“The U.N. human rights office on Wednesday estimated that up to 1,400 people may have been killed in Bangladesh over three weeks last summer in a crackdown on student-led protests against the now-ousted former prime minister. In a new report, the Geneva-based office says security and intelligence services ‘systematically engaged’ in rights violations that could amount to crimes against humanity and require further investigation. Citing ‘various credible sources,’ the rights office said it estimated that as many as 1,400 people may have been killed in the protests between July 15 and Aug. 5 — the day longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India amid the uprising.” (02/12/25)
“Austrian far-right leader Herbert Kickl’s efforts to form a coalition government with a conservative party collapsed in mutual recriminations on Wednesday, more than four months after his party won a national election. Austria’s president last month gave Kickl a mandate to try to form a new government — the first to have been headed by the far right since World War II — after other parties’ efforts to put together a governing alliance without his Freedom Party failed. But Kickl on Wednesday informed President Alexander Van der Bellen that he was giving up the mandate. Weeks of tense talks with the conservative Austrian People’s Party appeared increasingly troubled in recent days.” (02/12/25)
“The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of national intelligence, adding the former Democrat to President Donald Trump’s inner circle after lawmakers raised pointed questions about her views on Russia, ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who [became the one of America’s few 21st century heroes so far by exposing the US government’s crimes to public scrutiny]. Gabbard, a former Hawaii congresswoman, secured confirmation on a 52-48 vote. In her new role, Gabbard will oversee the 18 agencies within the U.S. Intelligence community, serving as the president’s top adviser on intelligence matters.” (02/12/25)
“President Donald Trump again switched positions on the Federal Reserve, indicating in a social media post Wednesday that interest rates need to come down. ‘Interest Rates should be lowered, something which would go hand in hand with upcoming Tariffs!!! Lets Rock and Roll, America!!!’ the president said in a morning post on Truth Social. The comments come a day after Fed Chair Jerome Powell said policymakers don’t need to be ‘in a hurry’ to lower rates as they watch progress in inflation. Other officials have said they also are evaluating the potential impacts that tariffs will have on prices, though Powell has avoided commenting directly on the issue.” (02/12/25)
“President Trump has fired the top watchdog for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) — just as details resurfaced that the controversial agency had bankrolled the college education of an al Qaeda terrorist with ties to 9/11 hijackers. Paul Martin, who had served as the inspector general since 2023, was informed by a White House official via email Tuesday that his termination was ‘effective immediately.’ Martin wasn’t given a reason for his firing, a copy of the email shows. The White House wouldn’t comment on his termination. His dismissal came just one day after his office had published a report criticizing Trump’s call to freeze USAID funds …” (02/12/25)
“All commercial flights to and from Belgium on Thursday have been canceled as air traffic controllers plan to join a nationwide strike against the new government. The controllers’ walkout will begin at 6:45 a.m. and lasts until 10:15 p.m., public broadcaster RTBF reported, halting all air traffic below 7,500 meters at Brussels, Charleroi, Liège, Antwerp and Ostend airports. The cancelation of all departing flights from Brussels and Charleroi was announced on Monday due to a planned walkout by baggage handling and security staff.” (02/12/25)
“US District Judge John D. Bates has ordered the Center for Disease Control and Food and Drug Administration to restore the web pages and resources they had previously removed to comply with President Trump’s executive order related to gender ideology. Bates gave the agencies until February 11, 11:59 PM Eastern time, to comply. As of this writing, the CDC website on ‘Transgender and Gender Diverse Persons’ is already back online with a note up top that says the CDC’s website ‘is being modified to comply with President Trump’s Executive Orders.’ The judge’s decision is part of a temporary restraining order that he has granted as requested by the Doctors for America. Represented by Public Citizen, the non-profit organization sued the CDC (PDF), the FDA and the Department of Health in February. It also sued the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which issued the memo for the pages’ removal.” (02/12/25)
“Teachers throughout Algeria went on strike Wednesday to protest low salaries and deteriorating working conditions, following demonstrations staged by students last month in an unusual outpouring of protest. Students stood outside shuttered classrooms and roamed aimlessly on Tuesday, when teachers started a two-day strike. The action by teachers and students comes at a time when public criticism of the government is becoming rarer. Teachers say the strike is significant amid a gradual shrinking of rights, including for women, the press and opposition parties.” (02/12/25)
“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed a new fentanyl tsar as his country seeks to address border concerns from US President Donald Trump that have prompted trade tariff threats. Kevin Brosseau, a former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and intelligence adviser to Trudeau, will begin the role immediately. Trump’s threat to impose import taxes of 25% on all goods from Canada was paused for 30 days in February, after he struck a deal with Trudeau that included new US-Canada border measures. On Monday, Trump added another threat, saying he planned to add a 25% tax on global steel and aluminum imports to the US from 12 March. If it goes ahead, that will particularly affect Canada, which supplies the US with more steel and aluminum products than any other country.” (02/12/25)
“U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday made the first trip to NATO by a member of the new Trump administration, as the allies wait to learn how much military and financial support Washington intends to provide to Ukraine’s government. Hegseth held talks with U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey, before a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Hegseth’s predecessor, former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, set up the forum for drumming up arms and ammunition for Ukraine in 2022. Over nearly three years, around 50 countries have collectively provided Ukraine more than $126 billion in weapons and military assistance.” (02/12/25)
