International
More than 20 dead and 15 injured in an attack by an armed gang in Haiti
More than 20 people died and at least 15 were injured in an attack by the Gran Grif armed gang in the town of Pont Sonde in Haiti, local sources reported on Thursday.
It is not ruled out that the number of victims will increase after the incursion led this morning by the Gran Grif gang, based in the town of Savien (Petite Riviere, Artibonite), and that has forced the population of the affected area to flee en masse and take refuge in the public square of the city of Saint-Marc.
The injured are receiving treatment in health centers, especially at the Saint Nicolas de Saint-Marc hospital, a town located a hundred kilometers from Port-au-Prince.
Since this morning, the armed group controls the Pont Sonde area, in the Haitian department of Artibonite.
Violence is on the rise in Haiti
Faced with this situation, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security announced that the corresponding instructions have been given to the National Police of Haiti in order to “re-establish order and knock out all those who sow terror in the department of Artibonite.”
“These crimes will not go unpunished. The perpetrators and their accomplices will be persecuted to the last trench,” according to a statement from that ministry, which reiterates its determination to take “all the necessary measures to restore peace to the country and so that the population can freely dedicate themselves to their activities.”
This attack comes a few days after the sanctions announced by the United States and the UN against the leader of the Great Griffin, known as Luckson Elan.
Haiti suffers from extreme violence from armed gangs, which has led thousands of people to leave their homes to escape insecurity.
More than 700,000 internal refugees
According to the latest report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 700,000 people – more than half of them children – are currently internally displaced in Haiti.
The latest figures show a 22% increase in the number of internally displaced people since June, with a consequent worsening of the humanitarian situation.
In the last seven months, gang violence has forced more than 110,000 people to leave their homes, especially in Gressier, west of the capital.
The majority of the displaced in Haiti, about 75%, are currently refugees in the country’s provinces, and the Greater South region alone welcomes 45% of all these people.
In a recent report, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) indicated that at least 1,379 people were victims of armed gang violence in Haiti, between deaths and injuries, during the second quarter of 2024, bringing the number of victims to almost 3,900 in the first half of the year.
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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