Global Turmoil: From Bangladesh Coup to US Election Drama

From South Asia to the West, turmoil continues to grip the world. The week started on a manic note. World markets crashed, there was fear of Iran attacking Israel (it persists), and Bangladesh ousted its longest-serving prime minister, Sheikh Hasina. In the UK, far-right violence, which started last week after the Southport stabbing, continued to spread. On Thursday, as the country was expecting more rioting, anti-racism protesters took to the streets. But is trouble over? We have been following the story closely.

In the US, Kamala Harris was officially nominated as the Democratic party candidate. The suspense over her vice president pick is over. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is her running mate. The two have already hit the campaign trail, which grabbed headlines for a joke. All this and more in our weekly wrap from around the world.

The anti-government protests in Bangladesh took an unexpected turn. After weeks of demonstrations, an army coup followed. Sheikh Hasina, who was in power for 15 years, was forced to resign at a 45-minute notice. She fled the country in a military aircraft. But how did Bangladesh get here? We explain.

Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka in a haste. But where would she go? She turned to India like she had in 1975 in her time of need. New Delhi accepted her request in no time. While the Bangladesh leader was at first expected to make a quick stopover, her stay is now extended. Her UK asylum request is in limbo and the US has revoked her visa. We take a look at why India is a trusted ally of Hasina’s.

Days after Hasina’s ouster, a caretaker government is at the helm in Bangladesh. It is headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Can he bring stability to the country? What happens next? And will Sheikh Hasina return to politics? We explain.

The United Kingdom has been on edge. The stabbings of children in Southport triggered anti-immigrant riots across the country. Cars were set on fire, hotels housing asylum seekers were attacked and miscreants clashed with police. More than 450 have been arrested for violent disorder. On Wednesday (7 August), 100 far-right marches were planned in Britain. The police staged one of their biggest mobilisations in history. However, the extremist protesters were overshadowed by anti-racism protesters. What’s going on in the country?

Ending days of speculation, Kamala Harris picked Tim Walz as her running mate. The Minnesota governor gained fame for giving the Democrats the “Trump is weird” strategy. He is said to have a sense of humour. In fact, in his first joint rally with Kamala Harris in Philadephia, he joked about his rival, JD Vance. “I can’t wait to debate the guy… That is, if he’s willing to get off the couch and show up,” said Walz. The Veep contender was referring to a post that surfaced online, saying Vance’s 2016 memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, included a passage about him having sex with a couch. The sofa story has gone viral now. But is there any truth to it?

It’s 2024 and often it seems like the world is regressing. Iraq is proposing a law to reduce the legal age of marriage. The minimum age currently is 18. However, if the controversial legislation is passed, it would allow girls as young as nine and boys as young as 15 to wed. This explainer tells you more.

Let’s talk about space. It’s where Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams is stranded. She went on a test mission with Barry “Butch” Wilmore to the International Space Station on Boeing Starliner on June 5. The duo were to return days later. However, more than two months on, they continue to be at the ISS. The Starliner has developed glitches and now there is concern that it might not be suitable for the two to fly back on. What then? Nasa is considering other options, including Space X’s Crew Dragon. This would mean the two astronauts would be back on Earth only in February 2025. Here’s why.

That’s all for this week. Your Sunday reading list is ready. And if you’d like to delve deep into the news with us, you can come back for more explainers here.

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