Current Prime Minister of Bangladesh
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Xung đột vũ trang bùng lên đầu tháng 5/2025 giữa Ấn Độ và Pakistan, sau vụ tấn công khủng bố khiến hơn 20 du khách Ấn Độ thiệt mạng tại vùng lãnh thổ tranh chấp ở Kashmir. Ấn Độ tiến hành chiến dịch Sindoor để trả đũa, với cáo buộc Islamabad đồng lõa. Trong đụng độ Ấn Độ - Pakistan vừa qua, có một quốc gia khác được nhắc đến nhiều: Trung Quốc. Câu hỏi mà nhiều người đặt ra là : Có phải Trung Quốc là bên hưởng lợi chính từ xung đột Ấn Độ - Pakistan ? Lần đầu tiên vũ khí tân tiến do Trung Quốc sản xuất đọ sức trên quy mô lớn với vũ khí hiện đại phương Tây. Nhưng các lợi ích mà Bắc Kinh thu được không chỉ là vũ khí.***Trong cuộc xung đột diễn ra từ đêm ngày 06 qua ngày 07/05/2025, theo truyền thông quốc tế, hai bên đã sử dụng tổng cộng 125 phi cơ chiến đấu tham chiến trong vòng hơn một giờ đồng hồ. Đây được coi là một trong những cuộc không chiến lớn nhất trong lịch sử quân sự thế giới từ nhiều thập niên nay, theo đài Mỹ CNN. Không quân Ấn Độ chủ yếu sử dụng các loại máy bay chiến đấu do Pháp sản xuất như Rafale và Mirage và của Nga, như Su-30MKI và Mig-29. Phía Pakistan là các tiêm kích F-16 của Mỹ và các chiến đấu cơ JF-17 và J-10C của Trung Quốc.Chống vũ khí tân tiến phương Tây : Lần đầu tiên vũ khí Trung Quốc thực chiến trên quy mô lớn Trả lời AFP, nhà nghiên cứu Siemon Wezeman, Viện Nghiên cứu Hòa bình Quốc tế Stockholm (Sipri), nhận định đây là « lần đầu tiên kể từ thập niên 1980, một nước sử dụng một số lượng lớn vũ khí Trung Quốc với nhiều chủng loại khác nhau giao chiến với một nước khác ». Theo Islamabad, quân đội Pakistan trong cuộc đọ sức này đã bắn hạ 5 phi cơ đối thủ, trong đó có « ba chiến đấu cơ Rafale » Pháp sản xuất. Phía Ấn Độ xác nhận có tổn thất, nhưng không cho biết cụ thể.Các phương tiện truyền thông thân Bắc Kinh quảng bá rầm rộ cho chiến thắng này. Trang Asia Times có bài « Trung Quốc là bên giành thắng lợi lớn nhất trong trận không chiến Ấn Độ -Pakistan » (ngày 21/05/2025), thuật lại một cách hào hứng không khí chiến thắng với đoạn mở đầu như sau « những tiếng reo hò hân hoan nhất » là dành để « chào mừng các phi công Pakistan, lái máy bay phản lực do Trung Quốc chế tạo, bắn tên lửa PL-15 đầy uy lực, được cho là giúp bắn hạ 6 phi cơ chiến đấu của Ấn Độ, do Pháp và Nga chế tạo. Trung Quốc ăn mừng chiến tích của Pakistan. »Thực đơn Không quân Pakistan : « bánh mỳ nướng Pháp » và « sa lát Nga »Asia Times cho biết, để nhạo báng Ấn Độ và tuyên truyền cho chiến thắng, Không Quân Pakistan (PAF) đưa lên mạng bức ảnh chụp thực đơn « Bữa sáng của sĩ quan phòng không », với hai món « bánh mỳ nướng kiểu Pháp » và « sa lát Nga », ngụ ý các phi cơ của Ấn Độ bị bắn hạ rạng sáng ngày mùng 7 tháng 5.Đài Pháp France 24 có bài mô tả không khí phấn khích trên các mạng xã hội Trung Quốc như Weibo, sau khi Islamabad loan tin. Nhà sản xuất phi cơ Rafale, tập đoàn Dassault Aviation, không trả lời đề nghị bình luận của France 24. Việc các cơ sở liên quan của Pháp im lặng dường như xác nhận độ tin cậy của các tin tức loan tải. Theo một phân tích của Washington Post, do ba chuyên gia về đạn dược thực hiện, những hình ảnh được kiểm chứng tại địa điểm rơi máy bay cho thấy các mảnh vỡ « tương thích với ít nhất hai máy bay chiến đấu do Pháp sản xuất mà Không quân Ấn Độ sử dụng, bao gồm một chiếc Rafale và một chiếc Mirage 2000 ».Trung Quốc : Ít nhất là chiến thắng về hình ảnh trên truyền thôngKhông quân Pakistan chế giễu Ấn Độ đã lãng phí tiền bạc cho « giấc mơ 9 tỉ đô la » mua vũ khí phương Tây mới đây. Pakistan, quốc gia đồng minh của Mỹ, nhưng sử dụng nhiều vũ khí của Trung Quốc trong thời gian gần đây (với hơn 80% lượng nhập khẩu từ 2020 đến 2024, theo Sipri), hoan hỉ với chất lượng vũ khí Trung Quốc. Theo Asia Times, vũ khí Trung Quốc sẽ không những được Pakistan mua nhiều hơn, mà còn thu hút cả Ai Cập, Iran hay Ả Rập Xê Út, sau trận thực chiến vừa qua.Mặc dù vẫn còn quá sớm để « rút ra kết luận », chuyên gia về Trung Quốc Carlotta Rinaudo, thuộc Nhóm nghiên cứu an ninh quốc tế (ITSS) Verona, được France 24 dẫn lại, tin rằng đây quả là « một chiến thắng lớn cho Trung Quốc về mặt hình ảnh, đặc biệt là đối với một quốc gia mà về mặt lý thuyết, chưa từng tiến hành chiến tranh kể từ cuộc chiến tranh với Việt Nam năm 1979 và vũ khí của họ không có danh tiếng như vũ khí của Pháp hay của Mỹ ».Mắt xích chính của « Con đường tơ lụa mới » ở Nam Á: Quân đội Pakistan được lên dây cót tinh thần… Một lợi thế khác với Trung Quốc qua xung đột này là uy tín của Quân đội Pakistan bất ngờ được phục hồi. Pakistan là đối tác số một của Trung Quốc tại khu vực, và là mắt xích chính của Con đường Tơ lụa mới của Trung Quốc tại Nam Á, nơi Bắc Kinh đã bỏ ra hàng chục tỉ đô la đầu tư xây dựng cơ sở hạ tầng. Uy tín của Quân đội Pakistan khởi sắc, Bắc Kinh ắt hẳn hoan hỉ. Ngày 10/05, ngày chấm dứt chiến sự với Ấn Độ kể từ giờ trở thành một ngày lễ tại Pakistan. Chính quyền Pakistan muốn tranh thủ cơ hội này cổ vũ cho Quân đội, mà uy tín vốn bị sụt giảm mạnh từ nhiều năm nay.Phóng sự của đặc phái viên Sonia Ghezali gửi về từ Islamabad :« Pakistan muôn năm ! Bọn trẻ hét vang khi gặp nhau trên đường phố. Chúng được người lớn xung quanh cổ vũ. Đây là một cảnh tượng thường thấy trong những ngày qua ở đất nước này. Những biểu ngữ mang màu xanh lá cây, màu cờ của Pakistan đã trở thành hình nền của một số ứng dụng trên điện thoại di động, một số chương trình truyền hình và một số tài khoản trên mạng xã hội. Pakistan tự coi mình là bên chiến thắng trong cuộc xung đột vừa qua với Ấn Độ. Quân đội Pakistan - vốn mất đi hào quang trong những năm gần đây, bị chỉ trích và bị cáo buộc liên quan đến những mờ ám về chính trị - nay lại được tôn vinh.Ali, một người đàn ông đứng tuổi, sống ở Islamabad, lưu ý rằng cách nhìn đã thay đổi đối với Quân đội. Ông nói : ‘‘Đã có thời điểm, Quân đội mất đi một số lợi thế trong việc giành được sự ủng hộ từ người dân Pakistan. Nhưng giờ đây, Quân đội được ủng hộ mạnh mẽ. Quân đội đã giành lại được trái tim của người dân Pakistan. Tôi đã bảo các con tôi phải tôn trọng quân đội, tôn trọng những người đang trong quân ngũ, để bảo vệ chúng ta và bảo vệ đất nước''. Lòng yêu nước đang mạnh mẽ hơn bao giờ hết ở Pakistan, nơi mà cho đến gần đây người dân vẫn tỏ ra ngờ vực chính quyền. »… nhưng tình hình có thể sớm đảo chiềuTrong một bài trả lời báo Ấn Độ The New Indian Express, bà Christine Fair, giáo sư Đại học Georgetown (Mỹ), một chuyên gia về chính trị Nam Á, xác nhận việc trước vụ tấn công khủng bố ở Kashmir và chiến dịch trả đũa « Sindoor », tổng tham mưu trưởng Lục quân Asim Munir và Quân đội Pakistan mất uy tín nặng nề đặc biệt do việc đàn áp cựu thủ tướng Imran Khan. Tuy nhiên, chuyên gia Nam Á Christine Fair cũng nhấn mạnh là cho dù xung đột vừa qua có thể lấy lại một phần thiện cảm của dân chúng và lên dây cót tinh thần cho quân đội Pakistan, nhưng tình hình có thể xoay chuyển theo chiều hướng ngược lại trong những tháng tới.Đó là chưa kể xét về tương quan lực lượng, quân đội Ấn Độ vẫn mạnh hơn nhiều, và trong cuộc đụng độ vừa qua, New Delhi đã nâng ngưỡng tấn công trả đũa khủng bố, với việc oanh kích thẳng vào một số cơ quan quân sự đầu não của Pakistan. Theo báo chí Ấn Độ, trong cuộc chiến chớp nhoáng 4 ngày này, quân đội Ấn Độ đã dùng tên lửa Brahmos tấn công 8 căn cứ không quân chính của Pakistan, trong đó có sân bay Nur Khan, cách thủ đô Islamabad chỉ 10 cây số, và dùng drone tấn công Bộ tư lệnh Quân đội Pakistan, Sở Kế hoạch Chiến lược (SPD), phụ trách bảo vệ các cơ sở vũ khí hạt nhân, một căn cứ của cơ quan Tình báo phụ trách Kashmir (trang Hindustan Times, ngày 16/05/2025).Chiến tranh Ấn – Pakistan có thể khiến nhiều « nước dao động » Nam Á ngả về Trung Quốc Về vị thế của Trung Quốc sau cuộc chiến 4 ngày Ấn Độ và Pakistan, một số chuyên gia chú ý đến việc hàng loạt quốc gia « dao động » (swing states) tại khu vực Nam Á, như Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan và Maldives, có thể điều chỉnh chiến lược, và ngả hơn về phía Trung Quốc. Bài « How South Asia's ‘swing states' navigate India-Pakistan tensions » (Các quốc gia ‘dao động' vùng Nam Á lèo lái ra sao trong bối cảnh căng thẳng Ấn Độ - Pakistan), của hai nhà nghiên cứu Rudabeh Shahid và Nazmus Sakib, đăng tải trên Atlantic Council (15/05/2025), nêu một số nhận định tổng quan đáng chú ý về 5 quốc gia nói trên.Bangladesh, đa số dân cư theo đạo Hồi, đang trong quá trình chuyển tiếp chính trị gian nan, sau khi nhà lãnh đạo độc tài thân Ấn Độ Sheikh Hasina bị lật đổ. Lập trường chống Ấn Độ trong dân chúng có nguy cơ gia tăng, khiến chính quyền Dhaka có thể phải khẳng định lập trường độc lập nhiều hơn, và thậm chí đối lập với Ấn Độ. Bangladesh có thể sẽ phải chấp nhận để Trung Quốc đầu tư nhiều hơn vào các cơ sở hạ tầng của nước này.Đảo quốc Sri Lanka cũng đang tiến trình phục hồi sau khủng hoảng kinh tế. Việc chính quyền Ấn Độ của thủ tướng Narendra Modi cổ vũ mạnh cho chủ nghĩa dân tộc Hindu, có thể thổi bùng lên chủ nghĩa dân tộc Phật giáo ở Sri Lanka. Liên minh giữa các lực lượng dân tộc chủ nghĩa Ấn giáo và dân tộc chủ nghĩa Phật giáo Sri Lanka có thể làm gia tăng thế đối đầu chống đạo Hồi tại Sri Lanka, làm tình hình nội bộ đảo quốc này thêm căng thẳng, khiến nỗ lực duy trì thế cân bằng chiến lược giữa Ấn Độ và Trung Quốc của Sri Lanka thêm khó khăn.Bên cạnh các quan hệ quân sự mật thiết với Islamabad, Bắc Kinh cũng có chính sách về đập nước, khẳng định như là sức mạnh chính nghĩa, mang lại đảm bảo về nước cho Pakistan, hành động theo luật pháp quốc tế, chống lại chủ trương của Ấn Độ, dùng nước như một vũ khí trừng phạt đối thủ (theo chuyên gia về chính sách đối ngoại của Trung Quốc với khu vực Ấn Độ - Thái Bình Dương, Sana Hashmi).Tạo bất ổn, khiến Ấn Độ kém thu hút hơn với giới đầu tư nước ngoài ? Nhưng liệu Trung Quốc có thể kích động xung đột Ấn Độ -Pakistan để tiếp tục hưởng lợi ? Trả lời RFI, chuyên gia về Ấn Độ Olivier Da Lage nhấn mạnh, xung đột bùng phát dữ dội cũng gây tổn thất lớn cho Bắc Kinh :« Về mặt địa chính trị, Trung Quốc hậu thuẫn Pakistan và không thể để Pakistan suy yếu quá một mức độ nhất định. Nhưng mặt khác, Trung Quốc cũng có lợi ích ở Ấn Độ, có lợi ích kinh tế rất lớn ở đây. Và cuối cùng, tại vùng biên giới bất ổn giữa Trung Quốc và Ấn Độ, đã có nhiều cuộc đụng độ trong những năm gần đây. Nhưng trong khoảng một năm trở lại đây, đã có một quá trình xích lại gần nhau rất đáng kể mà Trung Quốc không thể bỏ qua vào thời điểm mà một cuộc đối đầu lớn đang được chuẩn bị, có thể là với Mỹ. Trung Quốc sẽ thiệt hại rất nhiều nếu xung đột bùng nổ tại một khu vực sát sườn. »Về vấn đề này, tại Ấn Độ cũng có quan điểm lo ngại là Bắc Kinh có thể hưởng lợi, khi không khí căng thẳng giữa Ấn Độ và Pakistan có thể làm nản lòng giới đầu tư nước ngoài trong bối cảnh dòng đầu tư đang có xu hướng chuyển một phần từ Trung Quốc sang Ấn Độ.***Tranh chấp về lãnh thổ giữa Ấn Độ và Pakistan bắt nguồn từ thời hai nước lập quốc, sau khi Anh Quốc chấm dứt chế độ thuộc địa. Các đối kháng, hận thù giữa người theo Hindu giáo và người Hồi giáo có xu hướng trỗi dậy mạnh mẽ trong bối cảnh đối đầu Mỹ - Trung ngày càng trở nên quyết liệt. Ấn Độ ngả nhiều hơn về phía Mỹ trong lúc Pakistan ngày càng gắn bó với Trung Quốc.Xung đột chưa từng có Ấn Độ - Pakistan từ hơn hai thập niên, đặc biệt với cuộc không chiến lần đầu tiên vũ khí tối tân Trung Quốc đọ sức với vũ khí phương Tây, có thể mang lại một số lợi thế nhất định cho Trung Quốc, nhưng nhìn toàn cục, một xung đột bùng phát dữ dội tại đây sẽ phá vỡ thế cân bằng vốn đã mong manh của khu vực, ắt hẳn cũng không phải là điều có lợi cho Trung Quốc, theo nhiều nhà quan sát.
VOV1 - Chính phủ lâm thời Bangladesh vừa ban hành lệnh cấm toàn diện đối với đảng Liên đoàn Awami, đảng của cựu Thủ tướng Sheikh Hasina. Lệnh cấm được đưa ra với cáo buộc liên quan đến các tội ác chống lại loài người trong cuộc đàn áp biểu tình năm 2024.
VOV1 - Cảnh sát Bangladesh vừa yêu cầu Tổ chức Cảnh sát Hình sự Quốc tế (Interpol) ra lệnh truy nã đỏ đối với cựu Thủ tướng nước này Sheikh Hasina và 11 người khác vì cáo buộc âm mưu lật đổ chính phủ lâm thời.
In this episode, Vanshika Saraf sits down with Rushali Saha to unpack the shifting dynamics between Delhi and Dhaka. More than six months after Sheikh Hasina's exit and a new interim leadership in Bangladesh, bilateral relations are at a crossroads. Can India recalibrate its strategy and move beyond megaphone diplomacy? How will Bangladesh's warming ties with Pakistan and China reshape the neighbourhood? And is there a way to restore balance in this historically cyclical relationship? Join them as they dive into the politics, power plays, and backchannel diplomacy shaping the future of India-Bangladesh relations.The PGP is a comprehensive 48-week hybrid programme tailored for those aiming to delve deep into the theoretical and practical aspects of public policy. This multidisciplinary course offers a broad and in-depth range of modules, ensuring students get a well-rounded learning experience. The curriculum is delivered online, punctuated with in-person workshops across India.https://school.takshashila.org.in/pgpAll Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/...Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
Kate Adie presents stories from Russia, the occupied West Bank, Bangladesh, South Africa and IndiaUS relations with its Western allies have been upended recently amid a rapprochement between Washington and Moscow. The BBC's Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg reveals how the warming of relations has been feted in the pro-Putin press, while ordinary Russians are seemingly more cautious.As the first stage of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel comes to an end, Israel's defence forces are in the midst of another major operation against armed Palestinian groups in the occupied West Bank. Paul Adams visited one of the region's refugee camps to see what impact Israel's military action is having on the thousands of people forced to leave their homes.Bangladesh remains politically unstable six months after the violent student-led uprising which brought down long-term leader, Sheikh Hasina. In the absence of political certainty, fundamentalist Islamic groups – previously side-lined in politics – have found fresh impetus, says David Loyn.Johannesburg in South Africa is often framed as one of the world's most dangerous cities - but there are signs of improvement, with both locals and tourists returning to explore areas once regarded as no-go zones. Ed Habershon met the Joburgers trying to change their city's image.Each year, in the south Indian state of Kerala, ancient folk rituals, known as theyyams, are held in family estates and around temples. Sara Wheeler went to watch the dramatic spectacles, where performers become living embodiments of Hindu deities.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill
Pakistan faces a major territorial challenge as the Balochistan independence movement gains momentum, with increasing protests and separatist demands threatening the country's integrity. Meanwhile, Bangladesh is in political turmoil following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina, as student-led protests have resulted in the formation of a new political party, raising concerns of instability. With the Army Chief warning of potential anarchy, the situation remains tense. These developments, coupled with shifting global dynamics and Trump's political maneuvers, indicate a period of significant geopolitical change.
Bangladesh's development story in the 21st century is often regarded as a model of resilience and progress. But on 5 August 2024, student-led protests and public unrest caused Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's prime minister, to resign and flee to India. An interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, took over. Six months on, Bangladesh's political and economic future is unclear. Imran Matin, Executive Director, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), is one of the experts in Bangladesh who are attempting to discover and communicate a clearer picture of the country's present – and its options for the future. He talks to Tim Phillips about how evidence-based policy can give the country a path forward.
President Trump reaffirms his Gaza plans amid a meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II, Austria's right and center-right coalition talks collapse, Russia rejects Volodymyr Zelenskyy's territory swap proposal, China changes its rules on publishing military secrets online, The UN accuses Sheikh Hasina's former government of 'crimes against humanity' in Bangladesh, Canada names Kevin Brosseau as its fentanyl czar amid US tariff tensions, The UK tightens citizenship rules for illegal entry cases, The FBI uncovers 2.4K new JFK assassination files, Trump fires USAID's watchdog, and Adobe launches its AI video generator, Firefly. Sources: www.verity.news
Governo deposto da ex-primeira-ministra Sheikh Hasina teria reprimido brutalmente a oposição; chefe de Direitos Humanos aponta responsabilização e justiça como fatores essenciais para reconciliação e futuro do país.
#cuttheclutter With the demolition of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's former residence 32 Dhanmondi, an iconic site of the country's liberation struggle, and calls for the assassination of former PM Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh faces new political unrest. In Episode 1603 of #CutTheClutter, ThePrint Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta looks at Hasina's fiery speech targeting the Yunus govt, Mujibur Rahman's life, Bhasha Andolan & revision of history books in Bangladesh. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To read FT Muhammad Yunus' interview article - https://www.ft.com/content/46c77787-6f22-4625-bf62-1df5d1f7e122 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To read The Daily Star article on textbook changes in Bangladesh - https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/education/news/primary-secondary-level-major-changes-coming-bangla-english-textbooks-3788301 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To read Michael Kugelman's article on six months of Yunus govt in Foreign Policy - https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/02/05/bangladesh-interim-government-protests-reform-hasina/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To read report on challenges facing Muhammad Yunus' interim govt - https://www.economist.com/asia/2024/12/12/bangladeshs-economic-progress-may-have-been-hyped --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To watch Sheikh Hasina speech - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI9vNNAuSQg
Gideon talks to Muhammad Yunus, interim leader of Bangladesh, who was invited by students to take charge after their revolution last July. He describes the alleged corruption that took hold when Sheikh Hasina was in office and his vision for a better future for the country. Clip: APFree links to read more on this topic:Bangladesh hires Big Four audit firms to review ‘robbed' banksTycoon threatens international legal action against Bangladesh over ‘destroyed' investmentsBangladesh's unlikely revolutionaries: an 84-year-old and some studentsBangladesh requests UK minister's bank account details in corruption probeBangladesh central banker accuses tycoons of ‘robbing banks' of $17bn with spy agency helpSubscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After student protests toppled Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year, New Delhi and Dhaka have been at odds. Indian politicians complain about Hindus being mistreated in the Muslim-majority country; Bangladesh's interim government fears that Hasina may launch a bid to return to power from India. It's the latest development in what's become an extremely complicated environment in what Avinash Paliwal calls “India's Near East”: India, Bangladesh (or East Pakistan before the 1970s), and Myanmar (or Burma before the 1980s). As Avinash explains his book India's Near East: A New History (Hurst: 2024), successive Indian leaders tried to get a handle on international tensions and ethnic conflict—and with a major external threat in China looming in the distance. Avinash Paliwal is Reader in International Relations at SOAS University of London, specialising in South Asian strategic affairs. A former journalist and foreign affairs analyst, he is also the author of My Enemy's Enemy: India in Afghanistan from the Soviet Invasion to the U.S. Withdrawal (Hurst: 2017) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of India's Near East. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
After student protests toppled Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year, New Delhi and Dhaka have been at odds. Indian politicians complain about Hindus being mistreated in the Muslim-majority country; Bangladesh's interim government fears that Hasina may launch a bid to return to power from India. It's the latest development in what's become an extremely complicated environment in what Avinash Paliwal calls “India's Near East”: India, Bangladesh (or East Pakistan before the 1970s), and Myanmar (or Burma before the 1980s). As Avinash explains his book India's Near East: A New History (Hurst: 2024), successive Indian leaders tried to get a handle on international tensions and ethnic conflict—and with a major external threat in China looming in the distance. Avinash Paliwal is Reader in International Relations at SOAS University of London, specialising in South Asian strategic affairs. A former journalist and foreign affairs analyst, he is also the author of My Enemy's Enemy: India in Afghanistan from the Soviet Invasion to the U.S. Withdrawal (Hurst: 2017) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of India's Near East. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history
After student protests toppled Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year, New Delhi and Dhaka have been at odds. Indian politicians complain about Hindus being mistreated in the Muslim-majority country; Bangladesh's interim government fears that Hasina may launch a bid to return to power from India. It's the latest development in what's become an extremely complicated environment in what Avinash Paliwal calls “India's Near East”: India, Bangladesh (or East Pakistan before the 1970s), and Myanmar (or Burma before the 1980s). As Avinash explains his book India's Near East: A New History (Hurst: 2024), successive Indian leaders tried to get a handle on international tensions and ethnic conflict—and with a major external threat in China looming in the distance. Avinash Paliwal is Reader in International Relations at SOAS University of London, specialising in South Asian strategic affairs. A former journalist and foreign affairs analyst, he is also the author of My Enemy's Enemy: India in Afghanistan from the Soviet Invasion to the U.S. Withdrawal (Hurst: 2017) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of India's Near East. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science
After student protests toppled Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year, New Delhi and Dhaka have been at odds. Indian politicians complain about Hindus being mistreated in the Muslim-majority country; Bangladesh's interim government fears that Hasina may launch a bid to return to power from India. It's the latest development in what's become an extremely complicated environment in what Avinash Paliwal calls “India's Near East”: India, Bangladesh (or East Pakistan before the 1970s), and Myanmar (or Burma before the 1980s). As Avinash explains his book India's Near East: A New History (Hurst: 2024), successive Indian leaders tried to get a handle on international tensions and ethnic conflict—and with a major external threat in China looming in the distance. Avinash Paliwal is Reader in International Relations at SOAS University of London, specialising in South Asian strategic affairs. A former journalist and foreign affairs analyst, he is also the author of My Enemy's Enemy: India in Afghanistan from the Soviet Invasion to the U.S. Withdrawal (Hurst: 2017) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of India's Near East. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies
After student protests toppled Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year, New Delhi and Dhaka have been at odds. Indian politicians complain about Hindus being mistreated in the Muslim-majority country; Bangladesh's interim government fears that Hasina may launch a bid to return to power from India. It's the latest development in what's become an extremely complicated environment in what Avinash Paliwal calls “India's Near East”: India, Bangladesh (or East Pakistan before the 1970s), and Myanmar (or Burma before the 1980s). As Avinash explains his book India's Near East: A New History (Hurst: 2024), successive Indian leaders tried to get a handle on international tensions and ethnic conflict—and with a major external threat in China looming in the distance. Avinash Paliwal is Reader in International Relations at SOAS University of London, specialising in South Asian strategic affairs. A former journalist and foreign affairs analyst, he is also the author of My Enemy's Enemy: India in Afghanistan from the Soviet Invasion to the U.S. Withdrawal (Hurst: 2017) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of India's Near East. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After student protests toppled Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year, New Delhi and Dhaka have been at odds. Indian politicians complain about Hindus being mistreated in the Muslim-majority country; Bangladesh's interim government fears that Hasina may launch a bid to return to power from India. It's the latest development in what's become an extremely complicated environment in what Avinash Paliwal calls “India's Near East”: India, Bangladesh (or East Pakistan before the 1970s), and Myanmar (or Burma before the 1980s). As Avinash explains his book India's Near East: A New History (Hurst: 2024), successive Indian leaders tried to get a handle on international tensions and ethnic conflict—and with a major external threat in China looming in the distance. Avinash Paliwal is Reader in International Relations at SOAS University of London, specialising in South Asian strategic affairs. A former journalist and foreign affairs analyst, he is also the author of My Enemy's Enemy: India in Afghanistan from the Soviet Invasion to the U.S. Withdrawal (Hurst: 2017) You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of India's Near East. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at@nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/asian-review
Day four of the truce reveals grim discoveries in Gaza, with 120 bodies found in bombed homes. While over 2,400 humanitarian aid trucks have entered the enclave, challenges persist. The aid flow offers some relief, but Gaza's recovery remains overshadowed by the devastation of Israel's 15-month brutal war. Türkiye declared a national day of mourning after a devastating fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu claimed at least 70 lives and injured 51 others. President Erdogan expressed condolences and vowed accountability for the tragedy at the popular ski resort. Calling for unity and compassion, he urged all sectors to respect the nation's grief during this difficult time. As rescue operations concluded, the country reflected on the immense loss and renewed calls for safety measures. Donald Trump kicks off his new presidency with a bold move, firing 1,000 opponents in his administration. His late-night Truth Social post announced the dismissal of key figures, including retired General Mark Milley. While Trump pushes to reshape the government, critics and even religious leaders urge him to prioritise unity and compassion, especially for immigrants. A report reveals that children were held in secret detention centres during Sheikh Hasina's tenure as Bangladesh's prime minister. Babies were reportedly used as leverage during interrogations, with mothers denied basic needs like milk. The commission investigating enforced disappearances uncovered multiple cases, including a pregnant woman beaten in custody. Hasina, now in exile after a student-led revolution, faces arrest for crimes against humanity. Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station produced oxygen and rocket fuel components through artificial photosynthesis. Using semiconductor catalysts, the Shenzhou-19 crew converted carbon dioxide into oxygen and ethylene, a key fuel ingredient. These experiments, crucial for long-term space survival, are part of China's push for a crewed moon mission by 2030.
Political correspondent Kiran Stacey traces the allegations of corruption against Labour MP Tulip Siddiq that caused her to resign from her ministerial role in Keir Starmer's government. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
What is the story that links a Labour MP, a ransacked Bangladeshi palace, a free Hampstead property and Vladimir Putin? Today we delve into the curious tale that links the MP for Hampstead, Tulip Siddiq - the economic and anti-corruption minister - with the fall of a powerful and possibly autocratic Bangladeshi deposed leader, Sheikh Hasina, her aunt. What are the charges being levelled? And has Siddiq been transparent with everything she's acquired and admitted between them? We talk to the Sunday Times journalist who's just returned from the Bangladeshi prime ministerial palace, Gabriel Pogrund. Later, the LA fires have been doused in misinformation. What criticism of the government in California is legit? And what has just been made up by fantasists for political gain?Tickets to The News Agents Live On Stage with HSBC UK are now on sale! You can get your tickets for Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh here: https://articles.globalplayer.com/7giHoMavXLgdrd6gaC3GxWG7T8Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis DegenhardtProducer: Natalie IndgeDigital Editor: Michaela WaltersSocial Media Editor: Georgia FoxwellVideo Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind BadewalDigital Journalist: Michael BaggsYou can watch Lewis's special report on the abortion crisis in America here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df5BCL0ocFEDon't forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents USA now have merch! Click here to buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agentsYou can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Vorig jaar was het jaar van een grote politieke omwenteling in Bangladesh. Onverwachts leidde een studentenprotest tot de afzetting van de autoritaire premier Sheikh Hasina. Correspondent Lisa Dupuy sprak met één van die studenten en ziet hoe Bangladesh zichzelf opnieuw moet uitvinden. Want hoe ga je verder na een bloedige revolutie?Gast: Lisa DupuyPresentatie: Gabriella AdèrRedactie: Ignace SchootMontage: Bas van WinCoördinatie: Ignace SchootHeb je vragen, suggesties of ideeën over onze journalistiek? Mail dan naar onze ombudsman via ombudsman@nrc.nl.Zie het privacybeleid op https://art19.com/privacy en de privacyverklaring van Californië op https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
From the youth uprising of Bangladesh in summer of 2024 which overthrew the Awami-led government, a new nation is beginning to sprout. Watch and listen to the interview on RTL Today. Bangladesh doesn't hit international headlines so often unless it's for cyclone reasons. It's been quiet and slightly hidden from global news discussion. Why was that? Well last summer, the youth of Bangladesh ensured their desires for their country was heard. During July and August 2024, the youth of Bangladesh rose up against the Awami League-led government of Bangladesh, with nearly a thousand young people killed. Sheikh Hasina was the longest serving Prime minister, and is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh. Her regime was known to be authoritarian and she's now in self-imposed exile since the uprising. In October 2024, a team of ten students and three teachers from various Luxembourg high schools, who had been corresponding with Friendship secondary schools in Bangladesh for over a year, went to meet the young people and learn about some of the challenges of Bangladesh. On my show this week, Aysha Siddiqua Tithi and Mir Mahbubur Rahman (Snigdho) talk about their experience, losses and the future they hope for. Mir Snigdho, 25, is the twin brother of Mir Mugdho, who was shot dea by police whilst trying to supply water to demonstrators. His twin brother Snigdho now heads up the July Shaheed Smrity Foundation, to help the victims of the violence of July-August 2024. Mir Mahbubur Rahman (Snigdho), has a background in law and a passion for social impact and the “transformative power of collective action”. Aysha Siddiqua Tithi, 22, is a 3rd year university student who was at the forefront of the July protests and accompanied Professor Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (2006) and current Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, to the United Nations General Assembly last September. Tithi is Project Director at WOOW (Work for Orientation and Organizing the World), and currently a third-year Computer Science student at BRAC University. Snigdho encompasses the passion these young people have in turning the weight of history into something positive for Bangladesh: “The Quota Movement of 2024 was a moment of sacrifice and resilience. The Movement is deeply personal to me because I lost my own (identical twin) brother during this struggle. His sacrifice has been a profound source of inspiration, driving me to work tirelessly toward building a better future for those who have faced similar losses. This tragedy has given me a strong sense of purpose, motivating me to ensure that every sacrifice is honoured and that no one is left behind in our collective fight for justice and equality. “Witnessing the struggles of my family and of those who fought for equality and justice has inspired me to dedicate myself to ensuring their voices are not forgotten. Through the foundation, I work to provide financial assistance, healthcare, and emotional support to the martyrs and injured, keeping alive the spirit of hope and solidarity that emerged from the movement. This experiences has profoundly shaped my vision for a stronger Bangladesh. I won't let my brother's death be in vain. “I see Bangladesh 2.0 as a land of opportunity, innovation, and inclusion—a nation where the dreams of all citizens are supported and valued. With the right blend of education, leadership, and global collaboration, I believe we can overcome systemic challenges and create a brighter future. My goal is to be part of this transformation, using the skills and knowledge I acquire to contribute meaningfully to the country's development”
In the aftermath of Bangladesh's political unrest and the student-led protests that led to the collapse of Sheikh Hasina's government in August 2024, the country is facing a period of transition and uncertainty. Amid the chaos, harrowing videos and reports of violent attacks against the Hindu minority flooded social media—images of burning buildings, horrifying violence, and women weeping as they pleaded for help. However, some began to doubt the veracity and authenticity of these videos after they seemed to be sensationalised by right-wing influencers and news outlets in neighbouring India.Despite this, shocking new videos of alleged attacks continue to appear on social media, with little or no acknowledgement from a world that is now questioning their legitimacy. In the first episode of a two-part series for BBC World Service's Heart & Soul, reporter Sahar Zand travels to Bangladesh to investigate the truth behind the contradictory news headlines and the contrasting videos emerging daily online. There, Sahar follows two Hindu university students, Sukanto and Banamali, who have made it their mission to verify and document what they describe as brutal assaults on their community, determined to set the record straight.Sahar follows Sukanto and Banamali as they travel to some of the worst-affected areas, and sees and hears firsthand accounts of homes burned, families separated, temples desecrated, and entire villages torn apart by mob violence. Despite their tireless efforts to report the truth, the two friends say that the Hindu experience in Bangladesh has been met with silence from both the world's media and the country's authorities. Producer: Sahar Zand Executive producer: Rajeev Gupta
A version of this essay has been published by Open Magazine at https://openthemagazine.com/columns/shadow-warrior/I have been thinking about the ongoing vilification of Hindus in the media/social media for some time, e.g. the Economist magazine's bizarre choice of Bangladesh as its country of the year while Bangladeshis are genociding Hindus. The simplest way I could account for it is as the very opposite of Milan Kundera's acclaimed novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being. There is some karma at play here, and it is very heavy.The nation of immigrants, or to be more precise, its Deep State, is apparently turning against some of its most successful immigrants: law-abiding, tax-paying, docile ones. Irony, while others go on murderous sprees. In an insightful article in Open magazine, Amit Majmudar explains Why They Hate Us.There has been an astonishing outpouring of pure hatred against Indians in general, and Hindus in particular, on the Internet in the wake of Sriram Krishnan's seemingly accurate statement that country caps on H1-B visas are counterproductive. But this was merely a spike: for at least a year, Hindus have been vilified and name-called as “pajeets” and “street-shi**ers” on the net.It is intriguing that in 2024, both Jews and Hindus have been targeted: Jews by the extreme left on Gaza, and Hindus by both the extreme left and the extreme right, on what is, basically, a non-issue. H1-B is a very minor issue compared to, say, the wars and the US national debt.In fact, the H1-B brouhaha may well turn out to be a medium-term plus for India if it compels young Indians to seek employment at home. It will of course be a minus for the million-plus Indian-origin individuals who are in line for Green Cards, given the per-country cap of 9800 per year: mathematically, it will take them over a century to gain permanent residence.From the host country's point of view too, it is necessary to distinguish between generally desirable immigrants who contribute to the national wealth, as opposed to others who are a net burden on the exchequer, as I wrote recently.On reflection I attribute the withering assault on Hindus to four things: racism, religious bigotry, economics and geo-economics, and narrative-building.Presumably, all this had something to do with British colonial propaganda, which painted India as an utterly horrifying and pestilential country. Motivated and prejudiced imperialists ranging from James Mill to Winston Churchill were considered truthful historians. And it continues. I mentioned above the Economist magazine's baffling decision to certify Bangladesh's Islamist reign of terror.In another instance, in the Financial Times, a British chess correspondent (a nonagenarian named Leonard Barden), was underwhelmed by D Gukesh's staggering feat of becoming world champion at a teenager, and seemed to suggest that a) Gukesh won because his opponent Ding Liren of China was ill, b) Gukesh would have lost to either of two Americans, Caruana and Nakamura (both immigrants to the US, incidentally) if they had been in the fray. Barden, who probably remembers imperial times, also seemed to think poorly of the emerging Indian challenge in chess. These Anglosphere prejudices affect Americans.I also have some personal experience of American racism, as someone who went to the US on a student visa, got his Green Card and stayed on for twenty years before returning to India. A factor in my return was alienation, and the feeling of being an unwanted outsider, engendered by casual racism, even though on the face of it, I had a great life: good job in Silicon Valley, nice house, dream car. Obama's and Biden's regimes did nothing to change that feeling. Trump's second coming may not either.RacismIn general, I find Americans to be very nice people, gregarious, friendly and thoughtful: I had a number of good friends when I lived there. But I also think that racism is inbuilt into the culture (after all, it has not been that long since Brown v. Board of Education, Bull Connor, Jim Crow, George Wallace; and earlier the Asian Exclusion Act).There have been many acts of discrimination and racism against Hindus (although the term “Hindoo” [sic] included Sikhs and Muslims as well). See, e.g., the serious anti-Indian riots in Bellingham, WA in 1907 when “500 working class white men violently expelled Hindoo migrants from the city”. (both images courtesy @Hindoohistory on Twitter).Another remarkable story was the saga of Bhagat Singh Dhind, a Sikh, who was granted US citizenship three times, only to have it be taken away twice. The first time, in 1913, it was because, although ‘Hindoos' are Caucasians, they are not white. The second time, because the Supreme Court ruled in 1923 (US v Bhagat Singh Thind) that it would retrospectively cancel the citizenship of some 77 naturalized ‘Hindoos' based on the 1917 Immigration Act.The “Barred Zone” provision in that 1917 Act denied citizenship to Indians and Southeast Asians by making a large swathe of territory in Asia verboten. Curiously, Japanese, Koreans and some Chinese were exempt. Iranians, some Afghans (and some Baloch, if you look at the map closely) were deemed white. So far as I know, that is still the working definition of “white” in the US. (source: qz.com)There were real human costs: there is the sad story of Vaishno Das Bagai, a San Francisco businessman, who was rendered stateless after denaturalization, and seeing no way out (he was a Ghadar Party activist against British rule in India) committed suicide.Anyway, Dhind, evidently a persistent fellow, got his citizenship a third time because he had served in the US Army in World War I. Third time lucky: his citizenship was not revoked again.After the Luce-Celler Act of 1946, 100 Indians and 100 Filipinos a year were allowed to immigrate to the US, with the prospect of future naturalization as US citizens. Race based limitations were replaced with a quota system by the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act (aka McCarran-Walter Act), but it still retained significant caps based on national origin; that Act also introduced the H-1 category for skilled immigrants.As a result of all this, the number of Indian immigrants to the US (e.g. nurses) started going up. The general euphoria surrounding the Civil Rights Movement also conferred a certain respect upon Gandhi, because Martin Luther King reportedly was inspired by his non-violent techniques of protest.But that did not mean US blacks made common cause with Indians, because often unofficial ‘minority quotas' were achieved by bringing in Indians and Chinese, which in effect meant blacks did not get the jobs they legitimately spilled their blood for.I was one of those who went through the ‘labor certification' process in the 1980s, when it was relatively easy to get a Green Card because there were very few Indians applying. The trickle became a flood after the Y2K issue when a lot of Indians arrived on H1-Bs.I personally experienced mild forms of public racism, for instance from Latinos in New Jersey calling me a ‘dot-head', to an unseen voice shouting “No Indians wanted here” when I was being shown apartments in NJ. This was around the time Navroze Mody was beaten to death in Hoboken, NJ by ‘Dotbusters'.Later, there were whites asking if I were leaving the country when I walked out of a mall with a suitcase in Fremont, California. When I said yes, they expressed their approval.Religious bigotryThe death of former US President Jimmy Carter at the age of 100 is a reminder of the power of fundamentalist Christians in the US. He was a faithful member of the Baptist Church, and in his eulogies, he was praised as a simple and decent man who upheld his Christian beliefs.But the impression of Baptists, and American evangelists in general, in India is vastly different. They were implicated in the story of the fervid young American man who attempted to evangelize the famously hostile tribals of North Sentinel Island. They promptly shot him dead with arrows for his pains.The result of Christian conversion in India has often been negative, contrary to pious platitudes. It has created severe fissures in society, turning family members against each other. The net result of conversion has been to create separatism.Verrier Elwin, a missionary, converted large numbers of people in the Northeast of India, and the result has been calls for a separate Christian nation in that area. Sheikh Hasina, before being deposed, claimed that there were plans afoot for a Christian “Zo” nation, for Zo/Kuki/Mizo/Naga converted tribals, to be carved out of India and Bangladesh.There are precedents, of course: the Christian nations of South Sudan (from Sudan) and East Timor (from Indonesia).The Indian state of Manipur which has seen a lot of conversion recently, is also troubled, with armed Kuki Christian terrorists killing Hindu Meiteis. .The bottom line is that the very precepts of Abrahamisms, of an exclusive god (or god-equivalent), an in-group out-group dichotomy, and the demonization of non-believers as the Other, are antithetical to the Hindu spirit of inclusivity and tolerance.Hindumisia or Hindu hatred is rampant in the West, and increasingly on the Internet. The evolution of this hostility can be seen in a taxonomy of monotheistic religions:* paleo-Abrahamisms: Zoroastrianism, Judaism* meso-Abrahamisms: Christian, Islamic religions* neo-Abrahamisms: Communism, Fascism, Nazism, DMK-ism, Ambedkarism, and so onThe arrival of Christians in India was far from peaceful; the historical record shows that the Jesuit Francis Xavier was proud of his idol-breaking. Claude Buchanan made up lurid tales about his alleged encounters with Hindu practices; William Bentinck and his alleged abolition of sati were lionized far beyond reason, because sati was a very isolated practice.The continued deprecation of Hindus by Christians can be seen vividly in Kerala, where Christians are considerably more prosperous than Hindus (data from C I Issac, himself a Christian and a historian). Here's an American of Kerala Christian descent hating on Hindus, perhaps unaware that “Thomas in India” is pure fiction, and that Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Christians in India, was a fanatic and a bigot. ‘Syrian' Christians of Kerala who claim (without proof) to be ‘upper caste' converts discriminate harshly against ‘lower-caste' converts to this day. Hardly all ‘children of god'.Incidentally, there may be other, political, considerations here. This woman is apparently married into the family of Sydney Blumenthal, which is part of the Clinton entourage, i.e. Democrat royalty. Tablet magazine discussed the ‘permission structure' used by Democrats, especially Obama, to manufacture consent. Hindus may be getting ‘punished' for supporting Trump.I personally experienced Christian bigotry against Hindus at age 10 in Kerala. My classmate Philip (a local Malayali) told me casually: “All your gods are our devils”. Reflexively, I told him, “Your gods are our devils, too”, although no Hindu had ever told me Christian gods were devils.Others have told me identical stories from places like Hyderabad. This meme likely came from Francis Xavier himself. It may well be taught to impressionable children as an article of faith in church catechism.Francis Xavier invited the Inquisition to Goa, and many, if not most, of the victims were Hindus. Here's an account from Empire of the Soul by Paul William Roberts:“The palace in which these holy terrorists ensconced themselves was known locally as Vadlem Gor – the Big House. It became a symbol of fear… People in the street often heard screams of agony piercing the night… Children were flogged and slowly dismembered in front of their parents, whose eyelids had been sliced off to make sure they missed nothing. Extremities were amputated carefully, so that a person would remain conscious even when all that remained was a torso and head. Male genitalia were removed and burned in front of wives, breasts hacked off and vaginas penetrated by swords while husbands were forced to watch”.Below is a tweet by another American presumably suffused with Christian compassion. I am reminded of a Kerala Christian woman repeatedly trying to convert a Scheduled Caste friend, using similar memes denigrating Kali. Finally, my friend got fed up and asked her: “You worship the mutilated corpse of a dead Arab stuck on a stick. And that's better?”. Her jaw dropped, and she blubbered: “But… but, that's a metaphor”. My friend retorted: “Then realize that Kali is a metaphor too”. Not much self-awareness on the part of the would-be converter.Therefore, the religion factor, of Hindus being the ultimate Other, cannot be overstated. There is basically no way to reconcile the Hindu world view with the Christian. Dharma is incompatible with Abrahamisms/Semitisms. And no, it's not Jimmy Carter who's relevant, it's Francis Xavier.Economics and Geo-economicsThere is a serious issue with the engineering community in the US, which has nothing to do with the H1-B program. Engineers have been unable to unite, create a cartel, keep their numbers low and value to the consumer high, and bargain to keep salaries high. This is a signal failure on the part of the US engineers, and blaming others isn't going to solve the problem.Consider, in contrast, doctors (and to a lesser extent, nurses). They keep their numbers very low, successfully portray their contribution to society as very high, and keep out foreign doctors as much as possible: the result is that their salaries are astronomical (a recent Medscape survey suggests that the top-earning specialty, Orthopedics, earns an average of $568,000 a year. And that's the average).In contrast, according to Forbes in 2023 the highest-paid engineering specialty, Petroleum Engineering, earned only $145,000, and in fact wages had actually declined. Even much-ballyhooed software engineers ($103,000 ) and AI engineers ($128,000) make very little. And lest you think H1-B depresses wages, there are almost no H1-B petroleum engineers. The bottom line is that engineering is not a high-income occupation in the US. Why? No syndicate.How about nurses? According to a report, Nurse Anesthetists make an average of $214,000.And there are plenty of Indian-origin doctors and nurses in the US. Why does this not create a hue-and-cry? The answer is two-fold: one, the scarcity value, and two, those in medicine have created a narrative, and the public has bought it, that their services are so valuable that the nation must spend 20% of its GDP on what is, by objective measures, pretty poor outcomes in health: ranking tenth out of 10 in high-income countries, at very high cost.There have been grumbles about the helplessness of American engineers for years: I remember forty years ago some guy whose name I forget constantly complaining in the IEEE's email groups about immigrant engineers enabling employers to lower the salaries they pay.In addition, engineers regularly go through boom-and-bust cycles. They have no leverage. I remember after a boom period in the 1970s, unemployed aerospace engineers were driving taxis. If there is another ‘AI winter', then we'll find unemployed AI engineers on the street as well, despite massive demand right now.It is true that there may be subtle intricacies, too. The US companies that contract out their positions to H1-B engineers may well be paying prevailing wages, say $60 an hour. But there are middlemen: big IT services companies who take on the contracts, and provide ‘body-shopping' services. They may well be severely underpaying the actual engineers at only, say, $35 an hour, in a bizarre revivification of ‘indentured labor', i.e. wage slavery. It is difficult for those on H1–Bs to change employers, so they are stuck.There is a larger geo-economic angle as well. The US likes being the top dog in GDP, as it has been since 1945. Unfortunately, through the fecklessness of all Presidents from Nixon onwards, they have somehow allowed China to ascend to a strong #2 position. At this point, I suspect the Deep State has concluded that it would be impossible to dislodge China, given its manufacturing clout.I wrote a year ago that a condominium with China may well be the best Plan B for the US. Let us consider what has happened to the other countries that were at the top of the economic pyramid: Germany and Japan.The 1985 Plaza Accord whereby the US dollar was depreciated led to a Lost Decade for Japan, which has turned into a Lost Four Decades; that country which was booming in the 1980s lost, and never regained its momentum.Germany was doing pretty well until the Ukraine War and the arrival of the Electric Vehicle boom. But at this point, it has more or less lost its machine tools business, its automobile business; add its social and political views, and its future looks grim.If this is what has happened to #3 and #4, we can expect that an aspiring #3, namely India, will face a concerted effort to ruin it. It is in the interests of both the US and China to suppress a potential competitor, especially when there is the tiresome mantra of “India is the fastest growing large economy in the world”.The Bangladesh coup, which benefits both the US and China by creating a massive new war front on India's East, is therefore possibly the result of a tacit collusion between the Deep State and the CCP. Similarly, the sudden spike in anti-Hindu rhetoric and this H1-B hoo-haa may well be financed by Xinhua, and it clearly benefits the Democrats, as it has driven a wedge between Christian fundamentalist MAGA types and other Trump supporters. It also puts the Indian-origin and/or Hindu members of Trump's team on notice: they better self-censor.Even immigrant Elon Musk, not to mention Vivek Ramaswamy, Kash Patel, Jay Bhattacharyya, and the non-Indian Hindu Tulsi Gabbard, are all in the firing line of the Deep State. Even though the IEEE has been moaning about depressed engineering salaries for half a century, it is curious that this became a cause celebre just days before Trump's accession to the Presidency.Narrative-buildingThere was a sobering incident in New York's subways on December 22nd, when a woman, now identified as 61 year old Debrina Kawam, was set on fire by an illegal immigrant, Sebastian Zapeta, from Guatemala, who had been deported earlier but came back to the US. I saw a video purportedly of her burning to death, shockingly without screaming, rolling on the ground to douse the flames, or anything else. She just stood and burned, as Zapeta fanned the flames.A New York City subway policeman walked by. The people who were busy capturing the footage on their smartphones did not intervene or help. It reminded me of Kitty Genovese, a 28 year old woman who was raped and stabbed to death on March 13, 1964, in full view of onlookers in the apartment block where she lived in Queens, New York. Nobody bothered to intervene as she died, screaming.It is really odd when people refuse to get involved in helping a dying person. There's something morally wrong here, and it should have been worth exploring in the very articulate media.Yes, Debrina Kawam's baffling story got widespread airplay immediately after it happened, but it died surprisingly quickly. Here's the Google Trends index of interest in that story.The big new story was H1-B, which shot up and displaced the subway murder story. Note the respective timelines: the Google Trends below is about H1-B. It is hard to believe this was an organic shift. It was “manufacturing consent” with placement aforethought.I wrote recently about how narratives are created out of thin air with the intent of manufacturing consent. The abrupt U-turn on Sheikh Hasina was one of the examples. Now the neat and abrupt switch from the NYC subway burning-alive also points to something that is deliberately planted to divert attention away from inconvenient questions.Let us now see how the H1-B narrative survives the New Orleans story of the son of immigrants, ex-soldier, and ISIS member driving a truck and ploughing into a New Year crowd, killing many. Of course, the narrative will carefully not say anything rude about the religion of the alleged perpetrator, because there will be… consequences.ConclusionThe furious drama and narrative about H1-B will subside soon; ironically, it may well be to the benefit of the Indian nation if this kind of propaganda reduces the attractiveness of the US for talented would-be Indian immigrants, who might stay on at home and build innovative companies. Canada and Britain have already ceased to be desired destinations.However, the underlying issues of racism, religious bigotry, economic warfare and astroturfed narrative are real and will not go away. These are danger signals about “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for Indian migrants to the US, and that's a sad start to 2025.3450 words, Jan 2, 2025Here's the AI-generated podcast from NotebookLM by Google: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rajeevsrinivasan.substack.com/subscribe
durée : 00:05:15 - La Revue de presse internationale - par : Catherine Duthu - Il y a cinq mois environ, des milliers de Bangladais, donc beaucoup d'étudiants, renversaient la Première ministre Sheikh Hasina, au pouvoir depuis 15 ans. Aujourd'hui, ces jeunes sont déterminés, malgré le défi que cela représente, à reconstruire le Bangladesh en une démocratie solide.
Dans le supplément de ce samedi, Grand reportage week-end vous emmène de Paris à Dacca. Notre grand reporter a pu accompagner le prix Nobel de la Paix, Muhammad Yunus, dans son voyage pour prendre les rênes du Bangladesh. En deuxième partie, nous partons en Indonésie, plus précisément à « Nusantara », la nouvelle capitale administrative du pays. La construction de cette nouvelle ville « verte », lancée par le président indonésien, fait pourtant débat auprès des ONG environnementales et de certains locaux… Bangladesh : 36 jours pour une révolutionQuinze ans de pouvoir autoritaire, quinze années balayées en un peu plus d'un mois de manifestations. Le Bangladesh a écrit une page de son histoire cet été. Sheikh Hasina, fille du père de l'indépendance du pays, était fermement accrochée à la tête de l'État. La « Bégum de fer » n'a organisé aucune élection libre depuis son arrivée au pouvoir en 2009. Lorsque les étudiants se sont mobilisés en juillet, elle a répondu par une répression sévère qui a fait plus de 1 000 morts, avant d'être contrainte à l'exil. Elle part en Inde. C'était le 5 août.En plus d'un mois de contestation, un désir de justice et d'égalité a traversé la société bangladaise. Appelé en sauveur, le prix Nobel de la paix, ancienne cible privilégiée de la justice de son pays, Muhammad Yunus est désormais à la tête du gouvernement de transition. Muhammad Yunus que Nicolas Rocca a pu accompagner de Paris jusqu'à Dacca, où il allait donc prendre les rênes du pays.Un Grand reportage de Nicolas Rocca qui s'entretient avec Patrick Adam.La construction de la future capitale indonésienne, un projet sous haute tensionL'Indonésie et ses 270 millions d'habitants ont fêté le jour de l 'indépendance de la nation le 17 août dernier. Une célébration dans des conditions particulières cette année 2024, puisque le chef de l'État, Joko Widodo, a tenu à commémorer cette fête d'indépendance à « Nusantara ». La nouvelle capitale administrative de l'Indonésie. La construction de la ville, qu'on appelle aussi IKN (Ibu Kota Nusantara en indonésien), a débuté sur l'île de Bornéo courant 2022. Objectif : bâtir une nouvelle capitale « verte » et avec pour perspective « zéro émission », au centre du plus grand archipel du monde. Jakarta, située sur l'île de Java, connaît en effet de multiples problématiques : surpopulation, pollution ou encore des inondations très importantes au nord de la ville. Ce projet gigantesque de nouvelle capitale « verte », lancé par le président indonésien Joko Widodo lui-même, fait pourtant débat auprès des ONG environnementales et de certains locaux…Un Grand reportage de Juliette Pietraszewski qui s'entretient avec Patrick Adam.
Quinze ans de pouvoir autoritaire, quinze années balayées en un peu plus d'un mois de manifestations. Le Bangladesh a écrit une page de son histoire cet été. Sheikh Hasina, fille du père de l'indépendance du pays, était fermement accrochée à la tête de l'État. La « Bégum de fer » n'a organisé aucune élection libre depuis son arrivée au pouvoir en 2009. Lorsque les étudiants se sont mobilisés en juillet, elle a répondu par une répression sévère qui a fait plus de 1 000 morts, avant d'être contrainte à l'exil. Elle part en Inde. C'était le 5 août. En plus d'un mois de contestation, un désir de justice et d'égalité a traversé la société bangladaise. Appelé en sauveur, le prix Nobel de la paix, ancienne cible privilégiée de la justice de son pays, Muhammad Yunus est désormais à la tête du gouvernement de transition. Muhammad Yunus que Nicolas Rocca a pu accompagner de Paris jusqu'à Dacca, où il allait donc prendre les rênes du pays.« Bangladesh : 36 jours pour une révolution », un grand reportage de Nicolas Rocca.
Desde la salida del poder de Sheikh Hasina, las relaciones entre India y Bangladesh se han deteriorado, con la tensión yendo a más. Analizamos el porqué con Beatriz Martínez Saavedra, historiadora, investigadora, profesora en la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México y especialista en India y en el sur de Asia.Escuchar audio
Después de meses de parón, de presuntos acercamientos, volvemos a estar presuntamente muy cerca de un acuerdo de alto el fuego entre Israel y Hamas. La organización radical palestina asegura que las negociaciones están siendo positivas, y ha habido rumores sobre una posible presencia de Benjamin Netanyahu en Cairo, aunque luego el gobierno israelí lo ha desmentido. Desde Washington también aseguran que un acuerdo final está cada vez más cerca.Ursula Von der Leyen ha estado hoy en Turquía para hablar de Siria con el presidente Erdogan. En Moscú la inteligencia ucraniana ha asesinado a un general ruso que al parecer era el encargado del armamento químico del ejército ruso, algo que desde el gobierno ruso han negado. Estaremos pendientes de la situación en Mayotte, donde el balance de víctimas tras el paso del ciclón Chido ha aumentado. Tendremos además entrevista sobre la tensión entre India y Bangladesh tras la salida del poder de la presidenta Sheikh Hasina.Escuchar audio
In this episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast, Dilly Hussain spoke with the popular and controversial Bangladeshi thinker, writer and Islamic activist, Asif Adnan. Topics of discussion include: Asif's arrest, terrorism charges and busting case: fact and fiction. Suppression of Islamic activism and dawah under Sheikh Hasina. The Anti-Quota protests that led to Hasina's resignation. What role should Islam play in a post-Hasina Bangladesh? What approaches should a future government avoid in relations to Islamic movements and activities? Advice to Muslim youth of Bangladesh. FOLLOW 5PILLARS ON: Website: https://5pillarsuk.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@5Pillars Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/5pillarsuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/5pillarsnews Twitter: https://x.com/5Pillarsuk Telegram: https://t.me/s/news5Pillars TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@5pillarsnews
In the first episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast filmed in Bangladesh, Dilly Hussain speaks with former barrister and the founding editor of Dhaka Tribune, Zafar Sobhan. Topics of discussion include: The state of Bangladesh since the start of the anti-Quota protests to the resignation of Sheikh Hasina on August 5. Press freedoms and media complicity during Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule. Does the Bangladeshi media meet or operate on the founding principles of the free press? Dhaka Tribune's editorial approach during Sheikh Hasina's rule and the anti-Quota protests. Can the media or journalists ever be impartial or non-partisan? Indian propaganda against Bangladesh since August 5, and growing anti-India sentiments in Bangladesh. The future of Bangladesh, elections, and student advisors to the interim government. FOLLOW 5PILLARS ON: Website: https://5pillarsuk.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@5Pillars Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/5pillarsuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/5pillarsnews Twitter: https://x.com/5Pillarsuk Telegram: https://t.me/s/news5Pillars TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@5pillarsnews
This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.Today is the 23rd of October and here are the headlines.Cyclone Dana has formed over the east-central Bay of Bengal and is forecasted to make landfall as a severe cyclonic storm between the Bhitarkanika and Dhamra areas of Odisha. Officials from the Indian Meteorological Department predict wind speeds of 100-120 km/h on the night of October 24. IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra stated that the strongest winds will impact districts including Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak, and Balasore in Odisha, as well as East Medinipur in West Bengal. The cyclone is also expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall to coastal and northern Odisha, affecting a total of 14 districts.Amid ongoing conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to resolving issues through diplomacy and dialogue. Speaking at a plenary session of the 16th BRICS Summit, he stated, "We support dialogue and diplomacy, not war." Modi highlighted pressing global challenges, including wars, economic uncertainty, climate change, and terrorism, and emphasized that BRICS can contribute positively to global progress. "We must convey to the world that BRICS is not a divisive group, but one that serves the public interest," he added.Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra officially submitted her nomination papers for the Lok Sabha bypoll in Wayanad, Kerala, marking her first electoral contest. Following a large roadshow in Kalpetta, she arrived at the district collectorate to file her papers with District Collector and Returning Officer D R Meghashree. Priyanka was accompanied by her brother Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, while her mother Sonia Gandhi and party General Secretary K C Venugopal looked on.In a ruling that boosts states' coffers, a 9-judge bench of the Supreme Court ruled that states can tax and regulate “industrial alcohol.” The ruling, a 8:1 majority verdict determined that “industrial alcohol” can be categorised within “the meaning of intoxicating liquor” which states are allowed to tax under Entry 8 of List II (state list). The SC held that state's powers cannot be narrowed only to tax alcoholic beverages. Excise duty levied on alcohol is a key component of a state's revenue, with states often adding an additional excise duty on alcohol consumption to drive its income up. For example, in 2023, Karnataka hiked the Additional Excise Duty (AED) on Indian Made Liquor (IML) by 20%.A prominent student organization that led protests against Sheikh Hasina's government in Bangladesh held demonstrations in Dhaka, calling for the resignation of President Mohammed Shahabuddin. This demand follows Shahabuddin's remarks in an interview with the Bangla daily Manab Zamin, where he stated he had no documentary evidence of Hasina resigning before she left the country in August amid mass student protests. The Anti-discrimination Student Movement, which played a key role in Hasina's ousting, gathered in front of the Central Shaheed Minar, demanding Shahabuddin's resignation.This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by The Indian Express.
Kamala Harris will formally accept the Democratic Party's nomination for US president. Also: ousted Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina has her diplomatic passport revoked; and Trinidad and Tobago redraws its coat of arms.
WHAT'S GOING ON GUYS?!!! Sheikh Hasina was "escorted" out by the military, who's in charge now??? We break it down, go to patreon for the extras!
Sheikh Hasina was a historic figure in her country. But now she has fled after protests turned violent. How did it all go wrong? David Bergman reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
An Israeli air strike on a school building sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza City has killed more than 70 people. The situation is reported to be "catastrophic".A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces said al-Taba'een school "served as an active Hamas and Islamic Jihad military facility" with approximately 20 "militants" operating there. Hamas denies this.Also in the programme: In Bangladesh, after the ousting of long-time prime minister Sheikh Hasina, now the chief justice resigns after student leaders called for him to go; and 12 years after she lost out to a dope cheat, we speak to the Olympic 400m hurdler who's finally got the gold medal she deserved.(Photo shows the damage at the site of an Israeli strike on a school in Gaza City on 10 August 2024. Credit: Mahmoud Issa/Reuters)
Once again, the Treacherous Two bring word from the world. This week: an update on the horror in Gaza (0:32), Hamas names Sinwar as overall leader (7:07), more ceasefire efforts (9:43), and the wait for a retaliation from Iran continues (13:44); protests in Bangaldesh force Sheikh Hasina's resignation (18:43); rebels in Myanmar make gains in Shan State (23:56); Mali and Niger cut diplomatic relations with Ukraine (25:39); the US withdrawal process continues in Niger (28:12); a Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast (29:21) and European countries are buying more Russian natural gas (33:02); the Colombia/ELN ceasefire expires (35:35); the Pentagon rescinds the plea deal it offered three Guantanamo Bay detainees (37:44); and July 2024 breaks the streak of “hottest month ever” despite being abnormally above average (40:21). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe
Nobel Peace laureate says his first talk is to restore law and order after the violent unrest that toppled Sheikh Hasina. Also: Catalan police are searching for the separatist leader Carles Puigdemont after his surprise return from exile; and the Moroccan B-Girl taking part in the very first Olympic breaking competition.
Muhammad Yunus has been sworn in as Bangladesh's interim leader. He flew into Dhaka after Sheikh Hasina - who ruled the country for 15 years - fled to India following weeks of student-led protests. We hear from someone who worked with Mr Yunus in microfinance - the field that led him to win a Nobel peace prize in 2006.Also in our programme: as Kamala Harris draws closer in the polls, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump held his first conference since her nomination as his Democratic opponent; and the Norwegian Foreign Minister responds to Israel's decision to strip eight Norwegian diplomats of their diplomatic accreditation.(Photo: Muhammad Yunus signs the oath book as the country's head of the interim government in Bangladesh. Credit: Reuters / Mohammad Ponir Hossain)
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus - a longtime political foe of Bangladesh's ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina - has been named the country's interim leader. The 84-year-old was appointed a day after Ms Hasina fled the country following weeks of deadly protests that brought her resignation. Also on the programme: The former president of Catalonia, in Spain, pops up briefly in Barcelona but is at risk of arrest; and the two astronauts struggling to find a way back to earth. (Picture: Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus attends a press briefing along with student leaders in Dhaka. Credit: Reuters/Mohammad Ponir Hossain)
Episode 1518 - Brought to you by: Manscaped: Get 20% off + free shipping with the code HARDFACTOR at manscaped.com. It's smooth sack summer boys, get on board or get left behind. My Morning Kick: Go to roundhouseprovisions.com/HARDFACTOR for up to 44% off your regular-priced order. That is if you want to experience smoother digestion, a boost of energy, and just an overall healthier body like Chuck Norris Timestamps: (00:00:00) Shout out Philippines for the historic Olympics (00:01:20) Trying Viamundi Tequila live on air (00:03:55) Suge Knight has a couple claims (00:05:29) Ben Affleck unveils new look (00:06:54) On the agenda for today's show
Weeks of increasingly violent unrest forced the Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down. She's fled to India, ending a run of 15 years in power. Also: the UN says nine of its staff members in Gaza may have been involved in the October 7th attack on Israel last year, and a 15 year old teenager has become Britain's youngest ever Chess Grandmaster.
Sheikh Hasina, who led the country for 20 of the past 28 years with an increasingly authoritarian grip, was ultimately undone by student protests that would not be quelled. China may be world-leading in autonomous taxis—but our ride in one is not without complications (9:00). And remembering Thomas Neff, who rid the world of a third of its nukes (16:38).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sheikh Hasina, who led the country for 20 of the past 28 years with an increasingly authoritarian grip, was ultimately undone by student protests that would not be quelled. China may be world-leading in autonomous taxis—but our ride in one is not without complications (9:00). And remembering Thomas Neff, who rid the world of a third of its nukes (16:38).Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
The US Vice-President Kamala Harris has chosen the governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, as her running mate for November's presidential election. We hear from one of his old friends.Also on the programme: the president of Bangladesh has dissolved parliament to enable a new government to be formed, a day after the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, was ousted by protesters. And the British government condemns Elon Musk's comments that civil war is inevitable in Britain as unrest continues across the country.(Picture: VP Candidate Tim Walz, the current governor of Minnesota. Credit: Reuters)
The long-serving prime minster of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has resigned and fled the country in a military helicopter. In the morning, tens of thousands of people defied curfew orders and marched towards the capital, Dhaka. Crowds cheered in the street upon hearing the news about the PM stepping down. Also on the programme: the International Boxing Association weighs in on the controversy surrounding Olympic boxers Imane Khelif of Algeria and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting; and the British government holds an emergency meeting after anti-immigration riots.(Photo: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addresses a meeting with foreign observers and journalists in Dhaka, 8th January 2024. Credit: Monirul Alam/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
The prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has resigned and fled to India after weeks of unrest - the army chief says an interim government will be formed. Also on the programme, Nearly 400 people have been arrested after a series of violent protests erupted across the UK last Tuesday; and, a presidential candidate solves a ten-year bear mystery.(Photo: People climb the statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bijoy Sarani area, as they celebrate the resignation of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain TPX)
More than ninety people have been killed in Bangladesh in clashes between police and anti-government protesters demanding the resignation of the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina. Also in the programme: Saudi Arabia is one of the latest countries urging their citizens to leave Lebanon immediately amid fears of an all-out war between Israel and the Iranian backed militant group Hezbollah; and exports of the South Korean staple kimchi are on a record rise worldwide. (Picture: Mass Students' Procession in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Credit: MONIRUL ALAM/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)