Elections, Cyclone, and Scandal: World in Turmoil

Millions of voters in Bangladesh are preparing to cast their ballots in general elections and a constitutional referendum on Thursday, hoping to translate the energy of recent mass demonstrations into real political change, according to Al Jazeera. The elections mark the first polls since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was removed from power after 15 years, following weeks of protests in August 2024.

Meanwhile, in Madagascar, Tropical Cyclone Gezani caused widespread devastation, resulting in at least nine deaths and significant flooding, Euronews reported. The cyclone, which made landfall on Tuesday, brought winds of up to 250 kilometers per hour to the country's second-largest city, Toamasina. The National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNRGC) confirmed the fatalities.

In other news, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would only hold elections after a ceasefire with Russia and the establishment of security guarantees, Euronews also reported. Zelenskyy pushed back against suggestions of holding elections under pressure, emphasizing that Ukraine had never initiated discussions about elections. "We will move to elections when all the relevant security guarantees are in place," he said.

Elsewhere, the royals have been facing scrutiny, with calls for them to address the Epstein scandal, Sky News reported. The demand for statements from the royals has been enormous, potentially overshadowing the earlier statements from Prince William, Kate, and Buckingham Palace.

Finally, a new study published in the journal PLoS ONE suggests that seabird guano played a critical role in the prosperity of the pre-Inca Chincha Kingdom in Peru, according to Ars Technica. "Seabird guano may seem trivial, yet our study suggests this potent resource could have significantly contributed to sociopolitical and economic change in the Peruvian Andes," said co-author Jacob Bongers, a digital archaeologist at the University of Sydney.