United News of Bangladesh

A jury in Alabama on Thursday awarded $9.25 million in damages to a college basketball player after finding that The New York Times defamed him by incorrectly reporting that he was at the scene of a fatal shooting in Tuscaloosa. Kai Spears, a former player for the University of Alabama men's basketball team, sued the newspaper in 2023 over a report that said he was a passenger in a car linked to the shooting. The report cited a person familiar with the investigation who spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the case. The Times acknowledged the mistake several days later, publishing an editor's note and correcting the report. The eight-member jury reached its verdict after a nine-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Matt Glover, an attorney for Spears, welcomed the verdict, saying he believed it would help improve journalism across the country. The Times said it was reviewing its legal options following the verdict. "We're disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake," spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said in a statement Thursday. "We thank the jury for its service, but believe the verdict and award of damages are contrary to law and not supported by the evidence." Three other Alabama basketball players were at the January 2023 shooting, in which a 23-year-old mother was killed. Spears said in his lawsuit that the inaccurate report caused him emotional distress and permanently associated him with the killing. In a report on Thursday's verdict, The Times said it had not lost a defamation lawsuit in the United States over one of its articles in more than 50 years.

Novak Djokovic made an early exit from the Cincinnati Open on Saturday, losing to Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante in his first match since the Wimbledon semifinals. The 24-time Grand Slam champion was beaten 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 by the world No. 50 in a match lasting 2 hours and 44 minutes under hot and humid conditions. Djokovic, ranked fifth in the world and a three-time Cincinnati champion, appeared to struggle physically during the match. The defeat ended his 10-match winning streak at the tournament. The 39-year-old Serb said an unspecified health condition that has troubled him for several years made it particularly difficult to compete in hot and humid weather. “It’s just a condition that I have, health-wise, that has been bothering me for the past couple of years,” Djokovic told reporters. He said heat and humidity had often caused problems and that the pressure and nerves of returning to competition had made the situation worse. Djokovic had been playing his first tournament since losing to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinals. He also admitted that Saturday’s defeat could potentially mark his final appearance in Cincinnati. “I certainly hope so, but it looks more likely not, unfortunately,” Djokovic said when asked whether he would return. “But let’s see what the future brings.” Djokovic saved 13 of the 15 break points he faced, but Tirante broke his serve in the ninth game of the deciding set before serving out the match. Tirante, 25, described the victory as the biggest of his career. “I think this is the best win of my career,” he said, praising his ability to handle the pressure of facing one of tennis’ greatest players. Djokovic has enjoyed considerable success in Cincinnati, compiling a 45-13 record and winning the tournament in 2018, 2020 and 2023. His next scheduled major event is the US Open, which begins in New York on Aug. 30. In the women’s draw, Philippine player Alexandra Eala advanced after Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse retired during the second set because of an ankle injury. Eala, ranked 20th in the world, won her first WTA singles title in Washington earlier this month and has now won eight of her last nine matches. American Jessica Pegula also advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Switzerland’s Simona Waltert. The third-ranked Pegula improved her hard-court record in 2026 to 25-6. She won the Cincinnati title in 2024.

The government has a plan to develop playgrounds wherever open spaces are available as part of its move to establish careers in sports as a profession field for the country's citizens, according to State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque. “The government has started working to establish sports as a profession. There is a plan to build playgrounds wherever open spaces are available. Sports will be made compulsory from the grade-IV in the next academic year,” he said, while attending a "Shadow Parliament" debate programme in the capital on Friday.  The state minister addressed the programme marking International Youth Day 2026 as the chief guest. In collaboration with CARE Bangladesh and SOS Children’s Villages Bangladesh, Debate for Democracy organised the debate on ‘Private sector engagement is more important than the government in Building Skilled Manpower’ at the FDC.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham said she is not concerned that rallies linked to her views on transgender athletes are becoming a distraction for her team. Speaking before Friday night's WNBA game against the Portland Fire, Cunningham said she remains focused on basketball despite protests held outside recent Fever games. "I come in and do my job," Cunningham said. "People who know me understand that I care about others, love basketball and want to inspire young people. I'm here to play basketball and be myself." A small group of supporters gathered outside the arena before Friday's game, marking the second straight Fever game where rallies were held in support of Cunningham. A similar event took place before Indiana's game against the Seattle Storm earlier this week. Each rally drew around two dozen participants. Cunningham said she had no involvement in organising the demonstrations. "People are simply exercising their right to free speech. I respect those who choose to speak their views," she said. Another rally is planned for Sunday's game between the Fever and the Minnesota Lynx in Minneapolis. The protests followed Cunningham's recent public support for banning transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports. During Tuesday's game in Seattle, two Cunningham supporters sat courtside holding signs. Following an incident involving the fans, the WNBA fined Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton an undisclosed amount and suspended her for five games. The Storm later apologised for the incident, saying the team remains committed to providing a welcoming and respectful environment for everyone attending its games. In Portland, Cunningham was booed by sections of the crowd when she entered the game, while many fans waved pink, blue and white transgender flags. Despite the off-court attention, Indiana secured a 112-98 victory over Portland for its fifth straight win. Cunningham scored 13 points, while Caitlin Clark recorded the fourth triple-double of her WNBA career with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Fever coach Stephanie White acknowledged the controversy has created challenges but said the team remains focused. "We want the attention to be on basketball and our progress as a team," White said. "At the same time, this is part of the league's growth, and we have to manage these situations while continuing to have conversations."

Ghana will aim to win its first Women's Africa Cup of Nations title when the 2026 tournament begins in Morocco on Saturday. The Black Queens finished third at the previous edition, with the Ghana Football Association and coaching staff confident the team can challenge for the continental crown. Ghana Football Association president Kurt Simeon-Okraku has backed the team to surpass its most recent performance, while head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren said the squad has made significant progress over the past year. "I believe the team is overall in a much better place now compared to one year ago. I'm really looking forward to starting up the WAFCON," the Swedish coach said. Bjorkegren added that many of his players have improved physically and tactically since he took charge of the team last year. Ghana has qualified for every edition of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations and is making its 14th appearance at the tournament. The Black Queens finished as runners-up in 1998, 2002 and 2006 but have yet to lift the trophy. The 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations runs from July 26 to August 16 in Morocco. Ghana has been drawn in Group D alongside Cameroon, Mali and Cabo Verde.  

The inaugural edition of Notun Kuri Sports 2025-26, one of the country's largest grassroots sporting events featuring the participation of more than 1 lakh children and teenagers from across Bangladesh, will conclude on Monday with a grand closing and prize-giving ceremony. The ceremony will be held at the Bangladesh Army Stadium in Dhaka at 4:00pm in the presence of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, according to a PID handout issued on Sunday. The nationwide programme was launched simultaneously on May 2, 2026, from Sylhet District Stadium with the aim of identifying promising young sporting talents from the grassroots and encouraging children across the country to participate in sports. Organisers said the maiden edition has created a new milestone in Bangladesh's sporting landscape by engaging a large number of young participants from across the country. Competitions were held in eight disciplines – football, cricket, kabaddi, athletics, badminton, chess, swimming and martial arts. After competitions at the upazila, district and regional levels, the national finals in Dhaka will mark the successful conclusion of the country's largest sports initiative.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner will face French Open champion Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon men's singles final on Sunday in a clash between the tournament's top two seeds. World No. 1 Sinner is aiming to secure his fifth Grand Slam title and successfully defend his Wimbledon crown after a disappointing early exit at this year's French Open. Second seed Zverev, ranked No. 3 in the world, is seeking to make history by becoming the first man in the Open Era to win his second Grand Slam title at the tournament immediately following his maiden major triumph. Sinner enters the final with a commanding recent record against the German, having won their last nine meetings without dropping a set in their past 14 sets. The Italian suffered a shock second-round defeat at Roland Garros earlier this year, ending his title defence in Paris. For Zverev, Sunday's final marks a breakthrough at Wimbledon, surpassing his previous best performance of reaching the fourth round. The championship match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 pm (BD time) on Centre Court, with clear skies and warm conditions forecast. In the women's final on Saturday, Linda Noskova defeated fellow Czech Karolina Muchova to capture her first Grand Slam singles title.

The 19th edition of the Ascent Corporate Cup, Bangladesh's longest-running amateur corporate five-a-side football tournament, will kick off on Thursday at the Scholastica Uttara Campus. Launched in 2006, the tournament has established itself as one of the country's leading amateur corporate futsal competitions, bringing together teams from leading organisations and football enthusiasts, according to a press release. Organisers said the competition has become increasingly competitive over the years, leading to the introduction of two divisions in 2024 – Premier League for elite teams and the Championship League for emerging and developing sides. A major highlight of this year's tournament will be the Legacy Match, an exhibition fixture to be played before the Championship League final to promote football's role in fostering inclusion and social impact. This year's Legacy Match will be held in partnership with Thrive and will feature young footballers from underprivileged schools in Dhaka's informal settlements. The 30-minute match will showcase two teams of aspiring players, with the emphasis on talent, opportunity and inclusion. For many of the participants, it will be their first opportunity to play in a world-class indoor futsal arena. Organisers said the children will compete on the same court, under the same conditions and receive the same recognition and medals as players in the main tournament, reflecting the event's commitment to equal opportunity through sport. Ascent Group has been the title sponsor of the Corporate Cup since 2008.

German police on Wednesday carried out raids as part of an investigation into suspected corruption linked to the 2024 UEFA European Championship. According to German media, the headquarters of the German Football Association (DFB) was among the locations searched. Investigators are also examining Euro 2024 GmbH, the tournament's organizing company jointly run by the DFB and UEFA. In a joint statement, the Bochum Public Prosecutor's Office and the North Rhine-Westphalia State Office of Criminal Investigation said the probe focuses on allegations that officials from the tournament's organizing body gave improper benefits to a person who was working for one of the host cities at the time. The alleged benefits included tickets to football matches and other favors. Investigators said organizers appeared to have offered host cities priority rights to purchase match tickets. The cities reportedly used some of those tickets in different ways. German newspaper Bild reported that more than 150 police officers took part in the raids. The investigation involves suspected bribery by a 66-year-old German man and a 46-year-old French man. The report also claimed that several thousand tickets may have been improperly distributed to selected guests during Euro 2024. Police also searched city halls and municipal offices in several host cities as part of the investigation, according to the newspaper. Prosecutors stressed that the suspects have not yet responded to the allegations and remain presumed innocent while the investigation continues.

An inter-university carrom competition, organised by the Bangladesh Inter-University Sports Association, began on Friday at the National University (NU) in Gazipur with participation of 18 universities. NU Vice-Chancellor and Sports Board President Prof Dr ASM Amanullah inaugurated the event at the university auditorium in the morning. National and university flags were hoisted followed by the release of pigeons and balloons, along with the playing of the national anthem, on the Smritir Minar premises of the campus as part of the inauguration programmes. Students, teachers, officials and guests attended the opening ceremony. The final of the competition is scheduled to be held on June 21.