Bangladesh's ousted leader Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death

Prosecutors accused her of being behind hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, calling the trial "biased and politically motivated".

Hasina was tried in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom died during the unrest last year.

Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity over her crackdown on student-led protests which led to her ousting.

Students clashed with the police during the 2024 protests in Dhaka

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over years of repression. Families of those killed and injured had called for tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a five-page statement, Hasina said the death penalty was the interim government's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League as a political force" and that she was proud of her government's record on human rights.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security ahead of the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics staging a rally and cheering as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a recent spike in unrest, with dozens of bombs exploded and buses set on fire in the days leading up to the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, local police official Jisanul Haque told the BBC.

The student-led uprising last year started with demands to abolish government job quotas but morphed into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators said in a report in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could amount to "crimes against humanity".

The report documented the shooting at point-blank range of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of others, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by BBC Eye earlier this year suggested she had authorised the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Ahead of the verdict, family members of those killed during the protests told the BBC they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

Lucky Akther, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "carried out before the election".

"Only then the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their hearts."

Since Hasina's ousting, an interim government led by economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A parliamentary election is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Awami League, Hasina's political party, was banned by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned last month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the upcoming election, millions would boycott the vote.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her extradition but so far India has shown no willingness to comply.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the verdict had been different".

"I even cannot appeal because my clients are absent; that's why I am sad," he added.

Last week, Hasina's lawyers said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN raising serious fair trial and due process issues at the ICT.

November has so far been exceptionally mild with temperatures 3-6C above average.

But that has now changed as a northerly wind is dragging cold Arctic air across the UK with temperatures now falling 3-6C below the mid-November average.

Cold-health alerts are in force across the Midlands and northern England until 08:00 GMT Friday.

These alerts are mainly for health and social care services, warning of "significant" impacts to more vulnerable members of the community.

Extra services may be required to deal with the colder weather.

Rain is forecast to spread south and east across the UK on Monday night and Tuesday, with the air is cold enough for this to turn to snow for some.

A yellow weather warning for snow has been issued for northern and eastern Scotland starting at 03:00 GMT on Tuesday and valid until 18:00.

There could be as much as 5-10cm of snow accumulating over the highest ground (above 400m) but even down to lower levels 2-5cm is forecast.

The snow could make some higher routes impassable and there could be some disruption to rail journeys.

During Tuesday there could also be hill snow in the North Pennines and the North York Moors.

Romantic comedy about a thirtysomething woman who is determined to take control of her life. She drinks, smokes and eats too much - and always chooses the wrong kind of man. More

The draw for the World Cup play-offs takes place on Thursday, and the results on Monday and Tuesday are crucial for Wales, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and, potentially, Scotland.

We know eight of the 16 teams who will be in the play-offs, but who fills the remaining places will determine the draw pots - and who gets home advantage in the semi-finals.

The 12 teams who finished runners-up in their group will be seeded into three pots by their world ranking. The fourth pot will contain the four teams who were awarded a play-off through performance in the Uefa Nations League.

Here's how the draw is shaping up, and how the four nations could be affected...

Delhi's alleged car bomb attacker named by investigators

34 minutes ago Share Save Geeta Pandey, Delhi, and Auqib Javeed, Pulwama, Indian-administered Kashmir Share Save

Reuters Last Monday's attack killed 10 people and injured 32 others

Indian investigators have named the man who they claim was driving the car that blew up last Monday near the landmark Red Fort monument in capital Delhi. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), India's counter-terrorism agency, named Umar Un Nabi as the "alleged suicide bomber" in the incident that killed 10 and injured 32 others. A doctor from Indian-administered Kashmir, Umar was working as an assistant professor in the general medicine department at Al-Falah University in Faridabad, a Delhi suburb, the NIA said, adding that it had established the driver's identity forensically. Umar's father and sister-in-law told the BBC that they "can't and don't know" anything about it.

The agency named Umar on Sunday after it said it had arrested a man - also a resident of Indian-administered Kashmir - in whose name the car used in the blast was allegedly registered. The explosion last week came just hours after Kashmir police said they had arrested seven men in recent weeks from different parts of India and seized 2,900kg of explosives from Faridabad - the same suburb of Delhi where Umar lived and worked. The NIA had last week confirmed to the BBC that they were investigating if the blast had any links to the arrests and seizure.

Faisal Bashir The BBC visited Umar's parental home a couple of days before it was razed

Even though the police or the NIA had not named him officially, Umar's name hit the headlines in India within hours of the blast. That night, his parents' home was overrun with security forces carrying out searches and four of his family members were taken into custody. They included his two brothers, sister and her husband, who are yet to be released. The family has faced other action too. Late on Thursday night, their home in a village in Kashmir's Pulwama district was demolished by the security forces. The BBC visited his parental home a couple of days before it was razed and found the family and their neighbours in shock. They said they learnt about the deadly events of Sunday evening and allegations against Umar from social media. Umar's photograph was all over the news channels and had gone viral. At his home, a dozen reporters and camera crews mobbed his father, a retired school teacher, asking him questions about Umar. What transpired on the night of the blast and the days after has irrevocably changed his family's life, he told the BBC. The family, he said, owned only one car, which was parked outside their home. "We didn't know about this car that the police are saying was involved in the bombing," he added. Several teams of investigators visited their home through the night, asking questions about Umar, including when he last visited home and when the family spoke to him. His father was too disturbed to answer more questions, but other family members and neighbours helped piece together what transpired that night.

EPA Umar's parents' home in a Kashmiri village was demolished on Thursday night

UN Security Council to vote on Trump peace plan for Gaza

The draft also raises the possibility of a Palestinian state - something Israel strongly opposes.

Its formation is a central plank of Trump's 20-point plan which last month brought a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in their two-year war.

The US says multiple unnamed countries have offered to contribute to the ISF, though it is unclear whether it would be required to ensure Hamas disarms or function as a peacekeeping force.

The text, submitted by the US, would give a mandate for the deployment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) and to set up transitional governance there.

The UN Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution backing Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza.

The battle over Gaza's future: Why no-one can agree on the rebuild

There have been intense negotiations over the draft text of the resolution, with Washington warning that any vote against it could lead to a return to fighting with Israel.

As well as authorising an ISF, which it says would work with Israel and Egypt - Gaza's southern neighbour - the draft also calls for creation of a newly trained Palestinian police in Gaza. Until now, the police there have operated under the authority of Hamas.

According to reports on the latest draft, part of the ISF's role would be to work on the "permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups" – including Hamas – as well as protecting civilians and humanitarian aid routes.

This would require Hamas to hand over its weapons - something it is meant to do under Trump's peace plan.

But in a statement published overnight, Hamas called the draft resolution "dangerous" and an "attempt to subject the Gaza Strip to international authority".

It said Palestinian factions rejected any clause relating to the disarmament of Gaza or harming "the Palestinian people's right to resistance".

The statement also rejected any foreign military presence inside the Gaza Strip, saying it would constitute a violation of Palestinian sovereignty.

The draft goes on to endorse the formation of a Board of Peace, expected to be headed by President Trump, to oversee a body of Palestinian technocrats that will temporarily administer Gaza and take charge of its redevelopment.

Following pressure from key Arab states, the latest text mentions a possible future Palestinian state, though without calling for one as the goal.

Even so, the inclusion of such a reference drew sharp reaction from Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after allies in his governing coalition criticised the draft, including threatening to leave the government if Netanyahu did not push back.

"Regarding a Palestinian state," he said on Sunday, "our opposition to a Palestinian state in any territory west of the Jordan [River], this opposition is existing, valid, and has not changed one bit."

Trump's peace plan in effect suspended the fighting between Israel and Hamas which had raged since Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israel on 7 October 2023. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage in that attack.

More than 69,483 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military action in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The first Ashes Test is only days away and I am hearing a lot of talk about the Australia team supposedly being in disarray over selection decisions.

Clearly, losing two quality fast bowlers in Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to injuries is a huge spanner in the works, doubly so when Cummins is the captain.

But what team wouldn't suffer if they lost two key players? England did not have Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer in the side for their last Test, against India at The Oval in July. They lost.

If you take out the scenario of the two injuries, Australia have only ever had one decision to make, which is around the top order.

Australia have not had a consistent opening partner for Usman Khawaja since David Warner retired at the beginning of last year. Five different men have been tried in the space of 18 months.

They have tried band-aid options, perhaps trying to replicate the success of moving Justin Langer up from number three to open with Matthew Hayden in the team I played in.

Realistically, if you lose an opener, you should replace him with an opener. You wouldn't replace a fast bowler with a wicketkeeper. For that reason, Australia will probably end the shuffling of the order, leave Marnus Labuschagne at number three and give a debut to Jake Weatherald.

From there, the rest of the batting order takes care of itself. Cameron Green drops to fill the all-rounder role at number six, meaning Beau Webster is squeezed out. It's tough on Webster, who has done nothing wrong.

The other criticism heading towards Australia is the age of the team. The likely XI for the first Test at Optus Stadium on Friday will only have Green under the age of 30.

I really do not see that as a problem in this Ashes series. The reason this team has grown old together is because it has been successful together.

With age comes experience. I played in a team in a similar situation in the 2006-07 Ashes. We only had Michael Clarke under the age of 30 and we won 5-0.

Maybe it will be an issue for the selectors over the next 12 to 18 months as players end their careers, but it's not one to be addressed now. So long as a player is performing, age does not matter.

I do wonder about the process that has led to both Cummins and Hazlewood being made unavailable for the first Test.

It feels like things have changed so much in the decision-making surrounding players, that backroom staff and those outside the dressing room might have too much influence.

We did not have routine scans. If you were not quite at 100%, but felt you could push through and play, you played.

Now there is a trend to err on the side of caution. If a player feels a niggle, he is told to rest.

If I had gone through routine scans, I like to think I would have been OK. I only had a short delivery stride, so there was not the strain on my back. It was in good condition when I played and still is today.

But my old new-ball partner Jason Gillespie reckons he would never have played a Test if he was put through routine scans. His back would have lit up like a Christmas tree.

The hope for Australia is Cummins and Hazlewood are fit for the second Test in Brisbane, because England will certainly view the home attack in a different light without them.