RELIANCE

AL-BIREH, West Bank: Palestinian club football is set to resume on Sept. 4 after a nearly three-year interruption, with 226 teams from the West Bank, Gaza and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon scheduled to take part in a tournament created to honour athletes killed during the conflict. The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) has named the inaugural competition the “Thousand Martyrs Cup” , describing it as the first step toward restoring organised football after years of disruption. PFA President Jibril Rajoub announced the tournament on Monday at the Joseph Blatter Academy in Al-Bireh in the occupied West Bank. He said the initiative was intended to revive Palestinian sport and provide a source of hope and community life for Palestinians at home and abroad. Rajoub also called for support from FIFA and other international football organisations to help clubs cope with financial and security challenges. 226 clubs from three regions The tournament will bring together 146 clubs from...

DHAKA: Gold prices in Bangladesh have been raised again after an increase in the local price of pure gold, with the Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) adding Tk1,108 to the price of each bhori. Under the revised rates, the price of 22-carat gold, including value-added tax, has risen to Tk235,146 per bhori, equivalent to 11.664 grams. BAJUS announced the new prices in a notice issued on Tuesday morning, with the revised rates taking effect from 10 a.m. the same day. Local bullion prices cited BAJUS said the latest adjustment was prompted by an increase in the price of pure gold, locally known as “tezaabi” gold. The association said it had reviewed overall market conditions before setting the new rates. The latest increase follows another adjustment made on Aug. 8, when BAJUS raised the price of 22-carat gold by Tk4,374 per bhori to Tk234,038. The latest move therefore takes the benchmark 22-carat gold price above Tk235,000 per bhori in the domestic market. 101 price adjustments t...

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s main stock market swung sharply on Wednesday, with an early rally giving way to broad-based selling in the final hour, pushing all major Dhaka Stock Exchange indexes into negative territory while turnover also declined. The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) opened strongly, with prices rising across most listed shares and units. The benchmark DSEX index gained as much as 40 points during the early part of the session before the market reversed direction. The shift became increasingly evident around 12:30 p.m., as a growing number of securities moved from the gainers’ list to the decliners’ list. Selling intensified during the final hour, leaving most issues lower by the close. Most securities end lower At the end of trading, 119 listed issues on the DSE recorded price gains, while 231 declined and 35 remained unchanged. The broad decline pushed the benchmark DSEX down 6 points from the previous session to 5,897. The DSE-30 index, which tracks 30 major companies, fell 4 po...

An Iranian semi-official news agency has reported that seven U.S. Navy personnel were killed and several others injured in an internal clash aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, but the claim has not been independently verified.  The report, published Wednesday by Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency, attributed the alleged violence to growing tensions among sailors aboard the carrier, which has been deployed in the Middle East for several months as part of U.S. military operations against Iran. According to Mehr, prolonged deployment in the region and continued participation in military operations had contributed to mounting frustration among members of the crew. The report said the tensions eventually escalated into a violent confrontation aboard the carrier. Mehr reported that at least seven U.S. Navy personnel were killed and several others wounded in the incident. It did not provide independently verifiable details about when the alleged clash occurred, what trigg...

DHAKA, Aug. 10, 2026 — Bangladesh has identified 3,112 Indian nationals whose visas expired some time ago but who are still staying in the country, according to officials familiar with the matter, as authorities step up efforts to identify foreign nationals living and working without valid immigration documents. The Special Branch of Bangladesh Police has recently instructed those whose visas have expired to either renew their visas through the proper legal process or leave the country, officials said. Bangladesh currently has about 18,453 Indian nationals living legally in the country, according to Special Branch data cited by officials. Some of those whose visas have expired are employed in sectors including garments, textiles, telecommunications, information technology, power generation, engineering, education and other private-sector businesses. Authorities seek to verify foreign workers Police officials say they are checking the immigration status of foreign nationals across Dhak...

DHAKA, Aug. 10, 2026 Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC has filed a formal complaint with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against former President Mohammed Shahabuddin, widely known as Chuppu, businessman S Alam and 36 others over alleged embezzlement of 5 billion taka ($500 crore) through a loan scheme, according to the complaint submitted to the anti-graft agency. The complaint was filed at the ACC headquarters in Dhaka on Monday afternoon. According to the complaint, irregularities occurred after the S Alam Group took control of the bank in 2017. A company described in the complaint as financially weak, Suprabh Composite Knit Ltd, allegedly had its credit limit increased fivefold—from 1 billion taka to 5 billion taka—through fraudulent means. The complaint alleges that the funds were subsequently withdrawn and misappropriated. Alleged irregularities in loan approval The bank alleged that businessman S Alam played a role in securing the loan facility for Suprabh Composite Knit Ltd, des...

NEW DELHI, Aug. 10, 2026 India’s government is prepared to hold a detailed parliamentary debate on recent student protests and allegations of police action against demonstrators, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Monday, signalling a possible easing of a dispute with opposition parties over the issue. Rijiju said Home Minister Amit Shah was ready to address Parliament on the matter, while urging opposition lawmakers not to disrupt proceedings when the government responds. “The government is ready for a full and detailed discussion on the student protests and all related issues,” Rijiju told reporters. He said his only request was that opposition lawmakers allow the Home Minister and the government to present their response without creating a situation that would prevent them from speaking. The government’s position comes amid mounting criticism from opposition leaders over the police response to student demonstrations, including allegations of excessive use of force....

DHAKA: Bangladesh is facing a political and constitutional crisis, opposition Chief Whip and National Citizens Party (NCP) convenor Nahid Islam said on Sunday, as opposition parties stepped up discussions over the country’s political situation and the upcoming presidential election. Nahid made the remarks after a meeting of 11 political parties at the opposition leader’s residence on Minto Road in Dhaka. The meeting focused on the presidential election and recent political developments in the country, he told reporters after the talks. He also criticised the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), alleging that the party had sought at various times to retain control during periods of political transition. “Attempts to retain power during political transitions have been made by the BNP at different times,” Nahid said, adding that such actions had contributed to political and constitutional uncertainty. 11-party alliance to field joint presidential candidate The 11 parties have agreed to co...

BERLIN: China remains Germany’s largest trading partner, but the balance of economic ties between the two countries is shifting sharply. German exports to China fell significantly in the first half of 2026, while imports from the Asian economic powerhouse increased, pushing Germany’s trade deficit with China to a new high. Preliminary data from Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), cited by Reuters, showed that German goods exports to China declined by more than 12% between January and June, falling to below €37 billion. The decline has pushed China down to ninth place among destinations for German exports, highlighting the changing nature of one of Europe’s most important economic relationships. From Germany’s No. 2 export market to ninth The scale of the shift becomes clearer when compared with the situation just a few years ago. China was Germany’s second-largest export market around 2021, when German companies sold goods worth about €104 billion there despite the economic disruption ...

International Desk: Pakistan appears to be seeking a broader strategic role for the newly signed defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, with officials in Islamabad calling for greater unity among Muslim-majority countries over the conflict involving Israel and the Palestinians. The development has sparked debate over whether the three-way security arrangement could eventually evolve into something resembling an “Islamic NATO” a broader collective defence framework involving Muslim countries. The issue gained prominence after Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif called for greater unity among Muslim nations against Israel. His remarks came only hours after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed a joint defence agreement in Mecca. According to an analysis published by The Times of Israel , Italian political adviser and geopolitical analyst Sergio Restelli argued that Asif’s comments may have highlighted an objective that was not explicitly stated in the formal agre...

Egyptian Forward Set for Medical as Turkish Club Moves Closer to Completing High-Profile Transfer Istanbul — Turkish Super Lig club Trabzonspor has confirmed that it has entered formal negotiations to sign Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah, with club officials expressing confidence that the transfer could be finalized later this week. In a statement released late Tuesday, Trabzonspor announced that discussions had officially begun with the 34-year-old, who became a free agent after bringing his nine-year spell at Liverpool to an end this summer. Club president Ertugrul Dogan later told local broadcaster A Spor that negotiations were progressing positively. He said Salah is expected to travel to Türkiye for medical examinations before completing the move, although the agreement has not yet been formally signed. If all remaining details are finalized, the transfer could be completed within days, marking one of the biggest signings in the club's recent history. End of a Histor...

Veteran Goalkeeper Says World Cup Success Confirmed His Belief That He Belonged at a Major Club Santiago, Chile — Cape Verde international goalkeeper Vozinha has completed a move to Chilean football powerhouse Colo-Colo, describing the transfer as the fulfillment of a long-held belief that he was destined to play for one of the sport's historic clubs. Speaking shortly after his unveiling on Tuesday, the 40-year-old said his performances on football's biggest stage reinforced the confidence he had carried throughout his career, despite spending much of it in smaller European and African leagues. "Throughout my career, I always believed I had the quality to represent a major club," Vozinha said. "Even when I was playing outside the spotlight, I never lost that conviction. When Colo-Colo expressed interest, my decision was immediate. There were other opportunities, but this was the destination I wanted most." World Cup Breakthrough Vozinha became one ...

Former Prime Minister Expected to Outline Political Plans While Remaining in Exile in India New Delhi/Dhaka — Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to make her first major public appearance in nearly two years on Wednesday, delivering a virtual address from New Delhi as speculation grows over her political future and a possible return to Bangladesh despite outstanding legal cases against her. The address comes almost exactly two years after the dramatic political upheaval of August 2024, when a nationwide student-led protest movement forced the end of her 17-year rule and prompted her departure to India. The event, organized by the Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) of South Asia, is expected to feature Hasina alongside her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and several senior leaders of the Awami League, the party she led for nearly two decades. Exile Following Political Upheaval Sheikh Hasina has remained in India since leaving Bangladesh during the political crisis th...