Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate arrived in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad on Monday on a five-day visit, which authorities say will help further improve relations between the two countries.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were accorded a red-carpet reception on their arrival at the airport, then were escorted to a hotel amid tight security.
The British royal family said the visit encompasses "the modern leafy capital Islamabad, the vibrant city of Lahore, the mountainous countryside in the North, and the rugged border regions to the West."
Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate arrive at Nur Khan base in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. They are on a five-day visit, which authorities say will help further improve relations between the two countries. (AP PhotoB.K. Bangash)
It's "the most complex tour undertaken by The Duke and Duchess to date, given the logistical and security considerations," according to a statement released ahead of the visit.
It said while the Duke and Duchess's program will pay respect to the historical relationship between Britain and Pakistan, "it will largely focus on showcasing Pakistan as it is today - a dynamic, aspirational and forward-looking nation."
Britain ended its colonial rule over the Indian subcontinent in 1947 and divided it into two nations, India and Pakistan. This sparked massive rioting that killed up to 1 million people and displaced another 15 million.
Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate receive bouquet from Pakistani children upon their arrival to Nur Khan Air Base, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019.They are on a five-day visit, which authorities say will help further improve relations between the two countries. (AP PhotoB.K. Bangash)
The statement said the royal couple's program will also look at how Pakistan is addressing problems related to the climate change crisis.
Shortly before receiving the royal couple, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said people in his country still adore Prince William's mother, Princess Diana. She visited Pakistan in the 1990s to participate in a fund-raising event for a cancer hospital built by Imran Khan, now Pakistan's prime minister.
Khan is set to meet with the royal couple during the visit, which ends on Oct. 18.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, right, escorts Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate as they arrive at the Nur Khan base in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. They are on a five-day visit, which authorities say will help further improve relations between the two countries. (AP PhotoB.K. Bangash)
DETROIT (AP) — The Oakland Athletics no longer have to wonder where they'll play the next few seasons. That won't make the long goodbye any easier.
The A's reacted to the announcement that this will be their last year in Oakland with a mixture of sadness and relief.
“At least as a player, you know where you’re headed,” outfielder Seth Brown said Friday before a game against the Tigers in Detroit. “There’s obviously a lot of moving parts, a lot of stuff we’re not privy to, so it’s just been kind of a waiting game on our end. Where are we going to go? Where are we going to be? So I think just having that knowledge -- at least we know where we’re going to be playing next year.”
Vivek Ranadivé, who owns the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, and Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher announced Thursday that the A’s will temporarily relocate to West Sacramento's Sutter Health Park for at least three seasons. The A's are moving to Las Vegas after a new ballpark is constructed.
The River Cats, who are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, will continue to play at the same facility.
Fisher was unable to reach an agreement with Oakland city officials on extending the lease at Oakland Coliseum, which expires at the end of this season. The A's have played in the city since 1968.
“There's direction now, which we've talked a lot about,” Oakland A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “We've got time to kind of reflect on what this really means from an organizational standpoint, the history that we've had in Oakland, with this being now the final season. There's a lot of emotion that goes behind this.”
It will not only cause some upheaval for the players and staff but also members of the organization that work behind the scenes.
“At the end of the day, we know where we're going to be for the next three seasons after the finish this year and that in itself gives a little bit of stability,” Kotsay said. “At the same time, in the present, it's challenging in certain ways to think about the finality of this organization in Oakland.”
Sacramento will be a much smaller environment to house a major league team. Ranadivé said the River Cats venue currently seats 16,000 when counting the stands, the lawn behind center field and standing room only.
First baseman Ryan Noda is concerned with the facilities. He's hopeful that significant upgrades will be made, much like the Toronto Blue Jays did at Buffalo's Triple-A facility. The Blue Jays played at Buffalo's Sahlen Field in 2020 in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“New walls, new dugouts, new locker rooms — everything they needed to become a big league stadium,” said Noda, who played some games in Sacramento as a minor leaguer. “As long as we can do something like that, then it'll be all right. But it's definitely going to be different than playing in stadiums that hold 40,000 people.”
Kotsay is confident the upgrades will occur.
“I know it will be of major league baseball quality,” he said. “It's has to be of major league baseball quality. I know the Players Association will make sure that takes place, as they did in Buffalo.”
For the rest of this season, the A's will have to deal with small home crowds and disappointed fans.
“We’re sad for the fans, the diehard fans, who always come to our games, always support us, always support the boys wearing the jersey,” Noda said.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, center, shakes hands John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics, before the start of a news conference where Fisher announced his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4 2024.The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, announces that his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Sutter Health Park, home of the Triple A team Sacramento River Cats, is shown in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Oakland Athletics announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay walks to the dugout after making a pitching change during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
