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NEW YORK: Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has never faced a revolt like this before. The broad left has never pulled its punches when it comes to the eight-term senator, suspicious of his Wall Street ties and unhappy with willingness to strike deals with Donald Trump. But it’s not the Left that Schumer has to worry about these days. Over the past week, Schumer has faced an unprecedented barrage of often public criticism and rebuke from within his own party, longtime Democratic loyalists, and party-aligned media outlets.

Is the Bangladesh Army going to take over control of their politically turbulent country, either from front or behind, to precipitate the holding of early elections? This question is being raised by the seasoned political observers in Dhaka, as the whole of last week was dominated by highly controversial posts on Facebook, Instagram, interviews in YouTube channels and both formal and unofficial interventions by the country’s top army officials through statements and meetings.

Another maverick action by United States President Donald Trump, launching large-scale military strikes against Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi pirates, who have made cargo movement through the Red Sea a high-risk exercise since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza broke out over a year ago. At a stake is nearly 12 percent of the global trade and 30 percent of global container traffic. The trade is worth over US$1 trillion annually between Asia and Europe, which transit through the Red Sea. Although the Indian Navy has been active in the region to frequently rescue vessels under Houthi attacks, it is not enough. The Houthi pirates are generally selective about their targets. They are mostly after US, UK and Israeli flag carriers or cargo vessels linked with the countries supporting Israel, directly or indirectly, against Hamas militants. Incidentally, a large portion of India’s sea trade engages foreign flag carriers.

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, of Indian origin, is in the news these days. Her team has returned safely to Earth after spending nine months in space. They intended to be in space for eight days, but technical problems extended their mission. The spacecraft returned without them in September. This week, they landed in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule with Nick Hague and Alexander Gorbunov.

On Wednesday, last week, the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor - the largest Turkish city- could be described as a watershed moment in the country’s continued shift away from democracy. Opponents of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan fear it is a move to sideline the sole challenger capable of defeating him in upcoming elections, expected before 2028.

NEW YORK: China never ceases to amaze. It is now practicing “dogfighting” satellites as part of its enhanced program in defense preparedness in outer space that includes extending the conventional dog fights in the air between fighter jets to satellites.

NEW YORK: Elon Musk and Donald Trump are attempting to transform the architecture of the federal government. The American state under their influence is not merely a vehicle for broad capitalist governance but a tool for the personal enrichment of individual business elites.

BERLIN: Some world events can look different to those of us in Berlin. God knows, here too I’m frightened at what Trump, Vance and Musk are doing and planning. Nor do I love Putin. But what I hate above all else is war, which is looks — and is closer over here.

Despite his best efforts and concessions to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, including a US vote in the UN alongside North Korea, Iran and Russia on Ukraine war, Putin has given a big hoax to US president.

NEW YORK: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky is in a head spinning dilemma as US President Donald Trump bowls him a googly the first ball and a China man the second and the predatory wicket keeper Russian President Vladimir Putin is waiting like a hawk to stump Zelensky as he tries to go out of the crease to kick in the ceasefire hard to end the three-year old conflict.