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Pope says Vatican involved in Ukraine, Russia peace mission
The Vatican is involved in a peace mission to try to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Pope Francis has said, declining to give further details.
“I am willing to do everything that has to be done. There is a mission in course now but it is not yet public. When it is public, I will reveal it,” the pope told reporters on Sunday during a flight home after a three-day visit to Hungary
“I think that peace is always made by opening channels. You can never achieve peace through closure. This is not easy.”
The pope added that he had spoken about the situation in Ukraine with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and with Metropolitan Hilarion, a bishop representing the Russian Orthodox Church in Budapest. “In these meetings, we did not just talk about Little Red Riding Hood. We spoke of all these things. Everyone is interested in the road to peace,” he said.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Pope Francis has pleaded for peace practically on a weekly basis, and has repeatedly expressed a wish to act as a broker between Kyiv and Moscow. His offer has so far failed to produce any breakthrough.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met the pope at the Vatican on Thursday and said he had discussed a “peace formula” put forward by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He said he had also invited the pontiff to visit Kyiv.
Pope Francis, 86, has said previously that he wants to visit Kyiv but also Moscow on a peace mission.
(Aljazeera)
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It has been reported quoting the Police, that former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SriLankan Airlines, Kapila Chandrasena, has been found dead under suspicious circumstances at a residence in Colpetty.
This series picks up from Bangladesh’s finest red-ball hour against arguably Pakistan’s bleakest one. Two years ago, Bangladesh came to Pakistan with six away Test wins in their history, and increased that tally by two in two weeks. Pakistan had never lost a Test to Bangladesh before that, but during late summer 2024 in Rawalpindi, a page turned in their cricketing relations.
This time around, the series takes place at an odd, off-kilter time. Neither side has played any Test cricket in six months, with Bangladesh’s last series a straightforward home wipeout of Ireland. Pakistan hosted South Africa in October, splitting the two Tests down the middle. This is the only red-ball international cricket Pakistan have played in 14 months.
Pakistan have filled that time going all in on T20 cricket, preparing for the recent T20 World Cup, before throwing themselves into a full PSL season. There will be just four days between the end of the PSL and the first day in Mirpur.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, have endured a more barren time. They refused to travel to India for the T20 World Cup and that has meant their only international cricket all year was an ODI series against Pakistan and New Zealand’s visit for a white-ball series [ODIs and T20Is]. Wins in all three mean they have a perfect record in international series in 2026 – a record that Pakistan will hope to put to a sterner test than they managed two years ago.
In 2024, Bangladesh’s seam attack outshone Pakistan’s, with Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed’s movement, and Nahid Rana’s rapid pace, causing more trouble than their Pakistani counterparts. If anything, Rana is in even better form, cutting Pakistan down in the sides’ ODI series, before shining in the recent PSL final for Zalmi, for which the BCB granted him special permission. Bangladesh’s four-man pace attack also includes Shoriful Islam and Ebadot Hossain, alongside Rana and Taskin, and could pose its own challenges against Pakistan.
Pakistan may hope the pitches allow a spin-bowling face-off instead. Soon after Bangladesh’s humbling of Pakistan in that 2024 series, Pakistan volte-faced from playing an all-seam attack in the first Test. Instead, their pitches assisted spin from ball one. To exploit that, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali have run riot on accommodating surfaces. If Mirpur offers assistance for the spinners, Pakistan will feel confident they have the personnel to go toe-to-toe with the hosts.
Mushfique Rahim struck a century in his 100th Test, against Ireland in November last year. He will take fresh guard against Pakistan, despite speculation about his impending retirement. Mushfiqur has resisted being pushed towards the end unless he wants to. His 191 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi was a testament to his hunger for runs, as was his celebration during this milestone 100th Test against Ireland. Mushfiqur remains a vital cog in the Bangladesh middle-order. Pakistan will be wary of him, particularly in Dhaka.
Sajid Khan has found his international opportunities limited to home Tests, but this wasn’t always the case. His first six Test matches all took place away from home, with his finest away moment coming in Bangladesh, at this very ground in Mirpur. With rain laying waste to the best part of three days of that Test, Sajid wrenched the game from the clutches of the weather. He took eight wickets in Bangladesh’s first innings, to bowl them out for 87, and narrowly force a follow-on. Four more in the second innings saw Bangladesh bowled out on the fifth evening, giving Pakistan a sensational innings win. This series is perhaps Sajid’s best chance to demonstrate he remains useful outside Pakistan.
Bangladesh are likely to bring in Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana in place of Khaled Ahmed and Hasan Murad, respectively. Shoriful Islam’s white-ball form would put pressure on Ebadot Hossain’s place.
Pakistan have been dealt a blow with Babar Azam* ruled out of the opening Test due to a left knee injury. His absence leaves a hole which is likely to be filled in by a debutant. The visitors will likely go in with two spinners in Sajid and Noman, which leaves them a choice of two of four fast bowlers. With Imam-ul-Haq back in the side, Pakistan are expected to hand a debut to one of Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal at the top of the order.
Bangladesh (probable): Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Fazal/Azan Awais, Shan Masood (capt), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Amad Butt, Shaheen Afridi, Noman Ali, Khurram Shahzad/Hasan Ali, Sajid Khan
[Cricinfo]
The Iranian military has said it retaliated against United States Navy ships after US forces targeted an oil tanker in Iran’s territorial waters, a major escalation that puts further strain on the fragile truce between Washington and Tehran.
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters added on Thursday that the US also violated the ceasefire by carrying out air strikes on civilian areas, including Qeshm Island, “in cooperation with some regional countries”, without identifying them.
“The American aggressor, terrorist and bandit army, violating the ceasefire, targeted an Iranian oil tanker,” the statement said.
The statement also claimed that the Iranian response caused “significant damage” to US ships.
“The criminal and aggressor America and its supporting countries should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran, as powerfully as in the past, will give a crushing response to any aggression without the slightest hesitation,” the Iranian military said.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Iranian forces used “various types of ballistic and antiship cruise missiles and destructive drones with high-explosive warheads” in response to the US violations of the truce.
But the Central Command (CENTCOM) of the US military said it “intercepted unprovoked Iranian attacks” and responded with “self-defence strikes”.
“No US assets were struck,” it said.
CENTCOM added that it “does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces”.
The clashes represent the first military Iranian response to the US blockade of the country’s ports. Over the past weeks, the US military has seized several Iranian vessels and ordered dozens more to turn around.
The naval siege has been the spearhead of Trump’s pressure campaign against Iran since the ceasefire came into effect last month.
Several Iranian state-affiliated news outlets reported that blasts were heard at the ports of Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas and the southern coastal city of Minab.
Iran’s semiofficial news agency Tasnim also cited a senior source as saying that three US Navy destroyers came under Iranian fire and fled towards the Gulf of Oman.
The skirmishes come amid reports that Washington and Tehran are in advanced talks to end the war.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump ordered an operation to break Iran’s blockade on Hormuz, leading to heightened tensions that pushed the ceasefire to the brink.
On Monday, the US said it shot down seven small Iranian drones, and Iran renewed its drone and missile attacks against the United Arab Emirates.
[Aljazeera]
Former SriLankan Aorlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena found dead
Fast bowling riches in focus as Bangladesh and Pakistan switch to Test mode
Iran says it attacked US Navy ships after they targeted Iranian tanker
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