World

The Cuban government has closed its embassy in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito after being given a 48-hour deadline to withdraw its diplomatic personnel. In a communique published on Friday, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrex) criticized the ultimatum as unfair and denounced the expulsion decision, stating it "undermines the spirit of respect and cooperation that has historically characterized bilateral relations between the two countries."

The La Liga match between Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona is set for Saturday, March 7, at 9:00 PM local time (20:00 GMT) at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao. Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has expressed confidence that his team will not be derailed by injuries as they aim to secure a victory over Athletic Bilbao to restore their four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the league table. Their fierce rivals closed the gap with a 2-1 win over Celta Vigo, thanks to a late goal by Federico Valverde, making this match a critical opportunity for Barcelona to maintain their advantage in the title race.

The Israeli military announced it has begun a "broad-scale wave of strikes" on Iran's capital, Tehran. These attacks came after Iran fired missiles at Israel. Iranian state media subsequently reported an explosion in western Tehran following the Israeli announcement, as the conflict between the US-Israel alliance and Iran enters its second week.

Early returns from Nepal's general elections indicate a potential landslide victory for the newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), signaling a dramatic shift in the Himalayan nation's political landscape. According to the Election Commission, RSP has secured three of parliament's 165 open seats and is decisively leading in races for 110 more. If this trend holds, the party could capture a nearly two-thirds majority in Nepal's 275-member parliament, marking a significant departure from establishment politics.

Qatar has partially reopened its airspace after Iranian missile and drone strikes forced the country to ground all flights. This move marks a cautious first step towards restoring air links to one of the Gulf's most important aviation hubs, but it falls well short of a return to normality, with scheduled commercial flights to and from Doha remaining suspended until further notice.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has unveiled a plan to deploy as many as 100,000 members of the country's security forces during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Sheinbaum made the announcement during a Friday visit to a suburb of Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state, an area that had been struck by a wave of violence after Mexico launched a deadly military operation on February 22 against cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, who was killed in an exchange of gunfire.

The US Department of the Treasury issued a notice on Friday announcing that the US government has authorized a limited license for Venezuela's state-run mining company Minerven and its subsidiaries to export, transport, and sell Venezuelan gold to the United States, within the parameters set under US law. This move follows high-level discussions aimed at expanding mining activities in the South American nation.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) has ordered Peru to pay reparations to the family of Celia Ramos, a mother of three whose death resulted from a campaign of forced sterilizations during the 1990s. In a landmark ruling issued on Thursday, the court stated that the 34-year-old Ramos was coerced into sterilization against her will, causing an allergic reaction that led to her death.

The US and Israeli assault on Iran is being conducted at a pace that far surpasses other recent conflicts, according to research group Airwars. In a report published on Friday, the group stated that the initial days of the US-Israeli offensive resulted in “significantly more targets [hit] per day than any campaign in recent decades,” including Israel's war in Gaza and the US-led campaign against ISIS.

Until recently, Donald Trump portrayed himself as a president of peace, boasting about allegedly settling conflicts worldwide and even suggesting he deserved a Nobel Peace Prize. However, since the US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, Trump's actions have starkly contradicted this image, particularly following the use of US military might to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January. This shift is notable given Trump's repeated promises to end old wars and avoid new ones, a stance encapsulated in his "no more forever wars" mantra that resonated deeply with his MAGA base.

The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency has announced it will need an additional 45 days to establish a system for processing refund requests for tariffs recently struck down by the Supreme Court. The announcement came on Friday after lawyers representing CBP were summoned to a closed-door meeting with Judge Richard Eaton from the US Court of International Trade. Eaton had ruled on Wednesday that the US government owes refunds to importers who were charged tariffs under former President Donald Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a move deemed illegal in a February 20 Supreme Court decision.

India and New Zealand are set to clash in the final of the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup. The match will take place on Sunday, March 6, at 7:00 PM (13:30 GMT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Defending champions India have the opportunity to become the first team to win the T20 World Cup on three occasions, while New Zealand seeks its maiden title in this tournament.