Bangladesh’s Khaleda Zia hospitalised in ‘very critical’ condition
Ex-prime minister’s family calls for prayers for her early recovery after hospitalisation for a lung infection. Bangladeshi former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has been hospitalised in “very critical” condition, according to members of her party, as her family and supporters urged well-wishers to pray for her speedy recovery. Zia’s personal physician, Dr A Z M Zahid Hossein, told reporters late on Saturday that the 80-year-old politician, who was taken to the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on November 23, remains in intensive care. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list She was admitted with symptoms of a lung infection and Hossein said she appeared to be responding to the treatment. “At this moment, I can say her condition has been in the same stage for the last three days. In doctors’ language, we say ‘she is responding to the treatment’,” he was quoted as saying by the Daily Star news website. “Please pray so that she can continue to receive this treatment.” Hossein’s comments came a day after the secretary-general of Zia’s Bangladesh National Party (BNP), Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, told reporters that her “condition was very critical”. According to the Daily Star, Zia has “heart problems, liver and kidney issues, diabetes, lung problems, arthritis, and eye-related illnesses”. She has a permanent pacemaker and previously underwent stenting for her heart, the outlet reported. Activists in support of Bangladesh’s former prime minister, Khaleda Zia, hold a banner with her portrait as they pray for her recovery in front of the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka on November 29, 2025 [Munir UZ Zaman/AFP] Earlier on Saturday, BNP’s vice chairman, Ahmed Azam Khan, told reporters that an air ambulance was on standby to take Zia abroad for advanced treatment if her medical condition stabilises. Advertisement Zia’s eldest son, Tarique Rahman, who has been based in London since 2008, called on the people of Bangladesh to pray for his mother’s recovery. “We express our heartfelt thanks and gratitude for all your prayers and love for the highly respected Begum Khaleda Zia,” Rahman, 60, said in a social media post on Saturday. “We fervently request you to continue your prayers for her early recovery.” Zia, who served three terms as prime minister, was jailed for corruption in 2018 under recently ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, which also barred her from travelling abroad for medical treatment. She was released last year, shortly after Hasina’s removal. Despite her ill health, Zia has promised to campaign in elections expected in February 2026, in which the BNP is widely seen as a frontrunner. Waiting in front of the hospital since morning, Liton Molla, a driver for a private company, said he rushed there after hearing about Zia’s condition, describing her as his “dear leader”. “I just pray she recovers and can contest in the election,” Liton, 45, told the AFP news agency. “At this moment, Bangladesh needs a leader like Khaleda Zia.” Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, also issued a statement. “During this transitional period to democracy, Khaleda Zia is a source of utmost inspiration for the nation. Her recovery is very important for the country,” he said on Friday night. Adblock test (Why?)
One killed in ‘riot’ in Iraq’s Erbil after attack on Khor Mor gas field
Kurdish authorities say one killed, several wounded in riots in Erbil’s Gwer, as authorities try to restore power after attack on Khor Mor. Published On 30 Nov 202530 Nov 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share A group of “rioters” have opened fire at fuel tanker trucks in the northern Iraqi governorate of Erbil, killing at least one person and wounding several others, Kurdish authorities said, days after a rocket attack on the region’s Khor Mor gas field. In a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency late on Saturday, the Ministry of Interior of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) linked the shooting to the Khor Mor attack. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The rocket attack hit a storage tank at the gas field, which is one of the region’s largest facilities, late on Wednesday, leading to production shutdown and extensive power cuts. The ministry said the KRG sent liquid fuel to supply power plants following the Khor Mor attack, but that “a group of rioters blocked the road used by fuel tankers and civilians in Gwer, opening fire on passersby and travellers”. The shooting “resulted in the death of one citizen and injuries to several others”, it said. The ministry pledged action against the “riots”, saying “we will put an end to these acts of sabotage”. The ministry statement followed an earlier report by the Iraqi News Agency in which it said there had been armed clashes between the Harkiya tribe and security forces in Erbil, near the village of Lajan on the Erbil-Gwer road. The agency cited security forces as saying that the clashes, adjacent to the Lanaz Company refinery, had “resulted in fatalities and injuries”. Meanwhile, Iraqi Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has announced that the KRG has agreed with the company operating the Khor Mor gas field to restart production within hours to restore electricity. Advertisement The attack on Thursday on Khor Mor was the most significant violence since a series of drone attacks in July that cut production by about 150,000 barrels per day. “I have spoken with the company’s [Dana Gas] leadership to thank them and their workforce for their extraordinary resilience and determination amid eleven attacks on the Khor Mor field,” Barzani said in a statement posted in English. “I have urged [Iraqi] Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to hold the perpetrators of this attack accountable to the full extent of the law, whoever they may be and wherever they are,” Barzani added. There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack on Khor Mor, and authorities have not said who was behind the attack. Abdulkhaliq Talaat, a military expert and former official from the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, however, told the Rudaw news channel that the drone attack on the Khor Mor gas field was launched from an area under the control of Iraqi forces. The storage tank at Khor Mor is part of new facilities partially financed by the US and built by a US contractor, an industry source told the Reuters news agency earlier this week. The KRG exercises autonomy in parts of northern Iraq, where US companies have significant investments in energy. Adblock test (Why?)
Tens of thousands rally in Europe, demanding justice over Israel’s Gaza war
Tens of thousands of people have marched in cities across Europe, denouncing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and demanding tougher global action against its continued and deadly violations of a United States-brokered ceasefire. The demonstrations, held to mark the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Saturday, came as the death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza surpassed 70,000 people. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The latest victims include two boys, aged eight and 10, who were killed in an Israeli drone attack on the town of Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. In the French capital, Paris, an estimated 50,000 marched along the city’s major streets, chanting “Gaza, Gaza, Paris is with you” and “From Paris to Gaza, resistance!”. They also waved Palestinian flags while denouncing “Israeli genocide”. “This is not acceptable. We are still so far from justice or accountability,” one protester told Al Jazeera. “We, the people, know that this [Israel’s war] is wrong. But why do the people in power not feel that this is wrong?” asked another protester. Anne Tuaillon, head of the France Palestine Solidarity Association (AFPS), one of about 80 non-government organisations, unions and parties behind the call to protest, said that “nothing has been resolved” seven weeks after a ceasefire took effect on October 10. “The ceasefire is a smokescreen. Israel violates it every day, blocks humanitarian aid and continues to destroy homes and infrastructure in Gaza. We are calling for a permanent ceasefire and an end to the genocide,” she told the AFP news agency. Advertisement Protests were also held in London, Geneva, Rome and Lisbon. Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego, reporting from Paris, said that for the organisers, the march represents a “sustained pressure” on Israel at a time when negotiations for a more lasting peace in the Palestinian territory remain stalled. “This worldwide mobilisation is not just maintaining focus on Gaza, but also [on] the broader unresolved issue of Palestinian rights.” In the British capital, London, organisers said that up to 100,000 joined the march demanding accountability for Israeli “crimes” against Palestinians and pleading for “protection” of those still suffering under siege despite a ceasefire. In Italy, where mass demonstrations and union-led strikes have repeatedly mobilised against Israel’s war, the UN’s special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, and climate activist Greta Thunberg, attended the main demonstration in the capital, Rome. The Wanted In Rome news website, in a report ahead of the rally, said some 100,000 were expected to take part. In a statement posted on X, Albanese said that Israel is “committing genocide against the Palestinians” not just in Gaza, but in the occupied West Bank, too. “Look at the totality of conduct/crimes against the totality of the Palestinians in the totality of the land slated for ethnic cleansing. Israel must be stopped, and we will,” she wrote. Under the US-brokered ceasefire, Israel has pulled back to a so-called “yellow line” inside the Gaza Strip. But it remains in control of more than half of the besieged territory, and has launched several deadly attacks in breach of the agreement. Since the ceasefire deal, at least 500 Israeli violations have been recorded, resulting in at least 347 Palestinians being killed and 889 being injured. Fadi and Jumaa Tamer Abu Assi were aged eight and 10, respectively. Alaa Abu Assi, an uncle of the two boys, said they were “innocent children who have no rockets and no bombs”. “They were gathering firewood to help their disabled father, who has platinum plates in his legs. We went and found them in pieces, and we brought them back,” he told the AFP news agency. In a statement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that “the killing of so many civilians, the repeated displacement of an entire population and the obstruction of humanitarian aid should never be acceptable”. Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary, reporting from Gaza City, said that even as Palestinians welcome the international support, most “are simply trying to survive”. Advertisement “It’s a daily struggle,” she said. “Palestinians are suffering to get their basic necessities; they’re suffering to find shelter.” “There are lots of Palestinians still living in tents. They’re saying that they do not have any source of shelter. There’s no medication. Their children are without any education. The Palestinians are still dying slowly, despite the fact that it is ceasefire,” she added. On Thursday, rights group Amnesty International warned that “Israeli authorities are still committing genocide” in Gaza, waging new attacks and curbing critical aid access, despite the declared ceasefire. Adblock test (Why?)
Delhi MCD by-elections on Nov 30: 53 candidates in fray for 12 seats, results on Dec 3; all you need to know
The BJP held nine out of the 12 vacant wards where the by-election is scheduled.
Cyclone Ditwah: Chennai airport cancels 47 flights, IMD forecasts heavy rainfall in these states
Cyclone Ditwah, which is expected to make landfall in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Sunday evening, has killed 123 people in Sri Lanka, with another 130 reported missing. The extreme weather system has destroyed nearly 15,000 homes across the country.
Delhi MCD By-Election 2025 LIVE: Voting underway in 12 wards; BJP, AAP, Congress in fierce battle
Delhi MCD By-Election 2025 LIVE: The voting for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) by-elections in 12 wards began on Sunday (November 30), with 51 candidates, including 26 women, vying for 12 seats. The polling commenced at 7:30 am across 580 booths and will continue until 5:30 pm. The election will be seen as a reflection of public sentiment following the BJP’s dominant performance in February’s assembly elections, where they wrested power from AAP after 27 years. The BJP, AAP, and Congress are competing fiercely, with the BJP and AAP seeking to increase their influence in civic governance. The BJP has fielded 8 women candidates, AAP has 6, and Congress has 5. AAP is determined to regain ground after losing the assembly elections, but faces a setback with senior leader Rajesh Gupta switching to BJP.
Delhi-NCR’s air quality sees slight relief, AQI drops to 269, remains in ‘poor’ category; Check area-wise pollution levels
Delhi witnessed a slight improvement in the air quality on Sunday morning as the Air Quality Index (AQI) level shifted from ‘very poor’ to ‘poor’ category according to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
North Indian cities struggle with poor air quality, while Southern and Western cities breathe easy, reason is…
The analysis is based on the annual average Air Quality Index (AQI) data of 11 cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, Varanasi, and Vishakhapatnam. Read here to know details
1 killed, 2 injured as speeding Mercedes hits 3 in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj
The driver of the alleged Mercedes car, identified as Shivam (29 years), resident of Karol Bagh, New Delhi, has been apprehended, police said.
U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls won’t seek reelection, becoming sixth Texas Republican to announce exit from Congress
The Richmond Republican, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, made the announcement with days left before the deadline for candidates to file for the 2026 primaries.