TEHRAN, March 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Iran state television announced a 40-day mourning period and seven public holidays following the death of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had been in power since 1989. "With the martyrdom of the supreme leader, his path and mission neither will be lost nor will be forgotten, on the other hand, they will be pursued with greater vigour and zeal," a presenter said.
TEHRAN, March 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Iran's Revolutionary Guards vowed on Sunday to punish the "murderers" of supreme leader Ali Khamenei, after his death was confirmed by state television. "The hand of revenge of the Iranian nation for a severe, decisive and regrettable punishment for the murderers of the Imam of the Ummah will not let go of them," the Guards said in a statement.
The Israeli army said that Ali Shamkhani, a top advisor to Khamenei, and the head of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Pakpour, were both also killed. Along with Khamenei, Iranian media said that his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter were killed. - Question on succession -Iran had already seen intense speculation on a successor to Khamenei, given his age. - Strikes across Iran -Iran's Red Crescent society said that at least 201 people had been killed in the strikes and more than 700 wounded. Israeli emergency services said that an Iranian missile strike killed a woman in the Tel Aviv area and that some 20 others were wounded.
Reading time: about 8 minutesWomen’s hockey set its season high for penalties in a 4-3 home win against Colgate on Nov. 15. By the end of the second period, the teams had spent a collective 20 minutes in the box — at final time, they’d logged 13 total penalties. Colgate (19-15-1, 13-8-1 ECAC) ended its season without the chance of an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. In less than 11 minutes of second-period play, the teams had taken a collective 14 penalty minutes. Bergmann also gave credit to the Lynah Faithful in helping her move to a perfect 6-0 in the ECAC quarterfinals.
But beyond the headlines and bureaucratic applause, a more uncomfortable question lingers: What does this actually mean for domestic workers? For the first time, domestic workers were formally recognized as “workers” under the law -- following the ratification of relevant ILO conventions. Research from Oxfam’s Securing Rights of Women Domestic Workers project shows that 63% of domestic workers experience physical or mental violence, yet only 8% report it. Discussions on domestic workers’ rights inevitably encounter resistance. Yet protecting domestic workers’ rights is not a zero-sum game.
When people who hold jobs do not cycle out, the number of true entry-level seats shrinks and the market hardens into a bottleneck. As one recent graduate put it, the problem is not just the number of graduates but the lack of open positions and low turnover. Large firms should standardize graduate recruitment and reserve a quota of genuinely open entry-level positions for recent graduates. Universities and tech partners can co-design bootcamps that fit alongside final semesters, so students graduate with both a degree and demonstrable competence. Ignore the wall of sameness and watch more talent flow into underemployment and outmigration, or confront the bottleneck with structural reforms that expand opportunity.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society has reported that at least 201 people have been killed and 747 others injured in attacks across Iran, according to Mehr news agency. A spokesperson for the humanitarian organization said US and Israeli strikes have affected 24 provinces. More than 220 Red Crescent teams have been deployed to the impacted areas, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Iranian media, citing the Red Crescent, confirmed the casualty toll of at least 201 deaths across 24 provinces. State media also reported that a strike on a school in southern Iran left more than 80 people dead.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that there were “many signs” Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was dead, after Israel and the United States launched an attack of unprecedented scale against the Islamic Republic. “I saw with my own eyes two Tomahawk missiles flying horizontally toward targets,” a Tehran office worker told AFP before communications and internet access were cut. Across Israel, city streets stood deserted as residents took cover in shelters while the blasts of intercepted Iranian missiles reverberated overhead. Residents and AFP correspondents in the Emirati, Qatari and Bahraini capitals heard multiple rounds of explosions from Iran’s retaliatory strikes. “I will never forget the sound of those loud blasts.”Two witnesses told AFP they heard an explosion and saw a plume of smoke rising from Dubai’s famed man-made island The Palm, with authorities reporting four injured.
Land Minister Mizanur Rahman Minu on Saturday said that Rajshahi will be developed through the combined efforts of all, in line with the expectations of the people. He made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a greeting exchange event organized by the Rajshahi Citizens Committee at a community center at Saheb Bazar of Rajshahi yesterday afternoon. Earlier, leaders of the Rajshahi Citizens Committee offered various suggestions and urged the minister to work for the city's development. The meeting was chaired by Professor M. Rafiqul Islam, convener of the Rajshahi Citizens Committee. The event was moderated by Professor Akhtar Hossain, Member Secretary of the Rajshahi Citizens Committee.
The other is in the oversight of the banking system in general. So, we either recapitalize them -- pay the losses from taxation -- or we lose large parts of the banking system. The previous politics pillaged the banking system and we're going to have to pay for that. But we need to not repeat the mistake of last time around, that banking, the issuance of bank loans, is something determined by politics. Democracy that changes who gets easy loans is a bad idea -- because those loan decisions, the regulation of the banking system, need to be things outside democratic politics.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today spoke at the Iftar mahfil hosted by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami for political parties and eminent citizens at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre. Photo : PMODHAKA, Feb 28, 2026 (BSS) - Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said political parties should take an oath to work together to change the destiny of the countrymen. "The people of Bangladesh are now looking to all of us, especially to the political parties, with great hope and aspirations. The premier made the remarks while delivering his welcome address at the Iftar mahfil hosted by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami for political parties and eminent citizens at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre (BCFCC) here this afternoon. Calling for expressing gratitude to the Almighty Allah for granting opportunity to reinstate the democracy, Tarique Rahman urged the political parties to work with unity for the welfare of the country's people.
File PhotoISTANBUL, Feb 28, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday he was "deeply disturbed" by the Israeli-US attacks on Iran, but also condemned Tehran's retaliatory strikes on the Gulf, demanding action to end the conflict. The confrontation began earlier on Saturday with the Israeli and US strikes and quickly broadened regionally as Tehran retaliated against Gulf states and Israel. "We are deeply disturbed over the US-Israel attacks on our neighbour Iran," Erdogan said in a televised address, in which he also denounced Iran's drone and missile attacks against the Gulf as "unacceptable, regardless of the reason". "In order to prevent our region from experiencing greater suffering, all actors, especially the Islamic world, must take action," he added. Erdogan also said Turkey had not seen any problem "in terms of border security" along the 500-kilometre (300-mile) frontier it shares with Iran.
Jahangirnagar University campus has come under scrutiny after laboratory tests detected iron levels higher than the permissible limit in tapped hall water. A comparative test of Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall found iron levels at 3 ppm, slightly above the recommended standard. Senior Scientific Officer Khairul Islam of the Wazed Miah Science Research Centre said that tests of water from Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall and National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall showed extremely high iron levels in the latter, posing health risks. Professor Dr Sohel Ahmed, Additional Director of the University Engineering Office and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration), said the initial test results are highly concerning. The university will retest water from six more halls with expert assistance, considering pump relocation or alternative solutions if necessary, he added.
WASHINGTON, United States, Feb 28, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Republicans largely welcomed strikes launched Saturday by US forces and ally Israel against Iran but prominent Democrats condemned what they called an illegal aggression. However, the top Democrat in the Senate, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, demanded a briefing to Congress by the Trump administration. "Iran has waged war against the US for 47 years," Cotton posted on X. The Republican stressed that when the House and Senate reconvene, he will work with Democrats to "force a congressional vote on war with Iran." Leftist Senator Bernie Sanders slammed Trump for triggering "an illegal, premeditated and unconstitutional war," saying the US administration "lied to" Americans and that the conflict with create further instability.
Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman yesterday said the people of Bangladesh are looking to all stakeholders—particularly political parties—with great expectation, hope and aspiration. Let us pledge in the name of Allah that our future work will be aimed at changing the destiny of the people. Referring to relations between the ruling and opposition parties, he said a vehicle cannot run on a single wheel. At the iftar, the prime minister and the Jamaat ameer sat at the same table. Leaders of the BNP and Jamaat were also present, along with members of the cabinet, lawmakers and leaders of various political parties.
