The government is set to purchase two LNG cargoes from the spot market at nearly double the usual price to avert a potential energy crisis triggered by the Iran war and supply disruptions. The approval for the urgent LNG purchase was given at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase last Wednesday. Earlier, Petrobangla Chairman Erfanul Haque said four LNG cargoes scheduled for March have already crossed the Strait of Hormuz, but two additional vessels expected on March 15 and 18 remain stuck. Petrobangla invited bids twice on Tuesday and Wednesday to purchase LNG from the spot market, but no bidders participated. The state agency later finalised the purchase of the two cargoes through direct negotiations in the spot market.

Bangladesh endured a tough evening but showed resilience and composure before eventually falling 5-0 to DPR Korea in their second Group B match of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 on Friday at Western Sydney Stadium. Bangladesh goalkeeper Mile Akter made several important saves while the backline absorbed constant pressure from the DPR Korea attack. Just two minutes later, Kim Kyong-Yong doubled the lead with a precise finish from the right side of the area to send DPR Korea into halftime with a 2-0 advantage. Despite the scoreline, Bangladesh continued to battle and showed flashes of attacking intent, while Mile Akter remained busy with a number of saves. While the result was heavy, Bangladesh can take encouragement from their composed first-half performance against one of Asia’s strongest sides.

LONDON, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Oil prices pushed higher while stocks dropped on Thursday as investors tracked developments on the sixth day of the Middle East war. Tehran also effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas travel, sending prices soaring. Iran said it had hit an oil tanker in the Gulf with a missile on Thursday, setting the vessel on fire. "In theory, such assurances should provide stability to markets that are sensitive to disruptions in oil supply," said Forex.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada. Energy intelligence firm Kpler said Wednesday oil tanker transits through the Strait had dropped by 90 percent from last week.

SAO PAULO, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Petrobras, Brazil's majority state-owned oil company, said Thursday that its profits nearly tripled last year thanks to record oil and gas output. The profit jump came even as sales slipped 2.4 percent to $89.2 billion, as total production was up 11 percent, the highest ever for the group. He attributed the growth to the company's focus on "quality projects that increase production, with high returns and quick cash generation." Brazil granted a license for the project last year despite opposition from environmental activists, and Petrobras had to suspend drilling in January after drilling fluid leaks. Left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has backed the exploration operation despite criticism from activists, arguing that oil revenues are needed to finance Brazil's energy transition.

HONG KONG, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Hong Kong pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai will not appeal his national security conviction that saw him sentenced to 20 years behind bars last month, his legal team said Friday, without providing a reason. His sentence is the harshest penalty doled out so far under a national security law imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong following widespread pro-democracy protests. Lai's legal team told AFP they would not provide an explanation for the decision to not appeal. In February, Lai's son Sebastien said the "draconian prison sentence is devastating for our family and life-threatening for my father". Meanwhile, Hong Kong's leader John Lee lauded the "severe" term as a demonstration of the city's rule of law.

INDIAN WELLS, United States, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams was sent crashing out at Indian Wells on Thursday, falling in three sets to French qualifier Diane Parry. "I think today is not the kind of day that you want to assess," she said. Dimitrov, a 2021 Indian Wells semi-finalist, now gets a shot at Alcaraz, who is undefeated in 12 matches in 2026 and beat Dimitrov in the fourth round here last year. Second-seeded Jannik Sinner of Italy launches his campaign for a first Indian Wells title on Friday, headlining the night session against Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina. Like Sinner, Sabalenka is chasing a first Indian Wells title.

Paralympics brace for tense opening as Russia comes in from the coldCORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, March 6, 2026 (AFP) - The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics start on Friday with an opening ceremony clouded by a boycott by several countries in protest at Russian athletes competing under their national flag for the first time since 2014. And athletes from countries including Canada, Britain, Germany and France will skip the opening ceremony to "prioritise athletic performance", IPC communications officer Craig Spence said. "I do think that it needs a lot of discussion because this is the third time in four Paralympic Winter Games that there is a conflict initiated in between the Olympics and Paralympics." Double Summer Paralympic gold medallist Lauren Parker will make her Winter Games debut when she represents Australia in the biathlon and cross-country events. El Salvador's cross-country skier David Chavez will make history in Val di Fiemme when he becomes the first person from the Central American country to take part in a Winter Games -- either Olympics or Paralympics.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a phone conversation on Thursday discussed implications of military escalation for regional security and stability in view of the ongoing war between Israel-US and Iran. During the conversation, he said, on behalf of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman expressed solidarity with the UAE and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries while the UAE President thanked the Bangladesh Prime Minister for the call and his kind concern. The premier also expressed sincere thanks to the UAE president and his country for taking care of the Bangladeshi people in the UAE, Shibly said. Shibly said, during the conversation, Tarique Rahman invited Mohamed bin Zayed to visit Bangladesh while the UAE President accepted the invitation. The UAE president sincerely thanked Bangladesh prime minister for the call and for standing by his country.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The raging Iran war, which has spread across the Middle East and beyond, entered its seventh day Friday after Israeli forces announced a "next phase" in the conflict and bombed Beirut's southern suburbs. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran," Trump told the publication, threatening more war in the future if a better alternative were not found. Israel responded with air strikes and sent ground troops into some Lebanese border villages, and on Thursday it targeted Beirut's southern suburbs, saying it was "striking Hezbollah infrastructure". "We fled from the suburbs, we were humiliated," one man told AFP, declining to give his name. "We're going through a very important page of our history and I'm not afraid," a 30-year-old Tehran resident told AFP.

KATHMANDU, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Counting was underway in Nepal on Friday, after a high-stakes parliamentary election that could reshape the country's leadership following 2025 protests that toppled the government. Key figures vying for power include a Marxist former prime minister seeking a return to office, a rapper-turned-mayor bidding for the youth vote, and the newly elected leader of the powerful Nepali Congress party. "Counting has begun in most places in a peaceful manner," Prakash Nyupane, a spokesman for the Election Commission, said Friday. Sushila Karki, the interim prime minister, praised the peaceful conduct of a vote she has said was critical in "determining our future". "Congratulations to the Nepali people for successfully conducting a historically peaceful election... thereby providing the country with a democratic and constitutional resolution," Karki said late Thursday after voting ended.

KYIV, Ukraine, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Hungary on Friday of taking "hostage" a group of Ukrainian bank employees who were reportedly transporting $40 million and nine kilograms of gold. Hungary is one of the few European countries to maintain close ties with Russia since its Ukraine offensive and has consistently opposed military aid for Kyiv. "Today in Budapest, Hungarian authorities took seven Ukrainian citizens hostage," Sybiha posted on X. The State Savings Bank of Ukraine, or Oschadbank, said its staff were transporting $40 million and nine kilograms of gold when they were detained. "We are talking about Hungary taking hostages and stealing money," Sybiha added on X.

WASHINGTON, United States, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The US government on Thursday temporarily eased economic sanctions against Russia to allow Russian oil currently stranded at sea to be sold to India. "This deliberately short-term measure will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government as it only authorizes transactions involving oil already stranded at sea," he posted on X. The sale to India will "alleviate pressure caused by Iran's attempt to take global energy hostage," he added, even though India has said it will stop purchasing Russian oil as part of a trade deal with the United States. In a rare effort to pressure Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Russian oil majors Lukoil and Rosneft last November. Those moves -- the most powerful by Trump against Russia over the Ukraine war -- saw major buyers of Russian oil scramble to find alternative suppliers.

MANAMA, March 6, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Bahrain said Friday that Iran had struck a hotel and two residential buildings in the capital Manama, correcting a previous announcement that two hotels and one residential building were hit. The attack came a day after an Iranian missile strike sparked a blaze at Bahrain's main state-owned oil refinery, as Tehran pressed attacks across the Gulf. "Iranian aggression targeted a hotel & 2 residential buildings in Manama," Bahrain's interior ministry posted on X, reporting "no loss of life". It said the attack sparked a fire in one of the residential buildings, which had been extinguished.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam and State Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat held a meeting today with the officials and staff of the CAAB in Dhaka. Photo: MinistryDHAKA, March 5, 2026 (BSS) - Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam and State Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat today directed Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) officials to ensure expatriate-friendly services at airports and enforce a zero-tolerance policy against irregularities. The directives came during a views exchange meeting with CAAB officials and staff at the authority's headquarters in Kurmitola here. Later, the minister and the state minister visited the Third Terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) to review the progress of its implementation. She also announced that the ministry would conduct surprise inspections to ensure service quality at airports.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan. File PhotoDHAKA, Mar 5, 2026 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan has stressed the need for ensuring accurate, precise and responsible dissemination of information alongside rapid flow information. Secretary of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry Mahbuba Farzana attended the event as the special guest. The information minister emphasized the importance of providing prompt, fact-based responses to counter fake news, rumors and propaganda. He said the Ministry of Information should function like a device where the soft content and soft power of information must be installed.