Global News Roundup: Space, Politics, and Human Rights

In a week that saw significant developments in space exploration, politics, and human rights, several stories captured the world's attention. A new crew docked at the International Space Station, while on Earth, Bangladesh saw a historic election and a breakthrough for children born in brothels.

On Friday, four astronauts, including two NASA astronauts from the US, one European Space Agency astronaut from France, and one Russian cosmonaut, docked at the International Space Station (ISS) after blasting off from Earth. The crew, known as Crew-12, will spend eight months aboard the ISS, replacing a team that evacuated last month due to a medical emergency.

Meanwhile, in the southwestern US, indigenous tribes granted the Colorado River legal personhood to help protect it for future generations. The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT), made up of the Mojave, Hopi, Navajo, and Chemehuevi tribes, passed the resolution recognizing the river as a living, life-giving entity with rights like a person. This move comes as the seven US states that share the river face a deadline to reach a new water-sharing agreement before current ones expire at the end of 2026.

In sports, US figure skater Ilia Malinin, nicknamed the "Quad God," failed to win his expected gold medal at the Winter Olympics, coming in eighth after failing to pull off his signature quadruple axel. Malinin's defeat was met with gasps and disbelief from his supporters, who had gathered to watch him compete.

In Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won a sweeping victory in the country's first election since a gen Z uprising toppled the autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina. The BNP alliance won 212 seats, returning the party to power after 20 years, while the rival alliance, led by the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, won 77 seats. The vote was seen as a test of Bangladesh's democracy after years of political turmoil.

In a significant breakthrough for human rights, children born in the brothels of Bangladesh finally received birth certificates, giving them access to education and other rights. Through the decades, children born in the Daulatdia brothel village had been invisible, unable to be registered because their mothers were sex workers and their fathers unknown. Now, all 400 children in the brothel village have their own birth certificates, thanks to a push by campaigners.

These stories highlight the diversity of global news, from space exploration to politics and human rights. As the world continues to evolve, it is essential to stay informed about the developments that shape our world.

Sources:

• "Watch: Moment crew docks at International Space Station" (BBC)
• "Tribes grant the Colorado River legal personhood - can this help save it?" (BBC)
• "Gasps and disbelief in US as 'Quad God's' Olympic dream crumbles" (BBC)
• "Bangladesh election: BNP wins historic first vote since overthrow of Hasina" (The Guardian)
• "'Invisible' children born in the brothels of Bangladesh finally get birth certificates" (The Guardian)