PARIS: France on Friday accused Syria of doing nothing to reach a peace agreement after almost seven years of war and said it was “committing mass crimes” in the Eastern Ghouta region where 400,000 people are besieged by government forces.
UN-led peace talks in Geneva ended on Thursday with UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura laying most of the blame for the failure of the round at the feet of the regime side.
“The Assad regime never entered in any negotiation since the beginning of the civil war,” France’s Ambassador to the US Gerard Araud said on Twitter. “They don’t look for a political compromise but for the eradication of their enemies.”
Despite being a leading backer of the Syrian opposition, France has sought a more pragmatic approach to the Syrian conflict since the arrival of President Emmanuel Macron, saying that the departure of Bashar Assad was not a pre-condition for talks.
However, on Friday the lack of progress in Geneva and continuing assault of the besieged rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus brought scathing criticism from Paris.
“There is no alternative to a negotiated political solution agreed by both parties under the auspices of the United Nations,” Deputy Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexandre Giorgini told reporters in a daily briefing, reiterating Paris’ support for de Mistura and appearing to dismiss a separate Russian initiative planned in Sochi next year.
“We deplore the attitude of the Syrian regime, which has refused to engage in the discussion. The Syrian regime is responsible for the lack of progress in the negotiations,” he said.
He also pointed the finger at Russia and Iran, who both back Assad, over their inability to enforce a cease-fire in Eastern Ghouta, which according to a Sept. 15 accord between Russia, Turkey and Iran, is included among several de-escalation zones.
“It is therefore urgent that Russia and Iran, guarantors of the Astana process and allies of the Damascus regime, take steps for the cessation of the bombings and (enable) humanitarian aid to arrive safely and without those who need it being hindered,” Giorgini said.
The UN says about 400,000 civilians are besieged and face “complete catastrophe” because aid deliveries by the Syrian government were blocked and hundreds of people who need urgent medical evacuation have not been allowed outside the enclave.
“By denying humanitarian access, the Damascus regime is responsible for mass crimes, particularly through the use of the siege as a weapon of war,” Giorgini said.
France: Syria’s Assad not looking for peace, committing mass crimes
France: Syria’s Assad not looking for peace, committing mass crimes
Minnesota police, FBI hunt suspect in deadly shooting of Democratic state lawmakers
- Couple Mark and Melissa Hortman were killed by a gunman posed as police officer
- The suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, was eported to have links to evangelical ministries
MINNEAPOLIS/WASHINGTON: A gunman posing as a police officer killed a senior Democratic state assemblywoman and her husband on Saturday in an apparent “politically motivated assassination,” and wounded a second lawmaker and his spouse, said Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and law enforcement officials. A major search backed by the FBI was underway for the suspect, who fled on foot after firing at police and abandoning a vehicle in which officers found a “manifesto” and a list of other legislators and officials, law enforcement officials said. The suspect was identified as 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans told a news briefing.
Boelter should be considered “armed and dangerous” and is believed to still be in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, Evans said, adding that it was too soon to determine a motive.
The suspect had links to evangelical ministries and claimed to be a security expert with experience in the Gaza Strip and Africa, according to his online postings and public records reviewed by Reuters. Boelter also described himself online as a former employee of food service companies.
Evans said investigators were aware of similar reports of his connections and would be exploring them.
The list found in the abandoned vehicle that looked similar to a police SUV contained about 70 names, including abortion providers, and lawmakers in Minnesota and other states, CNN reported, citing law enforcement sources.
ABC News, also citing law enforcement officials, said the list included dozens of Minnesota Democrats including Walz, US Representative Ilhan Omar, Senator Tina Smith and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
The killings of Melissa Hortman, a former assembly speaker and her husband, Mark, prompted reactions of shock and horror from Republican and Democratic politicians across the country and calls for dialing back increasingly divisive political rhetoric.
The shootings come on the heels of a heated hearing in Congress on Thursday in which Walz and two other Democratic governors defended their states’ policies to maintain sanctuary for undocumented immigrants, drawing attacks from Republicans who support Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown.
Minnesota State Patrol chief Col. Christina Bogojevic said that police found flyers in the suspect’s vehicle with “No Kings” printed on them, but he had no direct links to the thousands of nationwide “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump’s policies taking place on Saturday.
The protests were timed to counter Trump’s long-sought military parade in Washington. The organizing No Kings Coalition canceled all protests in Minnesota, citing a shelter-in-place order and the suspect’s at-large status.
Trump said he was briefed on the “terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers.”
“Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!” Trump said in a statement.
Police impersonator
Hortman and her husband were shot dead in their home in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park, Walz said. The Minneapolis suburb is located in the northern part of Hennepin County, a Democratic stronghold in a state where Republicans have made gains in recent years. Prior to Hortman’s killing, the Minnesota House of Representatives she served in was evenly split 67-67 between Democrats and Republicans.
Hortman’s official website says she and her husband have two children.
Walz said that the gunman went to the Hortmans’ residence after shooting Senator John Hoffman and his wife multiple times in their home in the nearby town of Champlin.
They underwent surgery, Walz said, adding that he was “cautiously optimistic” that they would survive “this assassination attempt.”
“This was an act of targeted political violence,” he said. “Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint.”
Law enforcement officials said the gunman attacked the Hoffmans at around 2 a.m. CDT (0700 GMT) and then drove about five miles to the Hortmans’ residence.
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said that a “very intuitive” police sergeant who responded to the Hoffman attack asked colleagues to “proactively” check the Hortmans’ residence.
The two officers arriving at the Hortmans’ home saw what appeared to be a police vehicle parked in the driveway with its emergency lights on and an individual dressed and equipped as a police officer leaving the home, he said.
The suspect “immediately fired upon the officers, who exchanged gunfire and the suspect retreated back into the home,” Bruley continued.
The suspect wore a vest with a taser, other police equipment and a badge when he fled the home. The Hortmans and Hoffmans were on the list of names found in the suspect’s car, officials said.
The FBI called the shooting a “deliberate and violent attack on public servants and their families.” It offered a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the suspect’s arrest.
Political violence surge
The pre-dawn Minnesota killings come amid a surge in US political attacks in recent years, underscoring the dark side of the nation’s deepening political divisions.
These include the attempted 2020 kidnapping of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, and a man who broke into Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence in April and set it on fire.
In July last year, then-candidate Trump escaped an assassination attempt by a gunman while speaking at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said it arrested a person in connection with a threat against state lawmakers who had planned to attend a protest at the state capitol in Austin, which it evacuated. There was no indication of a direct link to the Minnesota killings.
Trump has faced criticism from some opponents over his handling of incidents involving political violence.
In one of his first moves in office earlier this year, Trump pardoned nearly everyone criminally charged with participating in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Putin tells Trump Russia is ready for next round of Ukraine talks
- Putin and Trump held a call for the fifth time since the Republican took office and sought to reset relations with Moscow
- Zelensky urges the US to “shift tone” in its dialogue with Russia, saying it was “too warm” and would not help to end the fighting
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin told his US counterpart Donald Trump Saturday that Moscow was ready to hold a fresh round of peace talks with Kyiv after June 22, once the sides complete exchanging prisoners and soldiers’ bodies.
Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile did not mention whether Ukraine would agree to the next round of talks, only saying that “the exchanges will be completed and the parties will discuss the next step.”
Putin and Trump held a call for the fifth time since the Republican took office and sought to reset relations with Moscow, in a stark pivot from the approach of his predecessor Joe Biden’s administration.
Trump’s approach has stunned Washington’s allies, raising doubts about the future of US aid to Kyiv and leaving Europe scrambling to work out how it can fill any gap in supplies if Trump decides to pull US military, financial and intelligence support.
“Both leaders expressed satisfaction with their personal relations” during the call, in which they also discussed the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, the Kremlin said.
It added that the presidents “communicate in a businesslike manner and seek solutions to pressing issues on the bilateral and international agenda, no matter how complex these issues may be.”
Trump posted on Truth Social to say Putin had called “to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday” on the day he turned 79, but that “more importantly” the two discussed the Iran-Israel crisis.
“He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end,” Trump said, referring to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Zelensky urged the United States to “shift tone” in its dialogue with Russia, saying it was “too warm” and would not help to end the fighting.
“Any signals of reduced aid, or of treating Ukraine and Russia as equals, are deeply unfair. Russia is the aggressor. They started this war. They do not want to end it,” the Ukrainian President said on X.
The recent escalation sparked fears Washington might relocate resources at its expense, to beef up the defense of its close ally Israel which unleashed a large-scale attack on Iran Friday.
“We would like to see aid to Ukraine not decrease because of this,” he said. “Last time, this was a factor that slowed down aid to Ukraine.”
Earlier on Saturday, Ukraine and Russia swapped prisoners in the fourth such exchange this week, part of a large-scale plan to bring back 1,000 wounded prisoners from each side and return bodies of killed soldiers.
The prisoner agreement was the only visible result of two recent rounds of talks in Istanbul.
Photos published by Zelensky on Telegram showed men of various ages, mostly with shaved heads, wearing camouflage and draped in Ukrainian flags.
Some were injured, others disembarked from buses and hugged those welcoming them, or were seen calling someone by phone, sometimes covering their faces or smiling.
Moscow’s defense ministry released its own video showing men in uniforms holding Russian flags, clapping and chanting “Glory to Russia” and “hooray,” some raising their fists in the air.
As part of the Istanbul agreements, Kyiv also said it had received another 1,200 unidentified bodies from Russia.
It said Moscow had said they were those of “Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel.” Ukraine did not say whether it returned any bodies to Russia.
Russia has rejected calls to halt its three-year offensive. It has demanded Ukraine cede territory and renounce Western military support if it wants peace.
Since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, the assault has forced millions of people to flee their homes as towns and cities across eastern Ukraine have been flattened by heavy bombardments.
Meanwhile, Russia intensified its advances along the front line, especially on the northeastern Ukrainian region of Sumy, where it seeks to establish a “buffer zone.”
By doing it, Moscow seeks to protect its bordering region of Kursk, previously partly occupied by Ukraine.
Zelensky said Russia’s advance on Sumy was stopped and that Kyiv’s forces had managed to retake one village.
He also denied Moscow’s earlier claims that its troops entered the Dnipropetrovsk region.
He said 53,000 Russian soldiers were involved in the Sumy operation.
US capital divided by Trump’s military parade
- The divided US capital epitomized a political rift in the United States that Saturday’s display of soldiers, tanks and fighter jets looked to further deepen
WASHINGTON: As Donald Trump supporters queued to watch a military parade in Washington, hundreds of protesters marched less than a mile away chanting that the US president was a “fascist.”
The divided US capital epitomized a political rift in the United States that Saturday’s display of soldiers, tanks and fighter jets looked to further deepen.
For Shaun Dailey, who traveled from neighboring Pennsylvania, the parade was simply a chance to honor the US Army on its birthday, which coincided with Trump’s 79th.
“Some of them say that, ‘Oh, it looks like North Korea. Oh, it looks like Russia,’ because America doesn’t do very many military parades. I don’t know, because we’re told to be ashamed of who we are,” the 22-year-old said.
“But I personally don’t see that as authoritarian. I don’t see it as fascist or whatever. I just see it as a celebration.”
Brent Kuykendall, 66, who flew from Texas with his wife to see the parade, agreed that it was a form of “patriotism.”
“It’s more than Trump. It’s to celebrate our country,” said Kuykendall, who carried a bag styled with US flags.
But many in liberal Washington were uneasy with the huge military display that has seen much of the downtown area shut down by roadblocks.
Secret Service agents, some with sniffer dogs, prowled the entry points to the National Mall area where the parade was taking place Saturday.
The White House — typically visible for tourists behind a single metal fence — was cordoned off with a large black barrier reading “Do not enter.”
A few hundred protesters marched to the perimeter to voice their opposition to the military parade — and Trump’s second presidency.
“I flew in to oppose Trump’s fascist birthday parade,” said Sam Richards, a US army veteran from Minneapolis, some 1,000 miles from Washington.
“All of this feels like a cruel joke, to use people that swore an oath to the Constitution and are devoting their lives to the military as pawns for a guy who wants to be a king,” Richards, 34, said.
He was surrounded by activists who held signs reading “Pro USA, anti Trump” and “Americans will not be ruled.”
There was also a wooden model where protesters had gathered earlier depicting Trump with an elongated nose, sitting on a toilet with suit trousers around his ankles.
Organizers emphasized the rally should be nonviolent — but some were still wary of Trump’s promise last week that anyone trying to derail the military parade would be met by “heavy force.”
“It’s very important to stand out here today because there’s so many people that are afraid,” said Anahi Rivas-Rodriguez, 24, who is from Washington.
She acknowledged she felt “intimidated” by comments made by the president.
“But that does not stop me, because protesting is patriotic.”
The Washington protest was among hundreds of rallies taking place across the United States on Saturday, including New York City and Los Angeles.
Bill Kennedy, 68, traveled to the capital from neighboring Pennsylvania as he believed it was crucial to display opposition to Trump.
“I think he needs to see that. You know, he’s not going to get away with intimidation, threats, violence and thuggery, that people will still be opposed no matter what,” he said.
Thousands of protesters crowd into streets, parks and plazas at anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ demonstrations
Thousands of protesters crowd into streets, parks and plazas at anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ demonstrations
- Atlanta’s 5,000-capacity “No Kings” rally quickly reached its limit, with thousands more demonstrators gathered outside barriers to hear speakers in front of the state Capitol
PHILADELPHIA: Thousands of demonstrators crowded into streets, parks and plazas across the US on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump, marching through downtowns and blaring anti-authoritarian chants mixed with support for protecting democracy and immigrant rights.
Governors across the US urged calm and vowed no tolerance for violence, while some mobilized the National Guard ahead of marchers gathering in major downtowns and small towns. Through midday, confrontations were isolated.
Atlanta’s 5,000-capacity “No Kings” rally quickly reached its limit, with thousands more demonstrators gathered outside barriers to hear speakers in front of the state Capitol. Huge, boisterous crowds marched in New York, Denver, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles, some behind “no kings” banners.
In Minnesota, organizers canceled demonstrations as police worked to track down a suspect in the shootings of two Democratic legislators and their spouses. Meanwhile, ahead of an evening demonstration in Austin, Texas, law enforcement said it was investigating a credible threat against lawmakers.
Intermittent light rain fell as marchers gathered for the flagship rally in Philadelphia’s Love Park. They shouted “Whose streets? Our streets!” as they marched to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where they listened to speakers on the steps made famous in the movie “Rocky.”
“So what do you say, Philly?” Democratic US Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland shouted to the crowd. “Are you ready to fight back? Do you want a gangster state or do you want free speech in America?”
Trump was in Washington for a military parade marking the Army’s 250th anniversary that coincides with the president’s birthday. There, a massive demonstration toured the city’s streets, led by a banner reading, “Trump must go now.”
In Charlotte, demonstrators trying to march through downtown briefly faced off with police forming a barricade with their bicycles, chanting “let us walk,” while law enforcement in northern Atlanta deployed tear gas to divert several hundred protesters heading toward Interstate 285. A journalist was seen being detained by officers and police helicopters flew above the crowd.
In some places, organizers handed out little American flags while others flew their flags upside down, a sign of distress. Mexican flags, which have become a fixture of the Los Angeles protests against immigration raids, made an appearance at some demonstrations Saturday.
Protests were planned in nearly 2,000 locations across the country, from city blocks and small towns to courthouse steps and community parks, organizers said. The 50501 Movement orchestrating the protests says it picked the “No Kings” name to support democracy and speak out against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement.
The demonstrations come on the heels of protests across the country over federal immigration enforcement raids that began last week and Trump ordering the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire.
Philadelphia
Thousands gathered in downtown Love Park, with organizers handing out small American flags and people carried protest signs saying “fight oligarchy” and “deport the mini-Mussolinis.”
Karen Van Trieste, a 61-year-old nurse who drove up from Maryland, said she grew up in Philadelphia and wanted to be with a large group of people showing her support.
“I just feel like we need to defend our democracy,” she said. She is concerned about the Trump administration’s layoffs of staff at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fate of immigrant communities and the Trump administration trying to rule by executive order, she said.
A woman wearing a foam Statue of Liberty crown brought a speaker system and led an anti-Trump sing-along, changing the words “young man” in the song “Y.M.C.A.” to “con man.”
One man in Revolutionary War era garb and a tricorn hat held a sign with a quote often attributed to Thomas Jefferson: “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”
Los Angeles
Thousands gathered in front of City Hall in a boisterous crowd, waving signs and listening to a Native American drum circle and dance performances before marching through the streets.
Signs included “They fear us, don’t back down California,” “Protesting is not a crime,” “We carry dreams not danger” and “ICE out of LA.”
Protesters staged impromptu dance parties and, on the march, passed National Guard troops or US Marines stationed at various buildings. Most interactions were friendly, with demonstrators giving fist bumps or posing for selfies, but others chanted “shame” at the troops.
One demonstrator carried a 2-foot-tall (60-centimeter) Trump pinata on a stick, with a crown on his head and sombrero hanging off his back while another hoisted a huge helium-filled orange baby balloon with blond hair styled like Trump’s.
North Carolina
Crowds cheered anti-Trump speakers in Charlotte’s First Ward Park and chanted “we have no kings” before marching, chanting “No kings, no crowns, we will not bow down” and “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go.”
Marchers stretched for blocks, led by a group of people holding a giant Mexican flag and bystanders cheering and clapping for protesters along the way.
Jocelyn Abarca, a 21-year-old college student, said the protest was a chance to “speak for what’s right” after mass deportations and the deployment of the National Guard to deal with protesters in Los Angeles last week.
“If we don’t stop it now, it’s just going to keep getting worse,” she said of the Trump administration’s actions.
Minnesota
Before organizers canceled demonstrations in the state, Gov. Tim Walz took to social media to issue a warning after the shootings.
“Out of an abundance of caution my Department of Public Safety is recommending that people do not attend any political rallies today in Minnesota until the suspect is apprehended,” he wrote.
Florida
About a thousand people gathered on the grounds of Florida’s old Capitol in Tallahassee, where protesters chanted, “This is what community looks like,” and carried signs with messages like “one nation under distress” and “dissent is patriotic.”
Organizers of the rally explicitly told the crowd to avoid any conflicts with counterprotesters and to take care not to jaywalk or disrupt traffic.
One march approached the gates of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where sheriff’s deputies turned them back.
Ancient Malian city celebrates annual replastering of mosque
- The annual replastering with “banco” — a mix of earth and water — shields the mosque from harsh weather
DJÉNNÉ, Mali: Thousands of Malians have replastered the iconic earthen mosque in the historic city of Djenne during an annual ceremony that helps preserve the World Heritage site.
To the sound of drums and festive music, townsmen on Thursday coated the towering three-minaret mosque with fresh mud plaster.
The annual replastering with “banco” — a mix of earth and water — shields the mosque from harsh weather ahead of the Sahel region’s often violent rainy season.
“This mosque belongs to the whole world,” said Aboubacar Sidiki Djiteye, his face streaked with mud as he joined the “unifying” ritual.
“There’s no bigger event in Djenne than this,” he told AFP.
“Replastering the mosque is a tradition handed down from generation to generation,” said Bayini Yaro, one of the women tasked with carrying water for the plaster mix.
Locals prepared the mix themselves, combining water, earth, rice bran, shea butter and baobab powder — a hallmark of Sahel-Sudanese architecture.
Chief mason Mafoune Djenepo inspected the fresh coating.
“The importance of this mosque is immense. It’s the image on all Malian stamps,” he said.
A blessing ceremony followed the replastering, with Qur’anic verses recited in the mosque courtyard. Participants then shared dates and sweets.
First erected in the 13th century and rebuilt in 1907, the mosque is considered the world’s largest earthen structure, according to the United Nations’ cultural body, UNESCO.
Djenne, home to around 40,000 residents and known for preserving its traditional banco houses, has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage list since 1988.
The site was added to the endangered heritage list in 2016 due to its location in central Mali, where jihadist fighters linked to Al-Qaeda and the Daesh group, as well as ethnic militias and criminal gangs, have waged a violent insurgency since 2012.
