India ended Australia's title defence and booked their place in Sunday's women's World Cup final against South Africa after Jemimah Rodrigues smashed an unbeaten 127 to secure their thrilling five-wicket victory in the second semi-final on Thursday. Litchfield raced to a 77-ball century during a 155-run stand with Perry that took Australia to 159-1 at the halfway stage of their innings. India claimed quick wickets to apply the brake but Gardner (63) took Australia past the 300-mark before they were all out with one delivery left in their innings. A 167-run stand between Rodrigues and Harmanpreet (89) put India's chase back on track. Annabel Sutherland denied Harmanpreet a hundred but Rodrigues was spilled when the batter was on 82 and again on 106, which proved costly in the end.

Hurricane Melissa tore through the northern Caribbean and was seen picking up speed as it churned across open ocean towards Bermuda on Thursday, leaving a trail of high winds and destruction from Jamaica to Cuba and Haiti in its wake. Many schools remained without power or water, officials in the capital Kingston said. As of 1500 GMT, Melissa was packing winds of 105 miles per hour (165 kph), according to the US National Hurricane Center, downgraded from its peak to a Category 2 hurricane. Across eastern Cuba, authorities mobilised a massive evacuation effort, moving 735,000 people to shelters outside the hurricane's cone. Many Caribbean leaders have called on wealthy, heavy-polluting nations to provide reparations in the form of aid or debt relief.

The Election Commission has said it will take steps to reshuffle administration and police officials to ensure a level playing field following the announcement of the schedule for the next parliamentary election. It has also directed executive magistrates to increase vigilance immediately after the schedule is declared, to maintain law and order. The meeting ran from 3:00pm to 6:00pm at the Election Commission Secretariat, after which EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed briefed the media. He added that the home and public administration ministries have been reminded that once the schedule is declared, police and administrative reshuffles will follow. The EC will also issue formal notices to different departments when it announces the schedule.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is set to carry out a full audit of the power import deal with India’s Adani Group, alongside its ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the contract. An earlier ACC team had already been investigating the claims. “The new committee will review the structure of the agreement, its financial feasibility, potential losses, and any irregularities,” the official said. Before the ACC probe, the NBR had “found evidence” of customs duty evasion worth around $400 million in electricity imports from Adani. Following these findings, the NBR committee recommended that the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) recover the evaded amount from Adani Power.

Four arrested in Dhaka and Bhola over ‘robbing’ businessman in MirpurRapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested four people on charges of robbing a businessman’s house in Dhaka's Mirpur. The four arrested are Md Billal, Md Hossain Sohan, Bokul Bibi, and Kulsum Bibi. Of them, Billal was arrested on Thursday from Dhaka's Sadar Ghat area, and the remaining three were in Bhola. A RAB statement said the robbery occurred at the home of businessman Mohammad Ullah in the Mazar Road area of Mirpur on Oct 19. Afterwards, Mohammad Ullah filed a case with Darus Salam Police Station.

Police in India’s Mumbai have rescued 17 children from a hostage situation at a local studio, where a man was killed in an exchange of gunfire during a rescue operation. A large police team rushed to the studio and began negotiations with Arya, but he refused to release the children. Instead of dying by suicide, I have made a plan and am holding some children hostage here," he said, listing what he described as “simple demands, moral demands, ethical demands, and a few questions”. "I want simple conversations, and that's why I've taken these children hostage. NDTV reported that Arya worked at the studio and was also a YouTuber.

Police in India’s Mumbai have rescued 17 children from a hostage situation at a local studio, where a man was killed in an exchange of gunfire during a rescue operation. A large police team rushed to the studio and began negotiations with Arya, but he refused to release the children. Instead of dying by suicide, I have made a plan and am holding some children hostage here," he said, listing what he described as “simple demands, moral demands, ethical demands, and a few questions”. "I want simple conversations, and that's why I've taken these children hostage. NDTV reported that Arya worked at the studio and was also a YouTuber.

The interim government has approved the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2025, significantly expanding the commission’s jurisdiction and mandate. The approval came during a meeting of the Advisory Council on Thursday, where two other ordinances, the Artificial Organ Transplantation Ordinance and the July Memorial Museum Ordinance, were also passed. “We have now made it stronger, ensuring it becomes a genuinely empowered institution capable of addressing human rights violations.”Highlighting the new provisions, he explained that the definition of human rights had been broadened. “Beyond the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution, the commission will now have the authority to act on issues recognised under international human rights declarations and conventions ratified by Bangladesh, as well as customary international law.”The restructured Human Rights Commission will consist of a chairperson and four full-time members. Discussing the July Uprising Memorial Museum Ordinance, he said: “The residence of the ‘fascist’ ex-prime minister, now facing trial for mass killings, has been declared the July Memorial Museum.

Expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia to get legal support, says Advisor NazrulThe Advisory Council has approved Bangladesh’s first-ever bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia for recruiting Bangladeshi workers. On Thursday, Law Advisor Asif Nazrul said: “Around four million Bangladeshis live in Saudi Arabia. “This will play a major role in protecting the welfare and rights of Bangladeshi expatriate workers. The Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment had earlier announced on Oct 6 that the deal had been signed with Saudi Arabia to facilitate the recruitment of workers from Bangladesh. Saudi Arabia has been Bangladesh’s largest destination for overseas employment since 1976.

US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell holds a press conference after the Fed cut interest rates by quarter of a percentage point, in Washington, DC, US, Oct 29, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin LamarqueUS Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell holds a press conference after the Fed cut interest rates by quarter of a percentage point, in Washington, DC, US, Oct 29, 2025. The Fed on Wednesday cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, as expected, as a way to temper any further weakening of the job market. Even those who have emphasized the possible weakness in the job market agree the Fed should now move carefully. "A further reduction in the policy rate at the December meeting is not a foregone conclusion.

The interim government has approved the National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2025, significantly expanding the commission’s jurisdiction and mandate. The approval came during a meeting of the Advisory Council on Thursday, where two other ordinances, the Artificial Organ Transplantation Ordinance and the July Memorial Museum Ordinance, were also passed. “We have now made it stronger, ensuring it becomes a genuinely empowered institution capable of addressing human rights violations.”Highlighting the new provisions, he explained that the definition of human rights had been broadened. “Beyond the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution, the commission will now have the authority to act on issues recognised under international human rights declarations and conventions ratified by Bangladesh, as well as customary international law.”The restructured Human Rights Commission will consist of a chairperson and four full-time members. Discussing the July Uprising Memorial Museum Ordinance, he said: “The residence of the ‘fascist’ ex-prime minister, now facing trial for mass killings, has been declared the July Memorial Museum.

Police have given information about the arrest of the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Md Moshiur Rahman of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in a case pending before the International Crimes Tribunal. He was taken into custody while on duty at the CID office in Dhaka's Malibagh on Thursday. On Nov 12, the DB police took former ASP Alep Uddin, who was working at the Barishal Range DIG office, into custody. In addition to facing a murder charge during the July Uprising, Alep, a former RAB officer, has also been accused in the tribunal of involvement in enforced disappearances. Moshiur was arrested on charges of working as an “accomplice” to Alep while both served in RAB-11, according to the tribunal’s order.

Gas supply has been suspended in Brahmanbaria after a connection line was punctured, causing inconvenience for residential and commercial customers in the district town. He said the six-inch pipeline of the Bakhrabad gas transmission line was punctured after an excavator struck it, causing gas to leak. The contractor’s staff immediately informed BGDCL authorities, and a technical team rushed to the site. To repair the connection line, BGDCL later shut down the transmission line located in Sadar Upazila’s Ghatura. Engineer Shafiqul noted that, considering customer inconvenience, the technical team began repair work promptly.

DMTCL to offer job to widow of man killed in metro bearing pad accidentDhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) is giving a job to the wife of Abul Kalam, who died in Farmgate after a bearing pad from the metro rail fell on him. DMTCL Managing Director Faruque Ahmed said on Thursday that they are making efforts to arrange a position for Kalam’s wife Irene Akhter Pia “promptly”. “Later, if she attains higher degrees, we will offer a larger role in line with her qualifications. “We are working to complete this process as soon as possible.”Kalam, 35, died on Sunday afternoon after a bearing pad came loose from a metro station pillar and struck him while he was walking on the footpath. The government has assured the family of Tk 500,000 in cash and a job for a family member.

A Dhaka court has barred nine foreign nationals, including five founding directors of Ring Shine Textiles Limited, from leaving the country over allegations of embezzling Tk 2.75 billion. They allegedly submitted falsified documents to list the Dhaka EPZ-based company on the capital market. Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Sabbir Faiz passed the order after hearing a petition by the Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday. Abdul Kader Faruk, identified in the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) petition as the chairman of FAR Group, has also been placed under a travel ban. Four other foreign nationals, Xiao Liu Yi Chi, Chuk Quan, Hang Siu Lai, and Xiao Hai He, have also been placed under the travel ban.