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From neglected tributary on the eastern edge of Beijing to clear stream, the rebirth of the Liangma River and the emergence of a vibrant new landmark reflect China's ecological transformation, one of many powerful stories unfolding across the country.

A prominent Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota and her husband have been killed, and another Democratic state lawmaker and his wife were shot, in the early hours of Saturday.

State representative Melissa Hortman has died, as has her husband, Mark, the state’s governor, Tim Walz, confirmed at a press conference on Saturday. He said the shooting “appears to be a politically motivated assassination”. Hortman was the top Democrat in the Minnesota house and the former speaker. The Democratic state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were both shot multiple times and are out of surgery, and Walz said he was “cautiously optimistic” both will survive.

The gunman was still at large, law enforcement said on Saturday, and the city of Brooklyn Park was still under a shelter-in-place order. The shooter was impersonating a police officer, dressed in a uniform that would appear to be real to most people, police said. Sources told the Associated Press that 57-year old Vance Boelter is currently being sought as a suspect.

“No Kings” protests against the Trump administration are set for midday at the Minnesota state capitol and around the country, but the Minnesota state patrol and Walz have asked the state’s public not to attend “out of an abundance of caution”. The state patrol said “No Kings” flyers had been found inside the suspect’s vehicle.

Organizers said they would cancel events across the state that hadn’t already started, though the main protest at the state capitol in St Paul is under way, with people in attendance.

Brooklyn Park’s police chief, Mark Bruley, said at a press conference that the suspect drove a vehicle that looked identical to an SUV police squad car. “It was equipped with lights, emergency lights, that looked exactly like a police vehicle, and yes, they were wearing a vest with Taser, other equipment, a badge very similar to mine, that, no question, if they were in this room, you would assume that they are a police officer.”

The man had a list of other lawmakers and officials in the vehicle police searched, and alerts were sent out to take action and provide security to others, Bruley said.

“There was a list of individuals, and the individuals that were targeted in this situation were on that list,” said Drew Evans, the superintendent of the Minnesota bureau of criminal apprehension. He added that it was “far too early in the investigation” to provide a motive or assess whether the victims had been targeted for their political affiliation, but that he believes the state will be able to provide more information on the motivation behind the attacks as the investigation unfolds.

“We’re here today because an unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota,” Walz said. “My good friend and colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman, and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination. Our state lost a great leader, and I lost the dearest of friends.”

He added that Hortman was “someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor and a sense of service. She was a formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota. She woke up every day determined to make this state a better place. She is irreplaceable.”

Democratic state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were both shot multiple times and are out of surgery, and Walz said he was “cautiously optimistic” both will survive.

“This was an act of targeted political violence,” Walz said. “Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint.”

At about 2am local time, police received a call in Champlin, a suburb of Minneapolis, that Hoffman and his wife had been shot, Evans said. Police in Champlin responded to that location, and police in a nearby suburb, Brooklyn Park, assisted.

Police in Brooklyn Park went to Hortman’s house at about 3.30am to check on her, given the nearby shooting of Hoffman. Upon arrival at Hortman’s house, officers saw a supposed police vehicle in the driveway with emergency lights on and what appeared to be an officer coming out of the house, Bruley said. The gunman, impersonating an officer, immediately fired at them, and then was able to escape out the back of the house, Bruley said.

“This is somebody that clearly had been impersonating a police officer, again, using the trust of this badge and this uniform to manipulate their way into the home,” Bruley said.

Police found a man with gunshot wounds, Hortman’s husband, and administered first aid, but he was pronounced dead shortly after. Officers then used a drone to identify the woman, Hortman, in the home.

Bruley advised people in the area to call in to the police department if an officer arrives to ensure the officer belongs there, which dispatch would be able to confirm. Officers were approaching people in pairs of two officers as the search continued, he said, so if there is a single officer outside your door, do not answer. Police had detained several people for questioning, but did not have anyone in custody at the time, Bruley said.

Bob Jacobson, the commissioner of the state’s department of public safety, said there was increased security in place for elected officials and others who may be at risk.

“This is a dark day today for Minnesota and for democracy,” Jacobson said. “We will not allow fear or violence to define who we are or how we move forward. We will stand together. We will stand strong … These are public servants, leaders who committed their lives to improving the lives of others, and they were targeted in a violent and cowardly way.”

Minnesota’s house of representatives was evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats have a one-vote majority in the state senate.

Amy Klobuchar, the state’s Democratic senator, called the shootings “a stunning act of violence”: “My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families. Both legislators are close friends and devoted to their families and public service.”

Trump said in a statement that he had been briefed on the shootings, which appeared to be a “targeted attack against state lawmakers”. The US attorney general, Pam Bondi, and the FBI was investigating and would prosecute anyone involved “to the fullest extent of the law”, Trump said. “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America,” he said. “God bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!”

The shootings took place at a time when political violence has become more commonplace in the US, though the vast majority of Americans do not support it, according to a University of Chicago survey.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the Israeli regime’s act of aggression against the country amounts to a “declaration of war”.

Araghchi made the remark in a letter to United Nations secretary general and president of Security Council after the Israeli regime carried out savage attacks on military sites, nuclear facilities and residential areas which killed a number of top commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), nuclear scientists and civilians.

"These oppressive acts are not only constitute a severe violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran as an independent member of the United Nations, but as per international law and international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, are among acts of aggression and war crimes,” he said.

The Iranian foreign minister called on the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities, strongly condemn the aggression and take immediate and specific measures to hold the Israeli regime’s accountable.

He said Iran insists on its inherent right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter and will “respond decisively and proportionately to these illegal and cowardly actions."

"The Islamic Republic of Iran will act with full determination to protect its sovereignty, people and national security. This is a non-negotiable right,” he added.

Among its targets, the Israeli regime attacked the Natanz Nuclear Facility in central Iran which works under full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he noted.

The top Iranian diplomat warned that the Tel Aviv regime’s reckless attacks endangered the lives of Iranian civilians and caused a worrying threat to regional and international peace and security by posing the risk of a radiological disaster.

Araghchi emphasized that any deliberate military attack against nuclear facilities under the supervision of international safeguards constitutes a gross violation of international law.

The dangerous attack would further undermine the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the UN nuclear watchdog, he warned.

Araghchi said Israel’s purposeful assassination against top military commanders and Iranian scientists in Tehran and the regime’s deliberate and preplanned measures are clear examples of “state terrorism".

"Israel, the most terrorist regime in the world, has now crossed all redlines, and the international community must not allow these crimes to go unpunished,” he added.

The top Iranian diplomat emphasized that Israel will deeply regret its “reckless aggression and the big strategic miscalculation” it has made.

Araghchi called on the Security Council to hold an urgent meeting to address the Israeli regime’s illegal act of aggression and its consequences for the global peace and security.

In brazen contravention of international law, the Israeli regime launched an all-out war on Iran on Friday by bombing the country’s nuclear civilian infrastructure and assassinating some veteran nuclear scientists, as well as high-ranking military commanders.

In a statement on Friday just hours after the latest Israeli aggression, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei warned that the regime must now await a harsh punishment.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the Zionist regime has prepared a “bitter and painful fate” for itself.

June 13 (Reuters) - Iranian state media confirmed on Friday the killing of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Commander Hossein Salami in an Israeli strike.

Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes on #Iran early on Thursday, as explosions were heard in several Iranian regions, including the capital, Tehran.

Israeli media outlets reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the security cabinet amid the strikes, while Israeli-controlled airspace was closed off for all commercial flights.

This comes amid high-level nuclear talks between Iran and the #US and after US President Donald Trump threatened possible Israeli attacks against Iran hours ago.

The President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, held on Wednesday a fraternal meeting with Qiu Xiaoqi, Special Representative of the Chinese Government for Latin America, at the end of his visit to the Caribbean nation, an event that reaffirmed the historic ties between the two socialist countries.

Cuba and China agreed to highlight the special nature of bilateral relations, based on solidarity, mutual respect and a history of 65 years of uninterrupted ties since 1960. On that historical basis, they reaffirmed the political will of the highest leadership of the Party and the Government of the two nations to deepen bilateral ties.

Díaz-Canel thanked China for its firm support in difficult times. He particularly acknowledged the invaluable and sustainable contribution of Chinese projects to the development of priority sectors with high impact for the Cuban population.

Likewise, the Cuban head of state considered that the Community of Shared Future between the two countries endorses the deepening of the consensus built by the different generations of leaders and is the path chosen to move towards greater integration.

Qiu Xiaoqi considered the exchanges with Cuban authorities “fruitful”. He reaffirmed that the Asian giant will continue to support Cuba's economic and social development as part of its policy towards socialist countries.

Likewise, he pointed out that the Chinese side attaches high significance to the development of ties with a socialist nation such as Cuba.

Among the most recent results of the Cuba-China ties, the construction of seven solar parks in six Cuban provinces stands out. These will generate 35 MW and save more than 18,000 tons of fuel per year.

Similarly, more than ten joint projects have been signed in high-tech areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, neuroscience and nanotechnology, based at the Havana Science Park.

Collaboration includes donations of locomotives, buses, energy equipment and the modernization of electrical infrastructure. In addition, joint work is progressing in mining, hydrocarbons and higher education.

An aid convoy of about 10,000 Algerians, Egyptians, Libyans, Moroccans, Mauritanians and Tunisians left Tunisia on 9 June as it headed toward Gaza to break Israel's ongoing blockade. Organised by Tunisian civil society groups, the ‘Soumoud’ convoy, which means ‘steadfastness’ in Arabic, is transporting food, medicine and everyday supplies. It also has a political agenda: Defying what the organisers term the collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza.

Since October 2023, Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza, stripping it of electricity, water, fuel, and humanitarian aid. Israel’s onslaught and escalated siege have k*lled over 62,000 Palestinians, with the majority being women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The UN and international rights groups have repeatedly called for lifting the blockade and providing unbridled humanitarian access.

Convoy members include doctors, lawyers, students and human rights activists, who say they're stepping in where governments have failed. The convoy will attempt to access Rafah via Egypt, but no word yet on whether Egypt will allow entrance through its borders.

This convoy carrying a symbolic load of supplies for Gaza set off from Italy on the day Israeli forces seized a boat, the Madleen, of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC). It carried 12 activists, including Sweden's Greta Thunberg. While Israel released her and a few activists, the others remain in Israeli custody.

This is not the first go-around for activists trying to defy Israel's occupation. In early May 2024, Israel struck another Gaza-bound FFC boat containing supplies. In 2010, Israel had k*lled 10 activists attempting to transport 10,000 tonnes of aid to Gaza. In 1988, the night before the al-Awda ('The Return' in Arabic) was set to sail to an Israeli port to highlight the plight of Palestinian refugees, a bomb destroyed and sunk the ship in a Cyprus harbour, k*lling no one.

Video/image credits: @landpalestine (IG) & @pal.actions_tn (IG)

Sources

https://conectas.org/en/noticias/international-community-calls-for-a-ceasefire-in-gaza/

https://www.euronews.com/2025/06/09/land-convoy-sets-off-for-gaza-from-tunisia-to-protest-against-israeli-blockade-of-strip

https://www.unrwa.org/resources/reports/unrwa-situation-report-170-situation-gaza-strip-and-west-bank-including-east-jerusalem

https://www.euronews.com/2025/06/09/land-convoy-sets-off-for-gaza-from-tunisia-to-protest-against-israeli-blockade-of-strip https://www.africanews.com/2025/06/09/land-convoy-leaves-tunisia-for-gaza-in-an-effort-to-break-israels-siege/

https://www.unrwa.org/resources/reports/unrwa-situation-report-170-situation-gaza-strip-and-west-bank-including-east-jerusalem

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/12/un-chief-urges-immediate-ceasefire-in-gaza-as-35000-palestinians-killed#%3A%7E%3Atext=The+United+Nations%27+Secretary-General%2Cbegan+in+October%2C+say+officials.

https://conectas.org/en/noticias/international-community-calls-for-a-ceasefire-in-gaza/ https://www.euronews.com/2025/06/09/land-convoy-sets-off-for-gaza-from-tunisia-to-protest-against-israeli-blockade-of-strip

Iran recently managed to obtain a wealth of secret documents from the Israeli regime.

I can't read this but if anyone can translate it please do!

Mass detentions of undocumented migrants began in Los Angeles on June 6, when citizens took to the streets in response to the raids NEW YORK, June 11. /TASS/. The number of US troops deployed in the Californian city of Los Angeles currently exceeds that in Iraq and Syria, ABC News reports.

"There are 4,800 activated Guard and Marine personnel in LA, compared to the 2,500 troops in Iraq and 1,500 in Syria," the broadcaster points out.

Mass detentions of undocumented migrants began in Los Angeles on June 6. By the evening of June 7, at least 44 people were already held on suspicion of immigration violations. Citizens took to the streets in response to the raids, with protests escalating into riots.

US President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles to respond to the unrest without consulting California Governor Gavin Newsom, who later sued the US president and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for sending in troops without his permission.