In brief: Islamist party leader hanged for ties to killings in 1971

DHAKA, Bangladesh – Authorities in Bangladesh on Saturday executed a senior Islamist party official convicted of crimes against humanity during the country’s 1971 independence war against Pakistan, triggering a call for a nationwide general strike by the condemned man’s supporters.

Mohammad Qamaruzzaman was put to death by hanging inside the central jail in the capital, Dhaka, a prison official said.

Prosecutors say Qamaruzzaman, an assistant secretary general of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, headed a militia group that collaborated with the Pakistani army in central Bangladesh in 1971 and was behind the killings of at least 120 unarmed farmers.

President of Brazil plans visit to U.S.

PANAMA CITY – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will visit Washington in June, nearly two years after she canceled a similar trip to protest U.S. spy programs.

Rousseff canceled a state visit to the U.S. in fall 2013 to protest an American spy program that targeted Brazil’s government and citizens.

Brazilian media revealed that Rousseff’s communications with aides were intercepted.