NEW YORK, March 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - New York's Empire State Building was illuminated in the colors of the flags of 2026 World Cup hosts Mexico, Canada and the United States Tuesday as organizers marked 100 days until kick-off. A record 48 teams -- up from 32 in 2022 -- and millions of fans are set to descend on the United States, Canada and Mexico for the first ever World Cup shared by three nations. Alex Lasry, CEO of the FIFA World Cup New York New Jersey host committee, told AFP "we're continuing our preparations, we are in the heat of it, but this is where it becomes fun right." And being 100 days out from the first ball being kicked is exciting," he said. A total of 104 matches will be played across 16 venues and four time zones, with the bulk of the action taking place in the United States, which will host 78 games.

JERUSALEM, March 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Israeli military called on people to leave 16 towns and villages in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, in an "urgent warning" before using force against Hezbollah militants. "For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately" and head to "open areas", said a statement shared by the military's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee, listing 16 locations near the border.

JERUSALEM, March 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Missiles launched from Iran early Wednesday triggered air raid sirens across large parts of Israel, with the military saying it was "operating to intercept the threat". The order to seek shelter covered Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and other areas across the country. Israeli media reported that shrapnel fell in an area near Jerusalem, causing a fire. Police said officers in the Jerusalem area were "conducting searches to locate impact sites involving fallen munition debris or interceptor fragments". The Israeli military had reported a previous missile launch from Iran about five hours earlier.

After six consecutive increases, the Bangladesh Jewellers' Association (Bajus) has reduced gold prices in the domestic market, cutting Tk9,214 from the price of 22-carat gold. Under the new rates effective from 10am on Wednesday, the price of 22-carat gold has been fixed at Tk268,214 per bhori (11.664 grams). New gold prices per gramThe price of 22-carat hallmarked gold has been set at Tk22,995 per gram, while 21-carat gold will be sold at Tk21,950 per gram. The price of 18-carat gold has been fixed at Tk18,815 per gram, and gold produced under the traditional method at Tk15,360 per gram. Market insiders said the adjustment reflects fluctuations in international prices and changes in local raw gold rates, bringing some relief to buyers after a series of price hikes.

PARIS, France, March 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - European champions England made a winning start to their bid for automatic qualification for the 2027 Women's World Cup as they hammered Ukraine 6-1 in Antalya, Turkey, on Tuesday. England's biggest rivals for direct qualification from European Group A3 to the World Cup in Brazil are world champions Spain who kicked off with a 3-0 win over Iceland in Castellon de la Plana. - Malard saves France -Two-time World Cup winners Germany took a grip on Group A4 by thrashing Slovenia 5-0 in Dresden. Only the winners of each of the four European 'League A' groups will qualify automatically. The other 12 teams go into play-offs which will also involve the four League B group winners and the six group winners and two best runners-up from League C.

LONDON, March 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The British government announced Tuesday that it would stop issuing education visas to nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan and work visas for Afghans as part of its broader clampdown on asylum seekers. "That is why I am taking the unprecedented decision to refuse visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our generosity." The Home Office said the number of asylum applications by students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan had "rocketed" by more than 470 percent between 2021 and 2025. Migration has become a major issue in British politics with the hard-right Reform UK surging in opinion polls with its anti-migration stance. But the authorities also face pressure to reduce numbers of asylum seekers entering on other routes.

The city’s air was classified as "hazardous", indicating a severe health risks, according to the AQI report. The AQI, which reports daily air quality, informs residents how clean or polluted the air is and highlights potential health effects. Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution. Air quality usually deteriorates in winter and improves during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes about seven million deaths worldwide each year, primarily from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

US-Bangla Airlines will operate two special flights on the Dhaka–Dubai–Dhaka route to repatriate Bangladeshi nationals stranded in the UAE amid the ongoing Middle East crisis. The second flight departs Dhaka on Thursday, March 5, at 5:15pm (BST), with a return from Dubai at 10pm (local time). Both flights will use the 436-seat Airbus A330-300, flight numbers BS-341 (Dhaka–Dubai) and BS-342 (Dubai–Dhaka). The Dubai Airport Authority, along with carriers such as Emirates and Air India, has granted special permission for these humanitarian flights. Passengers seeking bookings or assistance can contact any US-Bangla Airlines Sales Centre in Bangladesh or the UAE, authorized travel agencies, or call the hotline at 13605.

An air strike hit a military base in southern Iraq housing the Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah group on Tuesday, two sources from the armed faction said. A second source from the group said Tuesday's strike only caused material damage. An AFP correspondent reported that a strike on Tuesday night hit Kurdistan's Sulaimaniyah, the second-largest city in the autonomous region. Kurdish security forces said that a drone struck an area near a building that previously served as a United Nations office in the city, with no casualties reported. Loud bangs were again heard in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region, AFP journalists reported.

TOKYO, March 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Oil prices inched higher in early Asian trade on Wednesday, adding to strong gains this week as ongoing violence in the Middle East disrupted supplies. West Texas Intermediate was up 0.5 percent at $74.92. Brent North Sea Crude was not yet being traded. Brent had on Tuesday topped $85 a barrel for the first time since July 2024, with speculation the price could hit $100 per barrel. Equities on Tuesday fell sharply but Wall Street recovered some ground after Trump's comments.

That provided some relief to traders and pared a rally in prices Tuesday. "Asian equities are now staring at a third consecutive day of losses and the reason is not mysterious," wrote Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management. "When crude edges higher, the invoice lands hardest in Asia, where imported energy is not just a line item but a structural dependency. The prospect of energy costs spiking has hammered hopes for any more central bank interest rate cuts as officials were already concerned about still-elevated inflation. Analysts said the Federal Reserve, European Central Bank and Asian central banks would likely delay interest rate cuts but the Bank of England as well those in parts of Latin America and Central Europe could be forced to hike.

Cuba to allow some joint ventures between state, private sectorHAVANA, March 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Cuba on Tuesday authorized partnerships between public and private companies for the first time in nearly 60 years, though the communist government will maintain a state monopoly in the health, education and defense sectors. These new entities will have business autonomy and can determine the number of employees and their salaries. With the state facing difficulties in obtaining foreign currency and an ongoing economic crisis stoked by the tightening of the US embargo, the private sector has gained ground in recent years. By 2025, the country's approximately 9,900 private companies represented 15 percent of GDP and employed more than 30 percent of the active population. That same year, private-sector retail sales surpassed those of the public sector for the first time, representing 55 percent of total trade.

BRUSSELS, Belgium, March 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The EU will on Wednesday unveil "Buy European" rules to boost domestic production, which Brussels says will help defend European businesses against fierce global competition, especially from China. The commission will propose that if companies want public money, they must meet minimum thresholds for EU-made parts in "strategic sectors", set to include cars, green tech and "energy-intensive" industries such as aluminium and steel. Its supporters say that if the EU does not shield its strategic sectors it will not have any industry left to defend. The looming rules are unpopular outside the EU with fears in countries including Britain, Canada, Japan and Turkey over how strict they will be. To do so it imposes conditions on foreign investments of over 100 million euros ($116 million) in "emerging strategic sectors" such as batteries and electric vehicles.

INDIAN WELLS, United States, March 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - World number one Carlos Alcaraz believes controlling his emotions has been the secret of his unbeaten start to 2026 as he chases a third title of the year at Indian Wells. Alcaraz, who is targeting a third Indian Wells title after wins in 2023 and 2024, says he is not dwelling on Novak Djokovic's record 41-match winning streak from 2011. "Obviously I know that 41, Novak holds the record," Alcaraz told reporters on Tuesday. "When you're on 12 wins, it's like (winning) four or five more tournaments, the biggest tournaments in the world. Alcaraz, who has already amassed seven Grand Slam titles, puts his recent success down to learning to keep his temperament in check.

INDIAN WELLS, United States, March 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - With top players stranded in the Middle East by war and a tournament scrapped due to falling drone shrapnel, the glamorous globe-trotting world of tennis has not been spared the "brutal" reality of recent events, stars said at Indian Wells on Tuesday. Dozens of international tennis players are gathering this week on the opposite side of the world in the California desert for the prestigious annual men's and women's tournaments that begin Wednesday. British star Jack Draper told reporters in Indian Wells that he had been in Dubai last week and "managed to get away almost probably one of the last flights out." "It's brutal to think about some of that," said American star Ben Shelton, who like many players at Indian Wells has friends "stuck" in the Middle East. Men's world number two Jannik Sinner on Tuesday said he hopes "that everyone is safe and they can come here to play or also to go home."