alam and Chairperson of the SME Foundation Professor &nbsp;Md Masudur Rahman also spoke.
A documentary on Industries Ministry and SME Foundation was screened at the programme.
On this occasion, the prime minister handed over the crests and certificates to 7 micro, small, medium and start-up entrepreneurs who have won the National SME Entrepreneurship Award 2023.
Swapna Rani Sen expressed her feelings from among the award recipients.
The prime minister visited different stalls of the exhibition.
&nbsp;

Make investments in country's economic zones, PM Hasina asks local businesses

A Dhaka Food Court has ordered the withdrawal of all SMC Plus electrolyte drinks from the market, deeming them harmful to human health. The court also fined Tanveer Sinha, owner of ACME Agrovet and Beverages Ltd, Tk 16 lakh.
Pure Food Court Judge Alaul Akbar delivered the order on Sunday (19 May).&nbsp;
ACME Agrovet and Beverages Ltd produces SMC Plus orange and lemon-flavored electrolyte drinks.
Earlier, on 14 May, Food Inspector Qamrul Hossain of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority filed a case against the owners of five electrolyte drink companies, including SMC Plus, Active, Bruvana, Recharge, and Turbo, for selling products without acquiring approval.
Following the case, the court summoned the accused to appear.&nbsp;
Tanveer Sinha appeared in court this morning, pleaded guilty, and sought bail. The court fined Tanveer Tk 16 lakh and ordered the withdrawal of all SMC Plus electrolyte drinks from the market, confirmed Food Inspector Kamrul Hasan.

Court orders withdrawal of SMC Plus electrolyte drinks from market

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Saturday he had requested Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to reconsider the National Board of Revenue's (NBR) decision to impose a 15% VAT on metro rail services.
"Imposing a 15% VAT on metro rail services is a wrong decision. Our neighboring country has not imposed any VAT on metro rail services," Quader said at a branding seminar for Dhaka Metro Rail held at a city hotel.
Addressing the issue of rundown buses in the capital, Quader said, "This is shameful. Don't our bus owners see it?"
He said, "Dhaka's status as one of the most unliveable cities in the world is inconsistent with the country's significant progress over the past fifteen years."
Quader urged the city mayors to take immediate action to address these issues.

Quader requests PM to reconsider decision imposing 15% VAT on metro rail

Though the situation in the Kyrgyzstan capital is &ldquo;under control,&rdquo; as per the local authorities, panicked Bangladeshi students want to return home for a few weeks.
They want to attend regular classes online for the time being.
&ldquo;The situation is under control. We are trying to return to Bangladesh, but we do not have a flight schedule. All Bangladeshi students are trying to return home for the time being,&rdquo; Bangladeshi medical student Samia Kabir told UNB.
She said the university authorities told them that their classes would be conducted online.
Regarding their exams, Samia said that the university authorities will issue a notice soon.
She also said students from other countries are also leaving Kyrgyzstan.
&ldquo;Even though the situation is under control, we still don&rsquo;t feel safe here. It would be better if chartered flights can be arranged soon,&rdquo; Samia said.
Speaking on the subject, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told reporters today, &ldquo;We have conveyed our concerns to Kyrgyzstan. Our students also came under attack, but no one was severely injured.&rdquo;
The Embassy of Bangladesh in Uzbekistan, concurrently accredited to the Kyrgyz Republic, has said the situation in Kyrgyzstan is under control, as per information released by the relevant state authorities.
However, Bangladeshi students have been advised to stay indoor for the moment and get in touch with the embassy for any issue in this regard at the following 24x7 emergency number: +998930009780.
Embassy of Bangladesh in Uzbekistan is in communication with Bangladeshi students in Kyrgyzstan, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on Saturday night.
The embassy is also in touch with Kyrgyzstan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this matter.
&ldquo;Till now, we have information that Bangladeshis are unhurt,&rdquo; a Bangladeshi diplomat stationed in Uzbekistan told UNB.

Panicked Bangladeshi students want to return home following mob attack in Kyrgyzstan

The Government of Bangladesh has expressed deep concerns over the mob violence on the night of 17 May in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek.
&ldquo;We have conveyed our concerns to Kyrgyzstan. Our students also came under attack but no one was severely injured,&rdquo; Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told reporters today.
He said they are closely monitoring the situation through the Embassy in Uzbekistan, concurrently accredited to the Kyrgyz Republic.
The Embassy is in constant communication with Bangladeshi students who are currently studying in Kyrgyzstan, as well as with Kyrgyz government officials.
There are no reports of any serious injury or casualty among Bangladeshi students so far.
The Embassy has already shared an emergency contact number on its official Facebook page.
Through the Embassy in Uzbekistan, the government is coordinating with the relevant authorities of Kyrgyzstan, including the ministries of foreign affairs and internal affairs, to ensure the safety and security of Bangladeshi students.
&ldquo;We are closely and constantly monitoring the developments. We have asked our Ambassador stationed in Tashkent to visit Bishkek soon to inquire about the well-being of Bangladeshi students,&rdquo; said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.

Conveyed our concerns to Kyrgyzstan, no Bangladeshi student severely injured: Foreign minister

Three members of the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) were killed during a gunfight with the army-led joint force in Ruma upazila, Bandarban, on Sunday (May 19).
Acting on a tip-off, the joint force raided a KNF hideout in the Ranin area of the upazila that left three members of the group dead, said Bandarban&rsquo;s Additional Superintendent of Police Raihan Kazemi.
Following the gunfight, the army recovered a cache of arms, ammunition, and radio devices from the scene.
The joint force also conducted a search operation in the area, and the patrolling of security forces has been intensified, Kazemi added.
On April 2 and 3, the joint force launched combing operations in Ruma and Thanchi in Bandarban, suspecting the involvement of the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in cases of bank robbery, mosque attacks, and the looting of money and weapons.

3 KNF members killed in gunfight with army in Bandarban

At least 13 members of a family, including five children, were killed and nine injured when a mini-truck in which they were travelling skidded off the road and fell into a ravine in Pakistan&rsquo;s Punjab province on Saturday, rescue officials said.
The vehicle was coming from the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to the Khushab district of Punjab when the accident occurred, reports The Dawn.
The mini-truck, while negotiating a turn, skidded off the road and fell into a ravine at Pench Pir area of Khushab, some 250 kilometres from Lahore.
&ldquo;As many as 14 people, including five children, died on the spot. Nine injured have been shifted to a hospital where their condition is stated to be critical,&rdquo; an official said.
Rescue officials said the deceased and the injured belonged to an extended family who were coming to Khushab for labour work.
According to a couple of eyewitnesses, the driver lost control of the vehicle because of over-speeding.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed her grief over the loss of lives in the accident and directed the authorities to provide the injured with the best treatment facilities.

13 of a family killed in Pakistan road accident

A powerful armed ethnic group in Myanmar said on Sunday it had won control over a town in the western state of Rakhine after weeks of fighting, denying accusations it had targeted members of the Muslim-minority Rohingya during the offensive.
Khine Thu Kha, a spokesman for the Arakan Army (AA), said its soldiers had taken Buthidaung near Myanmar's border with Bangladesh, marking another battlefield defeat for the ruling junta that is fighting opposition groups on multiple fronts.
"We have conquered all the bases in Buthidaung and also took over the town yesterday," Khine Thu Kha told Reuters by telephone.
Some Rohingya activists accuse the AA of targeting the community during the assault on Buthidaung and surrounding areas, forcing many of them to flee for safety.
"AA troops came into downtown, forced the people to leave their homes and started torching houses," Nay San Lwin, co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition advocacy group told Reuters, based on what he said were eyewitness accounts.
"While the town was burning, I spoke with several people I have known and trusted for years. They all testified that the arson attack was done by the AA."
Reuters could not independently verify the conflicting accounts. A junta spokesman did not respond to a call seeking comment.
Rohingya have faced persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar for decades. After escaping a military-led crackdown in 2017, nearly a million of them live crammed into refugee camps in Bangladesh's border district of Cox's Bazar.
JUNTA'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE
Myanmar has been in turmoil since a 2021 military coup, which led to the rise of the resistance fighting alongside long-established ethnic minority rebel groups.
The conflict has escalated since October, when an alliance of ethnic armies including the AA launched a major offensive near the Chinese border, taking swathes of territory from the better-armed junta and presenting its biggest challenge since taking power.
The junta has lost control of around half its 5,280 military positions, including outposts, bases and headquarters, according to one estimate.
The AA's Khine Thu Kha said junta aircraft and Muslim insurgent groups aligned with the military had set fire to parts of Buthidaung, which had a population of around 55,000 people, according to the most recent government census available, from 2014.
"The burning of Buthidaung is due to the air strikes from the junta's jet fighter before our troops entered the town," he said.
Aung Kyaw Moe, a Rohingya civil society activist and a deputy minister in Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government, said Rohingya residents had been asked by the AA to leave Buthidaung but had responded that they had nowhere to go, leaving them trapped when the offensive occurred.
"Since about 10 p.m. last night up to this early morning, Buthidaung town had been burning and now only ashes remain," he told Reuters.
Rohingya residents fled to the field and there may casualties, he said.
&nbsp;

Myanmar rebel group claims control of town, denies targeting Rohingya

A British court could give a final decision on Monday on whether WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange should be extradited to the United States over the mass leak of secret US documents, the culmination of 13 years of legal battles and detentions.
Two judges at the High Court in London are set to rule on whether the court is satisfied by US assurances that Assange, 52, would not face the death penalty and could rely on the First Amendment right to free speech if he faced a US trial for spying.
Assange's legal team say he could be on a plane across the Atlantic within 24 hours of the decision, could be released from jail, or his case could yet again be bogged down in months of legal battles.
"I have the sense that anything could happen at this stage," his wife Stella said last week. "Julian could be extradited, or he could be freed."
She said her husband hoped to be in court for the crucial hearing.
WikiLeaks released hundreds of thousands of classified US military documents on Washington's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq - the largest security breaches of their kind in US military history - along with swathes of diplomatic cables.
In April 2010 it published a classified video showing a 2007 US helicopter attack that killed a dozen people in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, including two Reuters news staff.
The US authorities want to put the Australian-born Assange on trial over 18 charges, nearly all under the Espionage Act, saying his actions with WikiLeaks were reckless, damaged national security, and endangered the lives of agents.
His many global supporters call the prosecution a travesty, an assault on journalism and free speech, and revenge for causing embarrassment. Calls for the case to be dropped have ranged from human rights groups and some media bodies, to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other political leaders.
DETAINED SINCE 2010 Assange was first arrested in Britain in 2010 on a Swedish warrant over sex crime allegations that were later dropped. Since then he has been variously under house arrest, holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London for seven years, and held since 2019 in Belmarsh top security jail, latterly while he waited a ruling on his extradition.
"Every day since the seventh of December 2010 he has been in one form of detention or another," said Stella Assange, who was originally part of his legal team and married him in Belmarsh in 2022.
If the High Court rules the extradition can go ahead, Assange's legal avenues in Britain are exhausted, and his lawyers will immediately turn to the European Court of Human Rights to seek an emergency injunction blocking deportation pending a full hearing by that court into his case at a later date.
On the other hand, if the judges reject the US submissions, then he will have permission to appeal his extradition case on three grounds, and that might not be heard until next year.
It is also possible the judges could decide that Monday's hearing should consider not just whether he can appeal but also the substance of that appeal. If they find in his favour in those circumstances, he could be released.
Stella Assange said that whatever the outcome she would continue to fight for his liberty. If he is freed she plans to follow him to Australia or wherever he was safe. If he is extradited, she said all the psychiatric evidence presented at court had concluded he was at very serious risk of suicide.
"We live from day to day, from week to week, from decision to decision. This is a way that we've been living for years and years," she told Reuters.
"This is just not a way to live - it's so cruel. And I can't prepare for his extradition - how could I? But if he's extradited, then I'll do whatever I can, and our family is going to fight for him until he's free."

WikiLeaks' Julian Assange faces US extradition judgment day

A clash erupted this afternoon between battery-run rickshaw drivers and police, who were supported by local ruling party members, as the authorities attempted to clear the Mirpur-10 intersection.
The protest, which started earlier in the day, saw the drivers blocking the busy roundabout to oppose ongoing drives against their vehicles. The confrontation escalated, but by 3:00 pm, the protesters were dispersed, and vehicular movement resumed after a five-hour blockade.
A group of ruling party members arrived around 2:30 pm and requested the rickshaw drivers to vacate the area. When the drivers refused, the party members chased them with sticks. The police, who had been managing the situation for several hours, joined in and used batons to drive the protesters away.
The drivers retaliated by throwing bricks, resulting in injuries on both sides. Several vehicles were also vandalised during the clash.
As of 3:30 pm, the protesting drivers had taken positions in different lanes.
Jasim Uddin Mollah, Deputy Commissioner of Mirpur Division Police, said they had waited a long time for the protesters to leave peacefully, but when the drivers refused, they were forced to disperse them.
Witnesses reported that commuters suffered significant inconvenience as battery-run rickshaw and easy bike drivers blocked various roads in Mirpur, Dhaka, since the morning.
The drivers later gathered and blocked the Mirpur-10 intersection, leading to the day's events.

Battery-run rickshaw drivers dispersed after clash with police

Legendary English musician Sir Paul McCartney has become the UK's first billionaire musician.
McCartney and his wife Nancy Shevell have a net worth of &pound;1 billion ($1.27 billion), reports ABC News.
It is estimated &pound;50 million of the couple&rsquo;s wealth is due to Shevell, daughter of the late US trucking tycoon Mike Shevell.
According to The Sunday Times, Sir McCartney's 2023 Got Back tour and Beyonc&eacute;'s cover of The Beatles' "Blackbird" on her "Cowboy Carter" album contributed to the increase in his wealth.
A &ldquo;final&rdquo; Beatles song, &ldquo;Now and Then,&rdquo; was also released in November and topped music charts in the US, the UK and other countries as the two last surviving members of the famous band McCartney and Ringo Starr completed a demo track recorded in 1977 by the late John Lennon, adding in guitar by George Harrison, who died in 2001.
McCartney ranked 165th overall on the list of the UK's 350 richest people. The top spot went to Gopi Hinduja and his family, who own the banking, media and entertainment conglomerate Hinduja Group and are worth an estimated &pound;37 billion.
Other entertainment figures on the list include &ldquo;Harry Potter&rdquo; author JK Rowling, whose fortune is estimated at &pound;945 million, and singer Elton John, estimated to be worth &pound;470 million.
King Charles III ranked 258th with an estimated wealth of &pound;610 million. The king&rsquo;s fortune includes the large inherited private estates of Sandringham in England and Balmoral in Scotland. The total does not include items that are held in trust by the monarch for the nation, such as the Crown Jewels. &nbsp;

Paul McCartney becomes UK's first billionaire musician

Tycoon Elon Musk arrived on the Indonesian island of Bali on Sunday ahead of the planned launch of SpaceX's Starlink internet service, which the Indonesian government hopes will boost internet penetration and health services in remote parts of the sprawling archipelago.
Chief investment minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan greeted Musk's arrival by private jet at Bali's airport on Sunday morning, saying the two would discuss several important collaborations, including the inauguration of Starlink, according to a post on his Instagram page.
Equal internet access across Southeast Asia's largest economy, home to more than 270 million people living in three time zones, would enable people in remote areas to enjoy the same fast internet as those in urban areas, he said.
Musk, the billionaire head of SpaceX and Tesla (TSLA.O), will launch Starlink with Indonesian President Joko Widodo at a community health centre in Denpasar, the capital of Bali, on Sunday afternoon, he said.
The satellite unit of Musk's SpaceX has already secured a permit to operate in Southeast Asia's largest economy, Communications Minister Budi Arie Setiadi told Reuters last week.
Starlink obtained a permit to operate as an internet service provider for retail consumers and had been given the go-ahead to provide networks, having received a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) permit, the minister said in an interview.
Indonesia is the third country in Southeast Asia where Starlink will operate. Malaysia issued the firm a license to provide internet services last year and a Philippine-based firm signed a deal with SpaceX in 2022.
Starlink is also used extensively in Ukraine, where it is employed by the military, hospitals, businesses and aid organisations.
This February, the country also urged SpaceX to act to prevent Russia from using its Starlink terminals for communications in areas occupied by Moscow's troops.

Musk arrives in Indonesia's Bali for planned Starlink launch

Several top White House aides say they are confident protests across US college campuses against Israel's offensive in Gaza will not translate into significantly fewer votes for Joe Biden in November's election, despite polls showing many Democrats are deeply unhappy about the US president's policy on the war.
The White House optimism on the issue, which is shared by many in the Biden campaign, runs contrary to dire warnings from some Democratic strategists and youth organizers who warn misjudging the situation could cost Biden dearly in a tight race with Republican rival Donald Trump.
Several aides told Reuters they are advising Biden to remain above the fray, rather than directly engage with the relatively small groups of protesters on college campuses, arguing their numbers are too insignificant to harm the president's reelection campaign.
Faced with a choice between Biden and Trump in November, many officials remain confident even Democrats who oppose US policy will choose Biden. Reuters interviewed nearly a dozen top White House officials in recent days, but only two expressed concern about the impact of the protests and Biden's handling of the issue.
The issue returns to the spotlight Sunday, when Biden makes the commencement address at Morehouse College, over some objections by students and faculty, and a warning from the college's president that the ceremony will stop if there are protests.
Most officials Reuters spoke to said they believe housing costs and inflation were the issues top of mind for young voters, not the war in Gaza, pointing to a recent Harvard poll that ranks Israel/Palestine 15th on a list of issues, after taxes, gun violence and jobs. Several aides refer to the protesters as "activists" rather than students.
Asked for comment on the issue, White House senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said Biden understands this is a painful moment for many communities and is listening. He has said too many civilians have died in the "heartbreaking" conflict and that more must be done to prevent the loss of innocent lives, Bates added.
Biden and Trump are nearly tied in national polls, and Trump has the edge in the battleground states that will decide the election, multiple recent polls show. On economic issues like inflation, Trump scores higher with voters overall than Biden.
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found Democrats deeply divided over Biden's handling of both the war in Gaza and the US campus protests against it, with 44% of registered Democrats disapproving of Biden's handling of the crisis, and 51% of his handling of the protests.
Young voters still favor Biden, but support has dropped significantly since 2020, polls show. A Reuters/Ipsos poll in March showed Americans aged 18-29 favored Biden over Trump by just 3 percentage points - 29% to 26% - with the rest favoring another candidate or unsure if anyone would get their vote.
Two White House officials Reuters spoke to emphasized Biden's support among young voters is not where it was in 2020 and said they worry the administration is not taking the drop seriously enough.
With over 35,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza since war began in October, US support for Israel's government could weigh heavily on the presidential election in November, they said.
"There is almost a level of defiance when it comes to some of the president's closest advisers on this issue," said a senior White House official with direct knowledge of the matter, who did not wish to be named. "They think the best approach is to simply steer clear and let it pass."
BIDEN SPEAKS CAUTIOUSLY Protests over Israel's war in Gaza have broken out at more than 60 colleges and universities this year, disrupted Biden's events around the country, pushed Democrats in key battleground states to vote "uncommitted" and divided the Democratic party.
Biden, who is known for saying what he thinks, even when it's not politically beneficial, has been cautious on the issue of protests over Gaza. He spoke in early May on the importance of following the law, while defending free speech and later on addressed the threat of antisemitism on college campuses.
Both times, he mostly avoided the issue that has sparked the protests - how young Americans feel about his support for Israel. But he also said bluntly that protests will not change his Middle East policy.
Groups organizing the protests say that a recent halt to some weapons to Israel was too little too late, and are planning fresh demonstrations, though the summer break may quieten action on campuses.
Michele Weindling, political director of the climate-focused youth group the Sunrise Movement, said "young people are incredibly disillusioned, they are angry at the way the president has treated this conflict."
"A huge risk right now is that young voters will completely stay out of the electoral system this November, or deliberately vote against Biden out of anger," Weindling said.
That has the potential to cost Biden dearly, given 61% of the more than half of Americans aged 18 to 29 that voted in the 2020 general election voted Democratic, a Tufts University research group found. The youth turnout was up 11 points from 2016.
GAZA NOT A TOP ISSUE Republicans both overwhelmingly disapprove of the protests and Biden's handling of the war, a Reuters/Ipsos poll published this week shows. Some Republicans have called for him to send National Guard troops on to campuses.
But until a day before Biden delivered his first speech on the protests on May 2, he remained unsure he needed to address the issue, two officials said. Biden asked his team to put together "something rudimentary," so he could edit and change it, which he did that evening, one of the officials said.
He did not make the final decision to speak until the morning, after violence broke out on the UCLA campus, the official added.
The Harvard youth poll showing Israel/Gaza is low on youth concerns is being circulated at internal meetings at the campaign and the White House and is in line with private data the White House has seen, the first official said.
The president doesn't speak about every issue in the news, on purpose, another White House official said. It "doesn't always happen, no matter what kind of news it is, whether it's the news of the day or the week or the month," he said.

Despite polls, Biden aides insist Gaza campus protests will not hurt reelection bid

The number of candidates with assets worth over Tk1 crore has tripled to 116 in the second phase of the sixth upazila parishad elections, according to the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).&nbsp;
"Chairman candidates seeking re-election have seen an asset increase of 11,000% over the last five years, with movable assets rising by 11,500% and dependents' assets, including those of wives and others, climbing by 12,400%," stated the anti-graft ogranisation, reviewing the affidavits submitted by candidates for the elections scheduled on May 23.
TIB shared these findings during a press conference at the Midas Convention Centre in Dhaka on Sunday.
It also revealed that 13.13% of the candidates are accused in various cases.
TIB says 1811 candidates are contesting in 157 upazilas across the country in the second phase. Among them, 599 candidates for the chairman position, 689 for vice-chairman, and 533 for women vice-chairman positions.
Notably, Asaduzzman, a chairman candidate from Purbadhala in Netrokona, has the highest amount of loan of Tk310.98 crore, followed by Mohammad Akturazzaman, a chairman candidate from Cumilla Sadar South, with a loan of Tk99.15 crore, and Sohag Miah, a vice-chairman candidate from Necharabad, Pirojpur, with a loan of Tk35.87 crore.

Number of candidates with assets over Tk1cr triples in 2nd-phase upazila polls: TIB

The 7.5km long metro rail route from Uttara North to Tongi Railway Station will have a total of 5 stations along the way, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Managing Director MAN Siddique said.
"Once the work on this route from Uttara North to Tongi railway station is completed, the metro rail will be able to carry an additional 5 lakh passengers. There will be 5 new stations on this route," he said while speaking at a branding seminar for the Dhaka metro rail on Sunday (19 May).
"MRT Line-6 of Metrorail has gained popularity as the capital's fastest public transport. At present, passengers are travelling on this route from Uttara to Motijheel for work," he added.
The route is currently being extended from Motijheel to Kamalapur railway station.
DMTCL has started the process of extending the project from Uttara Uttara Station to Tongi Railway Station.

Uttara-Tongi route will have 5 metro rail stations: DMTCL MD

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government is working to try to tame the persistent inflation in the country.
"The instability in the world has affected the economy of Bangladesh. We have to face the challenges arising from these situations. The government is trying to keep inflation under control," she said at the opening ceremony of the National SME Product Fair-2024 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on Sunday (19 May).
"Importance should be given to increasing domestic production to tackle the effects of the global economic crisis on Bangladesh," she added.
The premier said the Awami League government started working to develop the youth of the country as entrepreneurs after coming to power.
"Along with production, market creation of the products is also important," she said.
The fair will continue till 25 May under the aegis of the SME Foundation as it will be open for visitors from 10am to 9pm daily.
More than 300 entrepreneurs are taking part in the fair as almost 60% of participants are women entrepreneurs.
After the inauguration, PM Hasina handed over the National SME Award-2023 to seven small, medium and start-up entrepreneurs including crest and accreditation certificates.
Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, Senior Secretary Zakia Sultana, FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam and SME Foundation Chairman Dr Md Masudur Rahman spoke at the function.

Govt trying to control inflation: PM Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today opened the seven-day 11th National Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Fair in the city.
She inaugurated the fair at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) at Agargaon this morning.
The fair will continue till 25 May under the aegis of the SME Foundation as it will be open for visitors from 10am to 9pm daily.
More than 300 entrepreneurs are taking part in the fair as almost 60% of participants are women entrepreneurs.
The SME fair will showcase 100% local products. More than three hundred and fifty companies will participate in this year's fair.
At the same function, the prime minister handed over the National SME Award-2023 to seven small, medium and start-up entrepreneurs including crest and accreditation certificates.
Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, its Senior Secretary Zakia Sultana, President of FBCCI Mahbubul Alam and SME Foundation Chairman Dr Md Masudur Rahman spoke at the function.
Of the award recipients, Swapna Rani Sen expressed her feelings on winning the National SME Award -2023.
This year's fair will see the largest number of 75 participants from the garment sector. Besides, 42 participants will showcase jute products, 38 to present handicrafts, 32 to display leather products and 27 to showcase processed agricultural products.
Moreover, 23 will display light engineering products, 14 to present food products, 13 to display IT-based services as 12 SME cluster entrepreneurs will take part in the fair from different parts of the country, 5 participants will showcase herbal industry products and 5 more will display jewellery products.
Four stalls will display plastic products, 3 to showcase electrical and electronics items, 3 to present furniture items and 19 others will display various government organisations products.
Besides, 30 banks, 15 public-private organisations, business clubs of 5 universities and about 50 other organisations will provide services to participants in the fair.
SME Business Incubation Centers in Dhaka and Chattogram under the supervision of SME Foundation will display their activities.

PM Hasina opens SME Fair

A tourist couple was injured in India's Kashmir after militants fired on them late on Saturday night, police said, ahead of voting scheduled in the volatile region for India's ongoing election.
The couple from the Indian city of Jaipur was evacuated to the hospital and the area where the attack took place was cordoned off, Kashmir police said on social media. The condition of the injured tourists is said to be stable, they said.
India is in the middle of a marathon election with the remaining two seats in Kashmir going to polls on May 20 and May 25.
Voters turned out in large numbers for polling in the first seat in Srinagar on May 13, reversing the trend of low vote counts in the first polls since Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed the region's semi-autonomy in 2019.
Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is skipping elections in Kashmir for the first time since 1996 saying it will support regional parties instead.
Major parties in Kashmir, the National Conference and People's Democratic Party (PDP), have focused on restoration of semi-autonomy in their campaigns.
Analysts and opposition parties say the BJP is not contesting elections in Kashmir because it fears the outcome will contradict its narrative of a more peaceful and integrated region since 2019.
In a separate incident, unknown militants shot dead former village headman and BJP party member Ajiaz Ahmad Sheikh in Shopian district on Saturday.
The last major attack on tourists in Kashmir had happened in 2017 when a Hindu pilgrimage bus was targeted, killing eight people.

Tourist couple injured in militant shooting in India's Kashmir amid elections

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met to discuss a broad bilateral agreement and Israel's war in Gaza, the Saudi state news agency reported on Sunday.
The meeting in the Saudi city of Dhahran reviewed "the semi-final version of the draft strategic agreements between the two countries, which are almost being finalised," a statement read.
Washington and Riyadh have been discussing US security guarantees and civilian nuclear assistance as part of a broader deal that the U.S. hopes would lead to normalising Saudi-Israeli relations.
The de facto Saudi leader and President Joe Biden's top security aide also discussed the need to find a "credible track for bringing about the two-state solution" for Israel and the Palestinians, stop the war against Hamas militants in Gaza and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid, the statement said.
The Biden administration and Saudi Arabia have been seeking to finalise the nuclear agreement, Reuters reported early this month, even as Israel-Saudi normalisation, part of a Middle East &ldquo;grand bargain&rdquo;, remains elusive.
The White House said on Friday that Sullivan would visit Saudi Arabia and Israel to discuss bilateral and regional matters, including Gaza and efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region.
Saudi Arabia, as the world's largest oil exporter, is not an obvious candidate for a nuclear pact typically aimed at building power plants.
But the kingdom is seeking to generate substantial renewable energy and reduce emissions under an ambitious long-term plan, while critics say Riyadh might want nuclear expertise in case it someday wished to acquire nuclear weapons, despite safeguards enshrined in any deal with Washington to prevent this.

Saudi crown prince, US national security adviser meet on Gaza, bilateral deal

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department forecasts rain across the country until Tuesday. 
Thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty winds are expected today in many areas, including the Rangpur, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, and Sylhet divisions, and in a few places over the Rajshahi and Chattogram divisions.
Meanwhile, a mild heat wave is sweeping over the districts of Gopalganj, Rajshahi, Noakhali, Cox&rsquo;s Bazar, Khulna, Bagerhat, Jashore, Satkhira, Patuakhali, and Bhola.
However, temperatures are likely to drop in the next two days, coinciding with the expected rainfall on Monday and Tuesday.
Looking ahead, the meteorological office has indicated the potential formation of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal from Wednesday, which could influence weather patterns in the subsequent days.

Rain likely until Tuesday: Met office

Pakistan asked its nationals in Kyrgyzstan to stay indoors after mobs attacked foreigners in the capital Friday night over some unknown dispute with migrants, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday. It also repatriated 140 Pakistani students from Bishkek after the violence.
A special flight bringing the Pakistani students home from Kyrgyzstan landed at an airport on Saturday in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore, the Interior Ministry said.
Pakistan plans to use more such flights to bring back all those who want to leave Bishkek following the violence in the central Asian country, the ministry added.
According to local media, the violence began last week following a clash between Kyrgyz people and foreigners in the city.
Earlier, Pakistan said its embassy in Bishkek was in contact with the Kyrgyz government to ensure the safety and security of its nationals. Some of the injured Pakistani students were treated at a local hospital in Bishkek, it said.
On Saturday, Pakistan summoned a Kyrgyz diplomat to lodge a protest over the alleged attacks on its nationals.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed his concern over the violence and said he was immediately sending a senior Cabinet minister to Bishkek to supervise efforts to ensure the wellbeing of Pakistan students.
Pakistani authorities say they are unable to confirm if any of their nationals died in the attacks.
Thousands of Pakistanis are studying or working in Kyrgyzstan.

Mob attack in Kyrgyzstan: Pakistan repatriates 140 students from Bishkek

Dhaka has ranked second on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 183 at 9am this morning (19 May).
Dhaka&rsquo;s air this morning was classified as 'unhealthy', though yesterday&lsquo;s air quality was &lsquo;moderate&rsquo; with an AQI score of 99, according to the air quality index.
When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered &lsquo;moderate&rsquo;, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered &lsquo;unhealthy for sensitive groups&rsquo;, between 150 and 200 is &lsquo;unhealthy&rsquo;, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
India&rsquo;s Delhi, Pakistan&rsquo;s Lahore and China&rsquo;s Wuhan occupied the first, third and fourth spots on the list, with AQI scores of 370, 177 and 167, respectively.
The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.
The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka’s air quality 2nd worst in the world this morning

Bangladeshi Mountaineer Babar Ali has become the fifth person in the country to conquer the world's tallest peak, Mount Everest.&nbsp;
He reached the summit around 8:45am on Sunday (19 May), said the&nbsp;chief coordinator of the expedition, Farhan Zaman.
"Expedition to Mount Everest is undoubtedly a difficult task. After completing it today, Babar will embark on a journey to climb the 27,940-foot Mount Lhotse. Although Everest has been conquered before by Bangladeshis, no attempt has been made to climb Everest and Lhotse in the same expedition before. That is the challenge taken by Babar, who has prepared himself for expeditions to various peaks of the Himalayas for the past several years," he added.
<img src="https://images.bangladeshfirst.com/resize?width=1600&amp;height=900&amp;format=webp&amp;quality=85&amp;path=mediaImages/2024-May-19_664985a5169e5_1716094373.jpg" alt="" width="1156" height="867">
"The total cost of this campaign is Tk45 lakhs. In which Visual Knitwear Limited is the main sponsor. Besides, co-sponsors were Everest Pharmaceuticals Limited, Dhaka Divers Club, Beacon Pharmaceuticals Limited, Blue J, Chandrabindu Prakashani, Giri, and Vertical Dreamers," Farhan Zaman said.
Also, various social and sports organisations from the country and abroad and countless well-wishers have participated in mass fund collection for the campaign.
Babar's Everest adventure began on 1 April, he reached Everest base camp 10 days later, said a press release issued by his organisation, Vertical Dreamers.
On 26 April, he started from the base camp and went up to Everest Camp-II and returned in order to acclimatise to the conditions.
After that, it had been a long wait for the right weather to summit.&nbsp;The journey to the final goal began on 14 May.
Babar Ali reached Camp-II on 14 May, Camp -II on 18 May, and Camp-IV early on 19 May.
Born in Budishwachar of Hathazari Upazila of Chrattogram, Babar Ali is a doctor by profession.
He started his medical career after passing MBBS from Chattogram Medical College and Hospital.
<img src="https://images.bangladeshfirst.com/resize?width=1600&amp;height=900&amp;format=webp&amp;quality=85&amp;path=mediaImages/2024-May-19_664985b2155e0_1716094386.jpg" alt="" width="1156" height="867">
Babar eventually quit medical practice to pursue his passion.
Previously four Bangladeshis -&nbsp;Musa Ibrahim in 2010, MA Muhit in 2011, Nishat Majumdar in 2012, and Wasfia Nazreen in 2012 successfully summited Mount Everest.
Mohammed Khaled Hossain summited Mount Everest in 2013 but died on his way down.

Babar Ali becomes 5th Bangladeshi to conquer Mount Everest

UNB/AKM Moinuddin

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong is scheduled to pay an official visit to Bangladesh on May 21-22 to strengthen their bilateral relationship with Bangladesh and find ways to boost cooperation for regional peace, prosperity and security.
Issues related to the promotion of trade and investment, sustainable and renewable energy production, Rohingya crisis, maritime security, technology transfer and free and open Indo-Pacific region are likely to be discussed during her visit, officials said here on Sunday.
Penny Wong is likely to have a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina apart from holding a bilateral meeting with her Bangladesh counterpart Hasan Mahmud, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told UNB.
A small delegation including Deputy Secretary, South and Southeast Asia Group and Head of the Office of Southeast Asia, in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Michelle Chan will accompany the Australian foreign minister, he said.
The Australian minister is likely to visit the Rohingya camp during her visit to see the situation there.
Bangladesh seeks Australia&rsquo;s support in keeping the Rohingya issue alive globally with a view to the ultimate repatriation of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals sheltered in Bangladesh.
Australia has a commitment to continue the humanitarian assistance for the Rohingyas and support Bangladesh in their repatriation effort.
Wong was born in the Malaysian state of Sabah. Her family moved to Australia in 1976, when she was eight years old, and settled in Adelaide.
The forthcoming visit by the Australian foreign minister demonstrates the country's growing interest in Bangladesh, an Australian diplomat told UNB.
Earlier this month, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he looks forward to working with PM Hasina to strengthen the bilateral relationship and together contribute to regional peace, prosperity and security.
&ldquo;As Indian Ocean nations, we share an interest in a region that is grounded in sovereignty, promotes the prosperity and security of our citizens, and addresses the threat of climate change," he said in a letter written to PM Hasina congratulating on her reelection in January.
The Australian PM highlighted the importance of their partnership in promoting "peace, prosperity and security" in the Indian Ocean.
He affirmed his support for growing bilateral and regional cooperation between Australia and Bangladesh.
&ldquo;We have many common interests in increasing our trade and investment, promoting human rights, cooperating on people smuggling and addressing the Rohingya issue,&rdquo; Albanese wrote.
Bangladesh and Australia have already signed a framework agreement to open newer trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.
The Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA), the first of this kind between Australia and Bangladesh in the last five decades, is expected to provide a platform for institutionalised economic interactions and open newer opportunities for trade and investment.
In May last year, Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts visited Bangladesh.
During the visit he said Bangladesh and Australia work closely together to promote their shared interests in regional peace and security, and have a growing trade and investment relationship.
Welcoming Bangladesh&rsquo;s Indo-Pacific Outlook, he said Australia seeks a region where &ldquo;no country dominates, and no countries are dominated,&rdquo; and the country thinks building a region like that requires efforts by all countries in the region.
&ldquo;We welcome the Bangladesh government&rsquo;s Indo-Pacific Outlook in that context. I particularly welcome the point in the Indo-Pacific Outlook that argues for an inclusive region,&rdquo; Watts said while responding to a question from UNB in a group session at that time.
Australia recently sent a defence advisor to its High Commission in Dhaka, and, reciprocally, they welcomed a defence advisor from Bangladesh in Australia.
From Australia's perspective, the defence adviser is a symbol of their "intention and willingness" to cooperate on defence matters.
The two countries are scheduled to hold the 5th Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) in Australia next month, said an official.
The 4th FOC was held in Dhaka in March last year.
The two-way trade now stands at around $4 billion, reflecting Bangladesh&rsquo;s significant economic growth and its highly complementary commercial strengths. &nbsp;

Business, Rohingya issue and regional security likely to get priority during Australian foreign minister's Dhaka visit

Israeli troops and tanks pushed on Saturday into parts of a congested northern Gaza Strip district that they had previously skirted in the more than seven-month-old war, killing and wounding dozens of Palestinians, medics and residents said.
Israel's forces also took over some ground in Rafah, a southern city by the Egyptian border that is packed with displaced people and where the launch this month of a long-threatened incursion to crush hold-outs of Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas has alarmed Cairo and Washington.
Exposing further cracks in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, Benny Gantz, a centrist member of the war cabinet, threatened to resign if the right-wing leader does not agree by 8 June to a day-after plan that would include how Gaza might be ruled after the war with Hamas.
In what Israeli media said was the result of intelligence gleaned during the latest incursions, the military announced the recovery of the body of a man who was among more than 250 hostages seized by Hamas in a cross-border rampage on 7 October that triggered the war.
Ron Binyamin's remains were located along with those of three other slain hostages whose repatriation was announced on Friday, the military said without providing further details.
There was no immediate comment from Hamas.
Israel has conducted renewed military sweeps this month of parts of northern Gaza where it had declared the end of major operations in January. At the time, it also predicted its forces would return to prevent a regrouping by the Palestinian Islamist group that rules Gaza.&nbsp;
One site has been Jabalia, the largest of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps. On Saturday, troops and tanks edged into streets so far spared the ground offensive, residents said. In one strike, medics said 15 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded.
The Gaza Health Ministry and the Civil Emergency Service said teams received dozens of calls about possible casualties but were unable to carry out any searches because of the ongoing ground offensive and aerial bombardment.
"Today is the most difficult in terms of the occupation bombardment, air strikes and tank shelling have been going on almost non-stop," said one resident in Jabalia, Ibrahim Khaled, via a chat app.
"We know of dozens of people, martyrs (killed) and wounded, but no ambulance vehicle can get into the area," he told Reuters.
The Israeli military said its forces have continued to operate in areas across Gaza including Jabalia and Rafah, carrying out what it called "precise operations against terrorists and infrastructure".
"The IAF (air force) continues to operate in the Gaza Strip, and struck over 70 terror targets during the past day, including weapons storage facilities, military infrastructure sites, terrorists who posed a threat to IDF troops, and military compounds," the military said in a statement.
STRAINS IN ISRAELI COALITION
Netanyahu has faced criticism at home and abroad for failing to articulate an endgame more than seven months into the war.
In a news conference, Gantz said he wanted the war cabinet to form a six-point plan in the next three weeks and that if his expectations are not met he would withdraw his centrist party from Netanyahu's emergency coalition.
Gantz said his proposal would include creating a temporary US-European-Arab-Palestinian system of civil administration for Gaza while Israel retains security control.
Though Gantz is Netanyahu's most formidable rival in opinion polls, were he to leave the government that would not be enough to bring about its collapse, as remaining parties would still give the premier a comfortable parliamentary majority.
Yet Gantz's challenge shows increased strain on Israel's coalition, which is dominated by far-right parties. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday demanded clarity on post-war plans and for Netanyahu to forswear any military reoccupation of Gaza.
Armed wings of Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, and Fatah said fighters attacked Israeli forces in Jabalia and Rafah with anti-tank rockets, mortar bombs, and explosive devices already planted in some of the roads, killing and wounding many soldiers.
Israel's military said 281 soldiers have been killed in fighting since the first ground incursions in Gaza on 20 October.
At least 35,386 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since 7 October according to the enclave's health ministry, while aid agencies have warned repeatedly of widespread hunger and dire shortages of fuel and medical supplies.
In the Hamas cross-border attack on 7 October, 1,200 people were killed, according to Israeli tallies. About 125 people are believed to remain in captivity in Gaza.
In Rafah, where Israeli tanks thrust into some of the eastern suburbs and clashed with Palestinian fighters, residents said Israeli bombing from the air and ground persisted through the night into Saturday morning.
Rafah had been sheltering more than one million displaced Gazans. UNRWA, the main UN aid agency for Palestinians, said on Saturday that nearly 800,000 Palestinians have fled the city since Israel launched its ground operation there on 6 May.
Israel says it must capture Rafah to destroy Hamas and ensure the country's security.x

Israel pushes further into parts of north Gaza; new cracks in Netanyahu coalition

&nbsp;Narges Mohammadi, jailed Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner,&nbsp; says she is facing a new trial after she accused the security forces of sexually assaulting women.
In a message from Evin prison where she is being held, Mohammadi said the trial relates to an audio post, in which she condemned a "full-scale war against women" by the Iranian regime, reports BBC.
Mohammadi has already served over 12 years in prison due to multiple convictions.
Her lawyer, Mostafa Nili, said the court would convene on Sunday to address the new charges of "spreading propaganda against the Islamic Republic".
There has been no comment on the case from Iranian officials.
In her message, posted on the Narges Foundation website, Ms Mohammadi said it was the fourth time in as many years she had been "dragged to the unjust and farcical courts&rsquo; table" due to her "protest and disclosure of the religious regime&rsquo;s men&rsquo;s sexual assault against women".
The 52-year old Nobel laureate continued that this time she was being tried for speaking against "the bruising of the body and narrating the assault on [journalist and student] Dina Ghalaibaf", in an audio message.
Ghalibaf was reportedly detained after she accused the security forces of handcuffing and sexually assaulting her during a previous arrest at a metro station.
She was later released.
Mohammadi is calling for a public trial with the presence of independent journalists, human rights activists, women&rsquo;s rights activists, and her lawyers.
She continued: "Witnesses, along with their lawyers, should be able to attend with guarantees of physical, mental, and legal security, and openly recount their assaults.&rdquo;
Mohammadi has tirelessly campaigned for women's rights in Iran. She has been in and out of jail for two decades because of her activism.
Her family has said that, as well as 12 years and three months of imprisonment, her sentences also include 154 lashes, two years of exile and various social and political restrictions.
She has not seen her Paris-based husband and children for several years.
Despite the numerous threats and arrests she has kept up her work to campaign against the mandatory headscarf.
She won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her work fighting against the oppression of women in Iran.
Her teenage children accepted the prize, at Oslo's city hall in December, and read her speech which had been smuggled out of prison.
"I write this message from behind the high, cold walls of a prison. The Iranian people, with perseverance, will overcome repression and authoritarianism," Ms Mohammadi said.
She added that young Iranians had "transformed the streets and public spaces into a place of widespread civil resistance", alluding to the protests that began in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody for allegedly wearing her hijab "improperly".
The authorities in the Islamic Republic in recent weeks intensified a crackdown to enforce a strict Islamic dress code on women and arrest those who disobeyed, making use of video surveillance.

Iran Nobel laureate says she faces new trial

Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani students have reportedly come under attack by violent mobs in Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek.
Pakistan's mission in Bishkek said a few hostels of medical universities in Bishkek, where students from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan reside, have been attacked amid the violence, which broke out on Friday night.
The Kyrgyz government said four foreign citizens have been arrested following mob violence in Bishkek on the night of May 17-18 that injured at least 28 people, including several foreigners, and appeared to be directed against foreign students and migrants.
The violence prompted diplomatic reactions from Pakistan and India, who have warned their students in Bishkek to remain indoors.
The violence broke out after a video purportedly showing Kyrgyz students fighting medical students from Egypt on May 13 was widely shared online, according to Radio Free Europe.
Mobs gathered in several spots in Bishkek on Friday night after users on social media claimed those who were beaten were Kyrgyz youths.
On Saturday, a number of Bangladeshi students reached out to UNB seeking help for their safety.
&ldquo;We are here, five Bangladeshi girls. We are inside our apartment right now. Some people are gathering in front of our apartment. Please help us," Samia Kabir, one of the Bangladeshi students at International School of Medicine, Kyrgyzstan, told UNB on Saturday evening.
"We have been asked by the authorities to stay inside. We hear some noises from other apartments nearby&hellip;some Pakistanis are likely to be there," Samia added.
"Our mission in Uzbekistan is looking into the matter. So far, we have not received any reports of injuries of any Bangladeshis. We are in touch with our Mission. We will share a complete report soon," a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka told UNB.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic in a statement said that at present the situation in Bishkek is "absolutely calm and fully under control".
"All necessary measures have been taken to ensure security and maintain peace and stability," it said.
It also asked representatives of the media, the blogging community and foreign colleagues to be guided only by official and verified information from the competent authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic.
One of the students, named Mustafa, who is living a bit far from the main city, told UNB that the number of Bangladeshi students is now over 1000 in Kyrgyzstan. &nbsp; He said they are relatively safer where he is than those who are living in Bishkek.
In some cases, students from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan live in the same hostels, putting them at risk together.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the situation was "calm" in Bishkek and advised students to stay in regular touch with the Indian Embassy.
"The situation is presently calm, but students are advised to stay indoors for the moment," the Indian Consulate tweeted.
Videos of the clashes have flooded social media since Friday night.
Kyrgyzstan has long been a favoured destination for students from South Asian nations for top-notch medical training. As per the Migration Data Portal, Kyrgyzstan hosted the highest number of international students (61,418) in 2021 among the five Central Asian countries.
There are multiple reasons why students flock to Kyrgyzstan, which has the best healthcare, education, and transportation facilities among Central Asian nations.
Cheap cost of living, wide availability of Subcontinental cuisine, a good student-teacher ratio, and no entrance fees are some of the facilities that attract MBBS students.

South Asian students, including Bangladeshis, endure night of horrors in Kyrgyz capital

There is no restriction on journalists entering Bangladesh Bank to get information, its Deputy Government Khurshid Alam said on Saturday.
"If you need information, you can go to the bank a hundred times," he said.
He came up with the remarks on the occasion of "Customer Awareness Week-2024" in Rangpur, held at the conference room of Panchagarh Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday afternoon.
"Each institution has a spokesperson. We have three. Go and talk to them for any kind of information."
"If you're not satisfied with the information, you can talk to the four deputy governors. We will give you the answer," he added.
Regarding free access, Khurshid Alam posed a question: "What is free access?"
Would any private company give anything freely to another company? &nbsp;There is no country in the world that allows so much access to legally recalled products.
"If you want to go alone, you can and the assigned officials will provide you with information, which is allowed under The Secrecy Act. However, it is not permitted if you want to get information about the secrecy of the state."
He urged journalists not to be misguided with any kind of propaganda.
Acknowledging the challenges of the emerging economy, he said we are moving forward with long strides.
Addressing the bankers, the deputy governor said that we have to advance the country with the economy. The finance sector is the lifeblood of the economy. You have to collect taxes from the customers, and at the same time, you have to keep an eye on them so that they are not harassed or dissatisfied.
"Bangladesh has now become a role model for many countries. The country is moving forward. There is no time to look back," he added.
Bangladesh Bank Executive Directors Nurul Amin and Ruhul Amin, Bangladesh Bank Financial Integrity and Customer Services Department Directors Liza Fahmida and Shayema Islam, Bank Asia Managing Director Shafiuzzaman also spoke on the occasion.

Journalists can frequent central bank for info, says deputy governor

Heavy clashes and&nbsp;bombardment rocked Rafah on Saturday, as Israel pressed an assault against&nbsp;Hamas militants that has led hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee the southern Gaza city.
The Israeli military said its air forces hit more than 70 targets across&nbsp;the Gaza Strip while ground troops conducted "targeted raids" in eastern Rafah,&nbsp;killing 50 militants and locating dozens of tunnel shafts.
Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, said it fired a&nbsp;barrage of rockets towards the Israeli city of Ashkelon and targeted an Israeli&nbsp;command centre at the Jabalia refugee camp in the north of the Gaza Strip.
An AFP reporter said air strikes and artillery shells pounded eastern Rafah&nbsp;as warplanes criss-crossed over the city on Gaza's border with Egypt.
More than 10 days into what the army called a "limited" operation in Rafah&nbsp;that sparked an exodus of Palestinians, fighting between Israeli forces and&nbsp;Palestinian militants has also flared again in northern Gaza.
Israel said in early January it had dismantled Hamas's command structure in&nbsp;the north, but the army said Hamas -- whose October 7 attack sparked the war --&nbsp;had been "in complete control here in Jabalia until we arrived a few days ago".
&nbsp;

Fierce fighting on streets of Gaza's Rafah

Twenty-three people trying to cross the&nbsp;Mediterranean to Europe from Tunisia have been missing for the past two weeks,&nbsp;the country's National Guard said in a statement on Saturday.
The National Guard, which oversees the North African country's coastguard,&nbsp;said searches were still under way after the group departed in early May.
"They set sail overnight between May 3 and 4" from the city of Nabeul, the&nbsp;statement said, adding that relatives of the missing only contacted the authorities 10 days later.
Acting on orders from prosecutors in Nabeul, the National Guard said it had&nbsp;arrested five people allegedly involved in organising the crossing.
It said two of the missing were related to some of the organisers.
Tunisia is a key departure point for irregular migrants who risk perilous&nbsp;sea journeys hoping to reach Europe.
More than 1,300 died or disappeared last year in shipwrecks, according to&nbsp;the Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights (FTDES) non-governmental&nbsp;organisation.
Last week, authorities reported a 22.5 percent increase in the number of&nbsp;migrant interceptions, with more than 21,000 people prevented from leaving&nbsp;Tunisia or rescued during the first four months of 2024.
According to the National Guard, 21,545 people were intercepted between&nbsp;January 1 and April 30, compared with 17,576 over the same period last year.
Since January 1, the bodies of 291 shipwreck victims have been recovered&nbsp;compared with 572 last year in almost triple the number of operations (1,967 this year against 686 in 2023).
Last year, Tunisians accounted for the second largest number of irregular&nbsp;migrant arrivals in Italy, at 17,304 people, second only to Guineans at 18,204,&nbsp;Italian government figures show.
The increase in interceptions come after agreements between Tunisia and the&nbsp;European Union and Italy, who provide financial aid and economic cooperation&nbsp;deals in return for the debt-ridden country's commitment to curb migrant&nbsp;departures.
Tunisia has also been shaken by political tensions after President Kais&nbsp;Saied orchestrated a sweeping power grab in July 2021.

23 missing for two weeks off Tunisia: officials

Bangladeshi students in Kyrgyz Republic have been advised to stay indoors for the moment and get in touch with the Bangladesh embassy in Uzbekistan.
The Bangladesh Uzbekistan embassy, concurrently accredited to the Kyrgyz Republic, suggested the Bangladeshi students to contact at the following 24x7 emergency number +998930009780 for any issue, said a foreign ministry press release Sarturday. &nbsp; "The Embassy of Bangladesh in Uzbekistan is in communication with Bangladeshi students, currently studying in Kyrgyz Republic, regarding the recent incident of mob violence in Bishkek," said the release. &nbsp; The mission said that the situation in Kyrgyzstan is under control of the law enforcing agencies as per information released by the relevant state authorities.
The Embassy is also in touch with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyz Republic on this matter, said the release.

Bangladeshi students in Kyrgyz advised to stay indoor

Bangladesh Bank lost its ability, to make independent decisions for the banking sector, and it&rsquo;s now operating to implement decisions of outsiders, which is unable to resolve the crisis in the banking sector, said&nbsp;eminent economist Fahmida Khatun.
The executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) made these remarks on Saturday (18 May) while speaking as the chief guest at the shadow parliament debate competition organised by the Debate for Democracy at the FDC Auditorium, in the capital.
&ldquo;The culture of transparency and accountability is being lost in various regulatory bodies, including the central bank. As a result, the institutions are not able to fulfill the responsibilities, that the state assigned to them," said Dr Fahmida.
Currently, the anarchy in the banking sector has reached such a level that the decision to merge banks has to be taken on the advice of the IMF, she pointed out.
However, due to a lack of prior preparation, integration has been challenged. Forced bank mergers may not be sustainable. The banking sector has lost its ability to support the overall economy due to a lack of good governance, said Dr Fahmida.
She said that people have lost confidence in the banking sector. The central bank even cannot provide any guarantee to keep the deposits in the bank safe
As a result, there has been concern among depositors. Those responsible for the haemorrhaging of the banking sector remain untouchable. People are not able to know the correct information about defaulted loans in the banking sector from the BB, Dr. Fahmida opined.
Referring to the Bangladesh Bank's recent decision to restrict the entry of journalists, Chairman of Debate for Democracy Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiran said the central bank owes them (journalists) an explanation.
&ldquo;Journalists have played a major role in publishing news of major irregularities in the country's financial sector, it is not a crime, but their professional responsibility to highlight any irregularities [of the banking sector] in the media, including the heist in the BB's reserves,&rdquo; the state minister said.

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