MILAN, Italy, Feb 2, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - One of the world's most famous stadiums is set for a last hurrah on the international stage with the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics at the San Siro on Friday. Long considered one of the temples of football, the San Siro will introduce the Milan-Cortina Games to the world with a ceremony featuring an athletes' parade held in all four "clusters" of a sprawling Olympics being held across a vast area of northern Italy. But the iconic old ground is on course to be replaced by a shiny new arena after a century of hosting Inter Milan and AC Milan matches. Once the new ground is constructed, San Siro will be almost entirely demolished to make way for new parkland, office space and entertainment facilities. The San Siro also doubles up as one of Italy's premier concert venues, where some of the world's biggest pop music stars have strutted their stuff since reggae icon Bob Marley became the first in 1980.

Although the venue and date changed, fans still brought the same energy to watch the women’s gymnastics team compete. Senior Cami Whitaker took a tumble after completing a Yurchenko tuck 1.5, dropping her score to a 9.200. Only two days later, the Red traveled to West Virginia to face off against West Virginia University, Pitt, and Kent State. The team improved its overall score on beam to 48.075. Lastly, Cornell continued to show its dominance on the floor exercise, with an overall score of 48.875.

"The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war," he said. Asked about the Iranian leader's warning, Trump told reporters on Sunday: "Of course he is going to say that. The president said Warsh, a former Morgan Stanley investment banker and Fed governor, "will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best". The announcement sent dollar-priced precious metals plunging Friday, with gold losing as much as 12 percent and silver more than 30 percent at one point. The easing of Iran tensions added to the selling pressure on gold and silver, which are also considered go-to havens in times of turmoil and uncertainty.

Photo: BSSKHULNA, Feb 1, 2026 (BSS) - Commercial vessel MV Ultra Bulk, carrying 57,500 tons of wheat imported from the United States, anchored at Mongla Port today. Shamim, manager of the local shipping agent Seven Seas, said the vessel had departed from the Port of Portland, Oregon, USA, on December 21 last year for Mongla Port. Abdus Sobhan Sardar, Assistant Food Controller at Mongla Food Office, said the wheat import is being carried out under the Government-to-Government (G2G) agreement between the United States and Bangladesh. Under this arrangement, a total of 450,000 tons of wheat will be imported through Mongla Port. The imported wheat is initially stored at the government food warehouse, Mongla Silo, before being distributed to various districts across the country.

ANKARA, Feb 2, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - At least 16 people were killed in two road accidents in southern Turkey on Sunday, authorities said. Seven people died and five were injured in a second accident at Burdur, on the highway from Antalya to Isparta, the DHA news agency reported. The bus was carrying 34 people from the western city of Tekirdag to Antalya when it rolled off the highway, the official said, without stating whether foreign nationals were involved. "It's an intersection where you shouldn't drive fast, yet it appears the bus entered it at high speed," he said, adding that rain had made the road slippery. The coastal region around Antalya is a popular resort destination that draws many foreign tourists each year.

KYIV, Ukraine, Feb 2, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A Russian drone attack on a bus carrying mine workers in Ukraine's central-eastern Dnipropetrovsk region Sunday killed at least 12 people, officials said. Preliminarily, 12 people were killed and seven more were wounded," the head of the regional military administration, Oleksandr Ganzha, said on Telegram. An earlier drone attack in the region overnight killed a man and a woman in the central city of Dnipro, Ganzha said in an earlier post. The attacks came the same day a unilateral reduction in Russian strikes on Ukraine announced by US President Donald Trump was due to end. Earlier Sunday, a Russian drone struck a maternity hospital in Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region, wounding at least seven people including two women receiving a medical examination, the region's governor said.

PARIS, France, Feb 2, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was hopeful of agreeing a deal with Iran after the country's supreme leader warned that any US attack on the Islamic republic would trigger a regional war. "The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war," he said, telling Iranians they "should not be scared" of Trump's rhetoric. He said Iran has lost trust in the United States as a negotiating partner, adding that some countries in the region were acting as intermediaries to rebuild trust. The step matched similar classifications enacted by the United States, Canada and Australia. The US president previously said he believed Iran would make a deal over its nuclear and missile programmes rather than face military action.

- Jitters in Frankfurt -The moves are causing jitters at the ECB -- a stronger euro makes imports cheaper, potentially adding to downward pressure on inflation, at a time officials were already worried about too sharp a slowdown. The ECB does not target any particular exchange rate, but officials do monitor currency movements as they could impact inflation. A stronger euro is also problematic for the region's export-driven economies, particularly Germany, as it makes the cost of companies' goods pricier overseas. - 'Global euro' -A stronger euro is not all bad news -- it boosts household spending power, at home and on holidays overseas. Still, ING economist Carsten Breski said the jitters over the stronger euro show that it is "hard to reconcile the ambition of a global euro with an export?orientated economy".

Oil prices plunge after Trump says hopeful over Iran talksHONG KONG, Feb 2, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Oil prices plunged Monday after Donald Trump said he was hopeful of reaching a deal with Iran, easing concerns about a conflict between the two in the crude-rich region. West Texas Intermediate sank 3.4 percent to $62.99 while Brent shed 3.2 percent to 67.09 in early Asian trade following the US president's comments.

Reading time: about 3 minutesConvicted child sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein maintained a correspondence in 2016 with then-Cornell undergraduate David Karp ’16, son of Brad Karp, the chairman of powerful law firm Paul Weiss, according to emails released by the Department of Justice on Friday. In the emails, Epstein connected Karp, an aspiring filmmaker, to meet with Woody Allen, the controversial actor-director, through Karp’s father, Brad Karp. On Jan. 3, 2016, David emailed Epstein 20 questions for Woody Allen, who he was to have dinner with on Jan. 7. Epstein and David remained connected through 2018, when Epstein asked Brad, “does your son have time to screen woodys new movie with me today at 2 pm. David Karp co-founded Thrice Cooked Media, a music and film production company, in 2018 and now works as a creative director at the company.

Photo: BSSCHATTOGRAM, Feb 1, 2026 (BSS) - Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman will address three major public rallies in Chattogram tomorrow as part of his election tour ahead of the 13th national parliamentary elections, party sources said. Dr Shafiqur Rahman is scheduled to speak in support of the 'Scales' symbol at rallies at 11:00 am in Padua, Lohagara of South Chattogram, at 2:00 pm in Sitakunda of North Chattogram and at 6:30 pm at the Bandar School and College ground in Chattogram city. According to Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and Chattogram Division Chief Mohammad Shahjahan, an estimated 15 to 20 lakh people are expected to attend the three rallies combined. Ahead of the Chattogram programme, Dr Shafiqur Rahman will also attend public meetings of the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance in Maheshkhali and Baharchhara areas of Cox's Bazar. Jamaat Chattogram City Assistant Secretary Mohammad Ullah said all preparations for the city rally at Bandar School and College ground have been completed and leaders and activists of the 11-party alliance will attend the event.

For the first time in 39 years, the National Poetry Festival was held at the Shaheed Minar instead of Dhaka University's Hakim Chattar. Dhaka University is the heart of Bengali culture, a birthplace of secularism and democracy, behind which the Dhaka University Central Students' Union, or Ducsu has played a major role." As a result, for the first time today, we're having to hold at the Shaheed Minar the festival we've been organizing within the Dhaka University area for 40 years." National Poetry Festival 2026After the opening ceremony at National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam's tomb, poets took out a colorful procession that wound through TSC before culminating at the Central Shaheed Minar. This year's National Poetry Festival is being held with this challenge in mind."

Following the mass uprising of July 2024, the interim government announced a reform agenda that placed the banking sector at its core. So far, the interim government has issued only two ordinances related to the banking sector: the Bank Resolution Ordinance, and the Deposit Insurance Ordinance. Officials of Bangladesh Bank privately and publicly acknowledge that, without the necessary legislation, central bank independence remains largely nominal. A draft amendment to the Bangladesh Bank Order, 1972 was sent to the Ministry of Finance nearly four months ago. Bangladesh Bank argues that without these measures, it will be impossible to curb non-performing loans, internal misappropriation, and the dominance of powerful owners.

Reading time: about 4 minutesCornellians for Israel, a pro-Israel organization, is set to host former Israeli Defense Force soldier Sam Fried on Feb. 2 at 5 p.m. as a guest speaker. Fried served as a lone soldier, the term for an IDF soldier without family in Israel, typically international volunteers, orphans or people from estranged families. Zoe Reisman ’29, Cornell Young Democratic Socialists of America chairperson, takes issue with Cornell’s approach to freedom of speech. However, the investigation closed in December 2025 and Cornell was not found in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Everett Chambala Everett Chambala is a member of the Class of 2027 in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

It’s a passing phase for just a few hours, a little space to reset should be the solution. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A partner could need a counterbalance for a few hours today to get back into a more stable place; you should be able to offer that today. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Be an informed consumer of health services as with any other service. This not-quite two-month period represents your window of biggest challenges for 2026, get through this period and 2026 has lots of gifts on tap. 2026 is lining up to be a great year for you after the early hiccups.