US President Donald Trump said the decision on when to end the war with Iran will be a “mutual” one taken together with Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking in a phone interview, Trump said he and the Israeli prime minister had “been talking,” adding that he would “make a decision at the right time.”When asked whether Israel could continue the war against Iran if the United States decided to stop its strikes, Trump dismissed the scenario, saying: “I don't think its going to be necessary.”Trump also declined to comment on reports that Mojtaba Khamenei had been named the country’s new supreme leader, saying: “We'll see what happens,” according to a report by The Times of Israel, reports UNB citing BBC. He has previously expressed opposition to Mojtaba’s leadership, saying: “Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me.”

Iran marked the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father as its new supreme leader with a barrage of missiles against Israel and the Gulf on Monday, as the war sent oil prices soaring. The war came weeks after Iranian authorities under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei crushed nationwide protests against the government, killing thousands according to rights groups. Lebanon’s health minister said Israeli strikes have killed at least 394 people since the start of the war, including 83 children and 42 women. Saudi Arabia said Sunday that two people were killed and 12 wounded as a projectile landed in Al-Kharj province. Iran’s health ministry said Sunday that at least 1,200 civilians had been killed and around 10,000 wounded -- figures AFP could not independently verify.

Nine days after US-Israeli strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and plunged the Middle East into war, Iranian clerics picked the country’s third supreme leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In Bahrain, the health ministry reported 32 people wounded overnight by an Iranian drone attack on the island of Sitra. Saudi Arabia said Sunday that two people were killed and 12 wounded as a projectile landed in Al-Kharj province. Iran’s health ministry said Sunday that at least 1,200 civilians had been killed and around 10,000 wounded -- figures AFP could not independently verify. In Israel, Iranian missile attacks have killed 10 people, according to authorities.

Several blasts rocked central Israel on Monday, seriously injuring at least two people, emergency services said, shortly after the military reported it had detected new missiles launched from Iran. Paramedics were “searching a number of scenes and treating two unconscious males in serious condition,” the Magen David Adom emergency service said in a statement. The military said there were reports of several impact sites from the missiles. “Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the military had earlier said.

Photo : CollectedDHAKA, Mar 9, 2026 (BSS) - UNESCO has invited its Member States to nominate candidates for the UNESCO–Russia Mendeleev International Prize in the Basic Sciences (4th edition). This international prize is awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions to the development, dissemination of knowledge and international cooperation in the field of basic sciences. The scope of the prize includes important branches of basic sciences, including chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology, which are of great importance for innovation and sustainable development. The UNESCO-Russia Mendeleev International Prize in the Basic Sciences aims to raise awareness of the importance of these disciplines for peaceful and prosperous societies. The registration form and detailed information can be found on the UNESCO website:https://unesco.org/en/articles/call-nominations-4th-edition-unesco-russia-mendeleev international -prize-basic-sciences

TOKYO, March 9, 2026 (AFP) - The price of the main US benchmark for oil surged more than 30 percent on Monday over concerns that the Middle East war could create prolonged supply disruptions. At 0230 GMT West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up 30.04 percent at $118.21 per barrel, before easing slightly, while Brent Crude was 27.54 percent higher at $118.22.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, March 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A loud explosion was heard in Beirut's southern suburbs on Monday, an AFP correspondent said, amid the latest outbreak of war between Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and Israel. Plumes of smoke were seen rising from the southern suburbs after the blast was heard, the AFP journalist reported. The area, a Hezbollah stronghold whose residents the Israeli military ordered to evacuate, has been pounded by Israel over the past week but had not suffered any strikes since Saturday.

DHAKA, March 9, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons has insistedthat his side is determined to play their best cricket against Pakistan inthe upcoming three-match ODI series, with their primary focus on improvingtheir position in the rankings. Every ODI series Bangladesh plays ahead of the 2027 World Cup will be crucialfor securing direct qualification for the tournament. "If we get to seven or six by the time we qualify for the World Cup, that'sfine. "The wickets look better now. Simmons also said that Bangladesh have moved on from the disappointment ofnot playing in the T20 World Cup and are now fully focused on the Pakistanseries.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman attended Commonwealth Foreign Ministers Meeting in London. Photo : MoFADHAKA, Mar 9, 2026 (BSS) - Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman highlighted the importance of multilateralism at the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting in London, calling for concrete actions to confront existential global challenges, particularly climate change and growing economic uncertainty. Dr Rahman led the Bangladesh delegation to the 26th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) held on Sunday 8 at Lancaster House in London, according to a message received here from London today. Dr Khalilur Rahman held talks with UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Yvette Cooper where key bilateral issues and future cooperation were discussed. The foreign minister is also scheduled to attend the Commonwealth Day celebration at Westminster Abbey and join a reception at St James’s Palace today.

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman met United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Yvette Cooper in London. Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir accompanied the foreign minister during the engagements. Bangladesh has nominated Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman as its candidate for the position. The foreign minister will also attend the Commonwealth Day celebration at Westminster Abbey and join a reception at St James's Palace. The 26th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting brought together foreign ministers and senior representatives from 56 member states to discussglobal challenges and set the agenda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled later this year.

DHAKA, March 9, 2026 (BSS) - A court here today ordered the freezing of 445 bank accounts belonging to 61 individuals over alleged involvement in onlinegaming, gambling and laundering money abroad. Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz passed the order, accepting a plea filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The plea said former City Bank PLC official Sheikh Md Wajih Uddin allegedly deposited around Taka 51 lakh in cash into five bank accounts after beingdefrauded online. After reviewing the transactions, the investigators found indications that the accounts were linked to fraud, online gaming, hundi operations,laundering of local and foreign currencies, cryptocurrency trading and customs duty evasion. Therefore, the plea said, freezing the funds in the mentioned accounts is urgently necessary.

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman attends Commonwealth Foreign Ministers Meeting in London. Photo : MoFADHAKA, March 9, 2026 (BSS) - Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman led the Bangladesh delegation to the 26th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting in London, where ministers from 56 member states discussed strengthening multilateralism and preparing for the Commonwealth summit later this year. The foreign ministers discussed the current global situation, particularly the erosion of the rules-based international order and the growing challenges facing international institutions and norms. On the sidelines of the meeting, the Bangladesh delegation is expected to hold bilateral engagements with foreign ministers and senior officials from the participating countries. The 26th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) also marked the beginning of Commonwealth Day activities, which are celebrated annually across the 56-member organisation today, the second Monday of March.

Reading time: about 7 minutesStudents packed the Student Assembly’s Thursday meeting to debate two contentious resolutions: Resolutions 61 and 55. The resolutions focus on Cornell Tech’s partnership with the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and University-sponsored events that feature people accused of war crimes or human rights violations. “When this university extends an official invitation to an individual radically implicated in war crimes, it is not engaging in open inquiry,” Burns said. Levi Schmuel ’27 criticized Resolution 55 specifically for what he described as selective focus and ambiguous language. What's stopping you?”The Student Assembly heard more than an hour of public comment before continuing deliberations on the measures.

Photo : BNP Media CellDHAKA, Mar 8, 2026 (BSS) - The BNP Media Cell has decided to step up its activities to more effectively publicize the Prime Minister's nation-building initiatives and the government's development work. The decision was taken at a meeting held today at the BNP media cell office in Gulshan. Participants in the meeting held detailed discussions on strategies to highlight and disseminate information about the government's activities through various media platforms. The meeting was presided over by BNP Media Cell Convener Professor Moudud Hossain Alamgir Pavel. Among others present were Cell Member Secretary and Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, State Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Helal Uddin, State Minister for Social Welfare Farjana Sharmin and Additional Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Atiqur Rahman Ruman.

India opener Sanju Samson completed a remarkable turnaround to be named the Player of the Tournament at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The 31-year-old scored half-centuries in India's last three matches at the T20 World Cup, chiming in with a pair of Player of the Match performances against the West Indies and England before yet another impressive innings in the title decider against New Zealand. Samson revealed he sought advice from a host of more experienced players and even reached out to India great Sachin Tendulkar prior to Sunday's final. But with Abhishek Sharma struggling to find his best form, Samson found his touch to peak at the right time and help deliver India yet another t20 World Cup title. "To be very honest, this entire process started one-two years before, when I was with the 2024 World Cup winning team in West Indies.