International
‘We will win’: Ukraine families mourn their fallen soldiers
AFP
“My sunshine, my little one, we are going to win,” sobs a woman, stroking the wooden coffin.
She is standing at the door of a hearse in the centre of Lviv in western Ukraine, where her son’s flower-covered coffin has just been laid by six young soldiers.
He was a military engineer, killed by a Russian artillery strike near Mariupol in the south of the country.
“His name is Vasyl Vyshyvany, he was 28-years-old,” the father tells AFP.
He had been mining the area around a bridge to stop the Russian advance when Grad missiles struck the location, killing him instantly, he says.
“There is no body inside, just fragments.”
His eldest son is also a soldier in the Ukrainian army, posted near the Belarussian border in northern Ukraine.
They have just emerged from Lviv’s iconic Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church, where a service for three soldiers killed in combat has just been held.
Inside the majestic 17th century baroque church, where the walls are lined with marble statues, dozens of soldiers and civilians have gathered for the ceremony.
Several young women in military fatigues and red berets are holding bouquets of flowers.
– Final journey –
At the head of the coffins, which are closed against tradition, six young soldiers serve as the guard of honour with large wooden crosses and the country’s blue-and-white flag.
Next to Vyshyvany is the coffin of lieutenant Dmytro Kotenko, 20, and Kyrylo Moroz, 25.
In red and gold garb, the Greek Orthodox priest shakes his incense burner while another priest anoints the coffins with holy water.
“We are accompanying them on their final journey, a journey to the sky where they will continue to defend us,” reads one of the faithful.
Clutching a white handkerchief in her trembling hand, Vasyl’s mother staggers and must be held up by a friend.
“Glory to God. Glory to Ukraine,” concludes the priest.
“Why are they taking such good people, why are they taking our children?” she cries.
Her face puffy from tears, a young woman with a black bandana around her head, holds the photo of a young soldier close to her chest.
The funeral processions head out to the military section of the historical cemetery of Lychakiv.
Shots ring out in honour of the fallen and their fellow recruits sing the national anthem. A young soldier wipes tears from his eyes.
Slowly, the coffins are lowered, joining many other fresh graves.
International
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
The Chinese government emphasized on Monday the importance of “creating the conditions to return to the proper path of dialogue” between Iran and Israel, which have exchanged attacks in recent days resulting in more than 20 Israeli and over 220 Iranian deaths.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed deep concern at a press conference over the Israeli attacks on Iran and the “sudden escalation” of the military conflict.
Guo called on all parties to “take immediate measures to ease tensions and prevent the region from descending into further turmoil,” stating that “force cannot bring lasting peace.”
“If the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to intensify or even expand, the countries of the Middle East will be the first to suffer the consequences,” he added, while noting that China “will continue to maintain communication with the relevant parties, promoting peace and dialogue.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke last Saturday with his Iranian and Israeli counterparts to condemn the Israeli airstrike on Iranian territory, which he described as a “violation of international law” with the potential to trigger “disastrous” consequences.
In both calls, Wang reiterated China’s rejection of the use of force, defended diplomacy as the only solution to the Iranian nuclear dispute, and offered China’s mediation to prevent further destabilization in the Middle East.
International
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced on Sunday the arrest of Vance Luther Boelter, 57, the main suspect in the killing of Democratic legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband in a Brooklyn Park suburb on Friday night.
Boelter, who also reportedly shot State Senator John Hoffman and his wife early Saturday morning, was apprehended in Sibley County following an intensive manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers.
In a public statement, Governor Walz condemned Boelter’s “unthinkable actions,” which resulted in the death of a woman who “shaped the core of who we are as a state.”
“We cannot become numb to this. We are a deeply divided nation,” Walz said in a statement posted on his X account.
“We move forward not with hatred or violence, but with humility, grace, and civility,” he added.
Expressing solidarity with the victims’ families, Walz said the entire state of Minnesota is in mourning. He also thanked law enforcement for their bravery and professionalism: “They have saved lives,” he emphasized.
“As we heal, we will not let fear win,” Walz concluded. “We must honor Melissa by moving forward with understanding, service, and above all, humanity.”
Throughout Sunday, police and sheriff units searched a rural area in Minnesota for Vance Luther Boelter, a security company director and preacher who, according to Governor Walz, acted out of politically motivated violence.
International
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
Approximately 40,000 tourists are stranded in Israel following the closure of the country’s airspace amid escalating hostilities with Iran, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism reported on Monday.
The ministry has set up a virtual office to provide information via email (virtual@goisrael.gov.il) and phone (+972-53-583-5808), as well as a Facebook page called Israel Virtual Tourist Office.
Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz is in contact with hotels and accommodations across the country to offer support to tourists in need, the ministry added.
Many stranded travelers are considering crossing overland into Jordan or Egypt to seek flights from those countries. The Israel Airports Authority reminded the public that land border crossings remain open.
Three German tourists stranded in Jerusalem told EFE today that they have not received any assistance from their country’s embassy in Israel, and their primary option currently is to cross into Jordan to catch a flight from there.
Since early Friday morning, Israel launched operations against Iran, targeting military personnel and infrastructure, including energy and nuclear facilities, as well as numerous residential areas in Tehran.
In response, Iran has fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel, some of which have struck various locations across the country, leaving at least 24 dead so far, according to Israeli authorities.
Iranian health officials report at least 224 deaths, mostly civilians, including at least 17 senior military officials—nine from the Revolutionary Guard—and more than a dozen nuclear scientists.
The Israeli military has warned that many more “targets” remain, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared on Monday that it will continue missile attacks against Israel until its “destruction.”
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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