Spotlight China Why Xi Jinping’s upheaval within the Chinese military is just the beginning Intelligence Online
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03 World
Xi’s purges could mean more instability along the border The Indian Express
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While Canadians in Cuba are waiting for flights home as an energy crisis worsens in the nation amid a U.S. oil blockade, those who send aid are struggling to do so.
Cuba warned international airlines on Feb. 9 that aviation fuel would no longer be available on the island, beginning Feb. 10, in the latest sign of fast-worsening conditions as the United States moves to cut off the communist-run nation’s oil supply.
Major Canadian airlines, including Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat, have already suspended service to Cuba. All three airlines have confirmed they plan to bring travellers back home to Canada.
Howard Lutnick says he had lunch on the island in 2012, contradicting previous claims he had cut ties with Jeffrey Epstein in 2005.
from www.bbc.com
Online flight trackers show that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew hundreds of kilometres through Canadian airspace on his way to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday — despite Prime Minister Mark Carney previously saying he would honour an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Netanyahu is wanted by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Carney was asked last October by Bloomberg if “Netanyahu would be arrested if he came to Canada.”
The prime minister twice responded “yes.”
DHAKA: The United States is concerned about China’s expanding presence in South Asia and is planning to offer Bangladesh’s next government US and allied defence systems as alternatives to Chinese hardware, Washington’s ambassador to Dhaka told Reuters.
Bangladesh votes in a general election on Thursday (Feb 12) after a Gen Z-led uprising toppled India-allied premier Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. She has since taken refuge in New Delhi, allowing China to deepen its influence in Bangladesh as India’s presence wanes.
China recently signed a defence agreement with Bangladesh to build a drone factory near the India border, worrying foreign diplomats. Bangladesh is also in talks with Pakistan to buy JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, a multi-role combat aircraft jointly developed with China.
There was something about the way the premier of British Columbia, David Eby, struggled to his words in front of the cameras that said a lot about how Canadians view the school shooting in a small town called Tumbler Ridge.
“This is the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places, and not close to home.”
He is right about that. People expect this sort of thing to take place south of the border, in the United States – but not in Canada – not in a place like Tumbler Ridge.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has demanded an investigation into diplomat Fabrice Aidan following the revelation that the foreign affairs secretary shared a long email correspondence with late sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein. French media reported that Aidan had resigned from his position at the United Nations in 2013 after having been caught visiting child sex abuse material websites.
from www.france24.com
Bangladesh’s first post-uprising election is a test for democratic norms and minority rights The Washington Post
from news.google.com
MOSCOW, February 11. /TASS/. No presidential election will be announced in Ukraine on February 24 as an election campaign can only be initiated at least six months after martial law is lifted, said Olga Aivazovskaya from a parliamentary group working toward an election.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Financial Times reported, citing sources, that Ukraine plans to hold a presidential election and a referendum on a peace deal with Russia by May 15. According to the British paper, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky may make an announcement as early as February 24.
“Team work on drafting laws to hold the first post-war election is ongoing, and it is understood that at least six months must pass after martial law is lifted before an election campaign can begin,” she wrote on Facebook (banned in Russia, owned by Meta, a corporation recognized as extremist in Russia).
Referring to the Supreme Court of India, the headline boasts “SC’s Landmark Ruling Allows 30-Week Abortion For Minor”.
The Times of India matter of factly explains
A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan said the key issue was the minor’s right to decide whether she wanted to continue the pregnancy. They observed that the girl was a minor facing an unfortunate situation and did not wish to give birth.
Amit Anand Choudhary describes the decision to authorize aborting a child who weighs about 3 pounds, whose eyes can open and close, whose hands are fully formed, who may respond to voices or music, and whose “lungs are not fully mature but the baby is practicing breathing motions” even more sympathetically
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that “as long as Russia continues to kill people and destroy our infrastructure, there will not be sufficient public trust in active diplomacy.”
“This is important for all of Ukraine’s partners – in the United States and Europe – to understand,” he said.
He said that “security issues are the key priority right now,” as Ukraine faces continuing attacks, including on civilian population and energy infrastructure.
A shooting rampage at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia left 10 people dead and more than 25 injured on Tuesday, marking one of the deadliest school attacks in Canadian history.
Authorities said the gunfire erupted shortly after 1:20 p.m. local time at the high school in the remote community. Six victims were killed inside the building before the suspect was later found dead from what police described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A seventh victim died while being transported to a hospital. Investigators also discovered two additional bodies at a nearby residence believed to be connected to the attack, reportedly the suspect’s mother and younger brother.
The RCMP said that the shooter is among the dead after a self-inflicted gun shot. Photo: TRSS site
The transgender individual alleged to be responsible for Tuesday’s deadly shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School has been identified by a close family member as Jesse Strang.
Juno News reported that it spoke directly with Russell G. Strang, Jesse Strang’s uncle, who confirmed that his nephew was responsible for the attack. The outlet’s managing editor, Cosmin Dzsurdzsa, stated on X that he had spoken with the suspect’s uncle and added that a YouTube account believed to belong to Jesse Strang features the transgender flag and lists “she/her” pronouns. The account also reportedly displays an SKS-style rifle. He also linked to his exclusive report.
Original story follows:
A school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia left 10 dead and 25 injured on Tuesday night. The RCMP said that the shooter is among the dead after a self-inflicted gun shot.
A motive for the rampage, which occured before 1:20 pm local time, at the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a nearby residence has not yet been determined and North District commander Ken Floyd of the British Columbia RCMP has declined to identify the shooter in any way.
However, a police alert earlier in the day stated that the suspect was a “female in a dress with brown hair.”
The UN Secretary-General congratulated the Islamic Republic of Iran on the anniversary of its revolution.
Yes — congratulated.
What the shuddering fuck?! https://t.co/imfQUrl7G9
— Andrew Fox (@Mr_Andrew_Fox) February 11, 2026
This is the same regime accused of unleashing one of the bloodiest crackdowns in its modern history, gunning down its own citizens for the crime of demanding basic freedom. While Iranian families bury their dead, the head of the world’s so-called premier humanitarian body sends warm wishes to their oppressors.
UN is waiting to see how much the US intends to pay of the nearly $4 billion it owes– abcnews.go.com
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations said Monday it’s waiting to find out how much of the nearly $4 billion the United States owes the world organization the Trump administration intends to pay and when the money will arrive.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned last week that the world body faces “imminent financial collapse” unless its financial rules are overhauled or all 193 member nations pay their dues, a message clearly directed at the United States.
The U.S. owes $2.196 billion to the U.N.’s regular operating budget, including $767 million for this year, according to a U.N. official. The U.S. also owes $1.8 billion for the separate budget for the U.N.’s far-flung peacekeeping operations, and that also will rise.
THE HAGUE, February 9. /TASS/. Commander of the Dutch Armed Forces General Onno Eichelsheim announced NATO’s readiness to strengthen its military presence in the Arctic.
“We, NATO, are demonstrating our readiness to make greater efforts to strengthen our position in the Arctic,” he said in an interview with the Defensiekrant newspaper. According to Eichelsheim, the alliance is discussing expanding the scope of its exercises in the Arctic, as well as launching a mission to ensure the security of Greenland.
“Ukraine is using at least one adapted Antonov An-28 Cash twin-turboprop utility aircraft as part of its anti-drone inventory. While images of the aircraft, replete with multiple drone-kill marks, had previously been published, we now get to see the aircraft’s armament, a six-barrel, Gatling-type, M134 Minigun, in action, too.” — Thomas Newdick, for The War Zone, February 5, 2026.
“It’s two in the morning. There are targets in the air in the southeast. As pilots, we try to counter these drones using our aircraft, shooting them down with a machine gun.” — Ukrainian An-28TD aircrew member, February 2026.
Iran’s atomic energy chief says Tehran is open to diluting its highly enriched uranium if the United States ends sanctions, signalling flexibility on a key demand by the US.
Mohammad Eslami made the comments to reporters on Monday, saying the prospects of Iran diluting its 60-percent-enriched uranium, a threshold close to weapons grade, would hinge on “whether all sanctions would be lifted in return”, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.
Eslami did not specify whether Iran expected the removal of all sanctions or specifically those imposed by the US.
Anarchist group claims Italy rail sabotage during Winter Olympics opening TRT World
from news.google.com
Australian politicians urged restraint on Tuesday after police in Sydney clashed with people protesting the visit of Israeli president Isaac Herzog, who is accused of inciting a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Police made at least 27 arrests amid allegations of excessive force used against protesters and rights groups, reports said. Violence broke out on the evening of 9 February after thousands of people gathered near Sydney Town Hall to oppose Mr Herzog’s visit.
The New South Wales Police said officers moved to clear the area after demonstrators attempted to breach blockades, resulting in arrests. Ten people were accused of assaulting police officers.
Taiwan has told Washington that its proposal to move 40% of the island’s semiconductor supply chain to the U.S. was “impossible,” the country’s top tariff trade negotiator said in an interview.
Speaking on a local television broadcast Sunday, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun said she had made it clear to Washington that the country’s semiconductor ecosystem, built over decades, could not simply be relocated.
Taiwan’s international expansion, including its investments in the U.S., is predicated on the notion that the industry remains’ rooted in Taiwan and continues to expand domestic investments, she said in Mandarin, translated by CNBC.
A remarkably candid column appeared in the New York Times this week by Spain’s left-wing Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who recently announced his government would grant amnesty to half a million illegal immigrants living in Spain. Framed as an argument for “why the West needs migrants,” Sánchez’s essay is really an admission of moral collapse, and a frank declaration that he intends to destroy his nation in exchange for short-term economic gain.
It is an admission of moral collapse because the Spanish government has signaled its willingness to erase their country, put the interests of foreigners above those of native citizens, and turn Spain into a magnet for Third World migration.
The U.S. delegation, led by Steve Witkoff, on Friday, conducted two rounds of inconclusive talks with the Iranian regime negotiators in the Gulf Arab state of Oman amid alarming reports that Tehran is relocating its weapons-grade nuclear material and rebuilding its ballistic missile stockpile.
“The U.S. and Iran held several hours of nuclear negotiations in Oman on Friday, and officials from both countries indicated they expect further meetings in the coming day,” Axios reported. “These were the first face-to-face talks between the U.S. and Iran since the 12-day war last June.”
Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff and CENTCOM commander Brad cooper in Oman talks pic.twitter.com/XUwDm2hYWy
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) February 6, 2026
When they tell you who and what they are, believe them.
Muslim Brotherhood TV host explains under what circumstances Christian girls can be raped.
“Allah allows Muslim men to rape non-Muslim women to humiliate them.” pic.twitter.com/9C5TLOSFAF
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) February 8, 2026
UK: With Islamic clergy and leaders justifying the rape of British women who don’t wear hijabs, it is vital for British women not to walk the streets alone, especially at night. They are not safe. https://t.co/ORVecfc0I6 pic.twitter.com/lPszEqkUvy
— @amuse (@amuse) February 8, 2026
Muslims have issued threats to burn Notre-Dame Cathedral unless French authorities release Ibrahim Alissaoui, the Islamist terrorist who murdered three people in France. The threat underscores the ongoing campaign of Islamic intimidation directed at Christian symbols in Europe, where churches have repeatedly been targeted in attacks linked to jihadist ideology. French authorities are treating the threats as terrorism-related and have increased security around major religious sites.
The Israeli military captured a senior Islamic terrorist in an overnight raid in southern Lebanon. Arab media reports identified the nabbed terrorist as Atwi Atwi, a top operative of al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya terror organization.
“The Israel Defense Forces said Monday that troops arrested a senior terrorist from the Sunni Jamaa Islamiya organization during an overnight raid in southern Lebanon,” Israel’s Ynetnews reported Monday.
⭕️ APPREHENDED: A senior terrorist from the Jamaa Islamiya terrorist organization was apprehended overnight by IDF troops during a targeted intelligence-based operation in the Har Dov area.
The terrorist was transferred for further questioning in Israel. Weapons were also…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 9, 2026
Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya is a Muslim Brotherhood-linked jihadist group that wages war on Israel alongside the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror militia. The terrorist group has a significant support base in Lebanon. According to Alma, “Al-Jamaah al-Islamiyah represents a sizable portion of Lebanese Sunnis and is the second-largest Sunni movement.”
On February 8, Attoui Mohammad Attoui was detained by Israel in the Sunni village of Habbariyeh. Attoui served as the head of the Hasbaiyya and Marjaayoun area within the al-Jamaa al-Islamiya organization.
Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya is the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood organization,… pic.twitter.com/pekmaOSSzE— Israel-Alma (@Israel_Alma_org) February 9, 2026
Canada’s medical assistance in dying program, (MAID) already one of the world’s most permissive euthanasia regimes, may soon extend to disabled newborns.
That possibility is reigniting horror among pro-life advocates who warn of a slippery slope toward eugenics.
The Quebec College of Physicians recently told the British newspaper Daily Mail that it believes “medical assistance in dying may be an appropriate treatment for babies suffering from extreme pain” and that “parents should have the opportunity to obtain this care for their infant,” according to an article by Anna Farrow published in the Western Standard.
In a further erosion of freedom in Hong Kong, the city’s Chinese-backed government sentenced media mogul and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison on Monday.
“Having stepped back and taking a global view of the total sentence for Lai’s serious and grave criminal conduct … we are satisfied that the total sentence for Lai in the present case should be 20 years’ imprisonment,” Hong Kong’s High Court reportedly wrote in its ruling.
As The Federalist previously reported, Lai — a pro-freedom activist and founder of the city’s now-shuttered largest pro-democracy newspaper (Apple Daily) — was previously convicted by the city’s pro-China government in December “on charges of alleged collusion with foreign powers and sedition.” Most of the charges were brought under Hong Kong’s national security law, which was implemented as a means of further criminalizing dissent and solidifying the Chinese Communist Party and its allies’ control of the city.
According to CNBC, Lai’s 20-year sentence “was the longest handed out under the national security law introduced in 2020, surpassing the 10-year term given to activist Benny Tai, a former law professor who was convicted of conspiring to subvert state power, in November 2024.” Barring any shortening of his sentence or an immediate release, it’s likely the 78-year-old media tycoon — whose health is reportedly declining — will spend the remainder of his life in prison.