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The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz was leaving Southeast Asia on Monday after cancelling plans to dock in Vietnam, amid reports it is headed to the Middle East to boost the US presence as Israel and Iran do battle.At 13:45 GMT, the carrier was traveling through the Malacca Strait toward the Indian Ocean, according to Marine Traffic, a ship-tracking site.A Vietnamese government official confirmed to AFP that a planned reception aboard the USS Nimitz on June 20, as part of the ship’s expected June 19-23 visit to Danang, had been cancelled.  The official shared a letter from the US embassy announcing that the Defense Department was cancelling the event due to “an emergent operational requirement.” The US Embassy in Hanoi declined to comment to AFP, as did a spokesman for the Nimitz.The movement of one of the world’s largest warships came on day four of the escalating air war between Israel and Iran, with no end in sight despite international calls for de-escalation.Israel’s strikes have so far killed at least 224 people, including top military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians, according to Iranian authorities.In retaliation, Iran said it had struck Israel with a salvo of missiles and warned of “effective, targeted and more devastating operations” to come.US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Monday said that Iran’s missile barrage had lightly damaged a building used by the American embassy in Tel Aviv.

The suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, allegedly disguised himself as a police officer, then shot and killed Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark at their home early Saturday.Boelter was captured in Sibley County, a rural area about an hour southwest of the Minneapolis suburbs where the killings occurred, police and state officials said.”After (a) two-day manhunt, two sleepless nights, law enforcement have apprehended Vance Boelter,” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told a late-night news conference.Police said he was taken into custody without the use of force after the largest manhunt in the state’s history, with 20 SWAT teams and several agencies working to find him.Boelter is also suspected of shooting state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in their home. They survived and were treated for serious injuries, authorities said.”The latest news is Senator Hoffman came out of his final surgery and is moving toward recovery,” Walz told reporters.Hoffman was shot nine times and Yvette eight times, according to US Senator Amy Klobuchar.- ‘Politically motivated’ -A notebook containing the names of other lawmakers and potential targets was found inside a car left by Boelter at the Hortmans’ home, which Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said Sunday was not a “traditional manifesto.”The attacks renewed fears of persistent political violence in America.”I am concerned about all our political leaders, political organizations,” US Senator Amy Klobuchar, who represents Minnesota, said Sunday.”It was politically motivated, and there clearly was some throughline with abortion because of the groups that were on the list, and other things that I’ve heard were in this manifesto. So that was one of his motivations.”As speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to January 2025, Hortman was committed to legislation that protected reproductive rights in the state, local media reported.- ‘Cannot be the norm’ -The United States is bitterly divided politically as President Donald Trump embarks on his second term, implementing hardline policies and routinely insulting his opponents. Political violence has become more common.Trump himself survived an assassination attempt last year, with a second attempt foiled by law enforcement. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home was set on fire this year. An assailant with a hammer attacked the husband of then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2022. “(This is) a moment in this country where we watch violence erupt,” Walz said after the arrest.”This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences.”US Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who was attacked by a neighbor in 2017, told NBC that “nothing brings us together more than… mourning for somebody else who’s in political life, Republican or Democrats.”The shootings came on the day a dramatic split screen showed a country divided: hundreds of thousands of protesters across the United States took to the streets to rally against Trump as the president presided over a military parade in Washington — a rare spectacle criticized as seeking to glorify him.Trump has condemned the attacks in Minnesota on the lawmakers and their spouses.The president was asked in a Sunday interview with ABC News if he planned to call Walz, who was Kamala Harris’s running mate in the election Trump won last year.”Well, it’s a terrible thing. I think he’s a terrible governor. I think he’s a grossly incompetent person,” Trump said. “But I may, I may call him, I may call other people too.”

US President Donald Trump directed federal authorities to ramp up deportation efforts in Democratic-led cities on Sunday, doubling down on a politicized anti-immigration drive after major protests in Los Angeles.”We must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.”These, and other such Cities, are the core of the Democrat Power Center,” he claimed, citing debunked right-wing conspiracy theories that undocumented immigrants are voting in US elections in significant numbers.Trump has made deporting undocumented immigrants a key priority for his second term, after successfully campaigning against an alleged “invasion” by criminals.Raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in Los Angeles have sparked days of mainly peaceful protests, though they have seen sporadic violence at times.Trump has pounced on the violent incidents to deploy 4,000 National Guards and 700 Marines to the Democrat-led city, against the wishes of local and state authorities.California has sued to regain control of the National Guardsmen from Trump, arguing he overstepped his authority. That suit is working its way through federal court.Mayor Karen Bass said Sunday that an overnight curfew put in place last week to stop vandalism and looting at the protests would be extended “a couple more days.”She described the fear and anger that have taken hold in the heavily Latino city over the immigration raids. “People are afraid to leave their homes,” she said, adding that raids have at times felt “indiscriminate.””This is the United States. You are not supposed to have to show your papers if you go out in public,” she said. Los Angeles was mostly calm on Sunday with just a handful of demonstrators marching outside City Hall ahead of the curfew. – ‘Get the job done!’ -In a long screed on Truth Social Sunday, Republican Trump charged that ICE agents “are subjected to violence, harassment, and even threats from Radical Democrat Politicians.”But, he insisted, “nothing will stop us from executing our mission… ICE Officers are herewith ordered … to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.”Trump made a litany of grievances against “sick” Democrats, including charges that they “believe in Open Borders, Transgender for Everybody, and Men playing in Women’s Sports.”That, he said, was why he wanted ICE and other law enforcement agencies “to FOCUS on our crime ridden and deadly Inner Cities.”He said he had directed his entire administration “to put every resource possible behind this effort, and reverse the tide of Mass Destruction Migration that has turned once Idyllic Towns into scenes of Third World Dystopia.”Trump said he wanted “our Brave Officers to know that REAL Americans are cheering you on every day.””To ICE, FBI, DEA, ATF, the Patriots at Pentagon and the State Department, you have my unwavering support. Now go, GET THE JOB DONE!” he wrote.Former president Barack Obama meanwhile criticized Trump’s deportation drive. “Families with similar backgrounds who just want to live, work, and support their communities, are being demonized and treated as enemies,” he said on social media platform X.”We can fix our broken immigration system while still recognizing our common humanity and treating each other with dignity and respect.”

US law enforcement officials in Minnesota caught the suspected killer of a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband on Sunday, authorities said, ending a two-day manhunt.The suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, allegedly disguised himself as a police officer, then shot and killed Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark at their home early Saturday.Boelter was captured in Sibley County, a rural area about an hour southwest of the Minneapolis suburbs where the murders had occurred, police and state officials said.”After (a) two-day manhunt, two sleepless nights, law enforcement have apprehended Vance Boelter,” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told a late-night news conference.Police described the search as the “largest manhunt in (the state’s) history”, with 20 SWAT teams and several agencies working to find him.Jeremy Geiger, assistant chief of the Minnesota State Patrol, told reporters that Boelter had been “taken into custody without the use of force.”Before the murders, Boelter also allegedly attacked two others nearby — state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who survived and were treated for serious injuries, authorities said.”The latest news is Senator Hoffman came out of his final surgery and is moving toward recovery,” Walz told reporters.Hoffman was shot nine times and Yvette eight times, according to US Senator Amy Klobuchar.- ‘Politically motivated’ -A notebook containing the names of other lawmakers and potential targets was found inside a car left by Boelter at the Hortmans’ home, which Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said earlier Sunday was not a “traditional manifesto.””I am concerned about all our political leaders, political organizations,” Klobuchar said Sunday.”It was politically motivated, and there clearly was some throughline with abortion because of the groups that were on the list, and other things that I’ve heard were in this manifesto. So that was one of his motivations.”As speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to January 2025, Hortman was committed to legislation that protected reproductive rights in the state, local media reported.- ‘Cannot be the norm’ -The United States is bitterly divided politically as President Donald Trump embarks on his second term, implementing hardline policies and routinely insulting his opponents. Political violence has become more common.Trump himself survived an assassination attempt last year, with a second attempt foiled by law enforcement. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home was set on fire this year. An assailant with a hammer attacked the husband of then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2022. “(This is) a moment in this country where we watch violence erupt,” Walz said after the arrest.”This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences.”US Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who was attacked by a neighbor in 2017, told NBC that “nothing brings us together more than… mourning for somebody else who’s in political life, Republican or Democrats.”The shootings came on the day a dramatic split screen showed a country divided: hundreds of thousands of protesters across the United States took to the streets to rally against Trump as the president presided over a military parade in Washington — a rare spectacle criticized as seeking to glorify him.Trump has condemned the attacks in Minnesota on the lawmakers and their spouses.The president was asked in a Sunday interview with ABC News if he planned to call Walz, who was Kamala Harris’s running mate in the election Trump won last year.”Well, it’s a terrible thing. I think he’s a terrible governor. I think he’s a grossly incompetent person,” Trump said. “But I may, I may call him, I may call other people too.”

A nightly curfew in Los Angeles will continue for “a couple more days,” Mayor Karen Bass said Sunday, the ninth day of protests that have seen US President Donald Trump launch a military-backed crackdown.Demonstrators began protesting on June 6 against immigration raids launched by the Trump administration to round up undocumented migrants in the heavily Latino city in Democrat-led California.The rallies have been mostly peaceful and confined to a small area of Downtown Los Angeles, but marred by sporadic and eye-catching violence which Republican Trump has used as a pretext to send in 4,000 National Guard and 700 Marines.The extraordinary deployment came over the protests of local officials who have insisted that the situation was under control.Bass issued an overnight curfew on June 10 on the downtown area at the heart of the protests to stop incidents of vandalism and looting.On Sunday she said she is hoping that the number of people behind the violent incidents “will taper off”.”So I know the curfew will be on for at least a couple more days,” she said in a televised interview with local news channel KTLA, adding that she cannot predict how many more days exactly.”We don’t know how many raids are going to happen, we don’t know what the character of the raids will be, and every time that happens it really generates a lot of anger in the city,” she said. Trump, seeminly unfazed by the protests, on Sunday directed federal authorities to ramp up their deportation efforts, including in Los Angeles.Bass noted the anger and fear that the raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency have generated in Los Angeles. “People are afraid to leave their homes,” she said, adding that raids have at times felt “indiscriminate.””This is the United States. You are not supposed to have to show your papers if you go out in public,” she said.”It’s hard for me to believe it’s targeted.”Trump said on social media that ICE agents had been subjected to “violence, harassment and even threats” and ordered them to “do all in their power” to effect mass deportations.Los Angeles was mostly calm on Sunday after a massive rally and march a day earlier — part of the “No Kings” series of anti-Trump protests across the country — saw thousands of people turn out to condemn the raids and the military crackdown.A small group of demonstrators marched around City Hall during the sunny afternoon under the watchful eye of law enforcement, including several woman clad in bikinis carrying signs with slogans including “Hot Girl Summer Melt ICE”.

Group of Seven leaders including US President Donald Trump prepared to hold talks Monday in the Canadian Rockies, tackling issues including whether they can find common ground on an escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.The three-day gathering in the mountain town of Kananaskis marks the return to the international diplomatic calendar for Trump, who has stunned allies by defying norms and slapping sweeping tariffs on friend and foe alike.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had designed an agenda aimed at minimizing disagreements within the club of wealthy industrial democracies — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.But Israel shocked the world two days before the summit with a surprise, massive military campaign against Iran.Canada is now sounding out countries about making a joint call on Israel and Iran, diplomats said.The statement could call for de-escalation or could simply back Israel, saying that it has a “right to defend itself” due to Iran’s contested nuclear work.European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told reporters that she spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the summit and agreed that Iran was to blame.”Of course I think a negotiated solution is, in the long term, the best solution,” she said, stopping short of calling for an immediate ceasefire.Trump has praised Israel’s strikes, noting it used US weapons, even though Netanyahu defied his public calls to hold off as the United States sought a negotiated solution.Unusually, Japan, which historically has maintained cordial ties with Iran, made a forceful break with allies in the United States and Europe when it denounced Israel’s strikes as “deeply regrettable.”European powers have all steered clear of criticizing Israel on the Iran strikes, despite separate concern about the humanitarian situation in besieged Gaza.French President Emmanuel Macron has called for restraint and urged Iran to re-enter talks with the United States, while also blaming Tehran for escalating tensions over its nuclear program.- Visiting ’51st state’ -Trump is visiting Canada despite his mockery of the United States’ northern neighbor, which he has said would be better off as the 51st state.Tensions have eased since Carney, a former central banker known more for his competence than pizzazz, took over in March from Justin Trudeau, an erstwhile star on the global stage whom Trump made no secret of disliking.When Trump last visited Canada for a G7 summit, in 2018, he bolted out early and tweeted from Air Force One insults about Trudeau, disassociating the United States from the final statement.But deep tensions remain. Trump, seeking a radical transformation of a global economic order centered on free trade, has vowed to slap sweeping tariffs on US friends and foes alike on July 9, a deadline he postponed once.Von der Leyen, who spoke to Trump by telephone on Saturday, voiced hope that the Europeans can reach a solution and offered veiled criticism of the US approach.”Let us keep trade between us fair, predictable and open. All of us need to avoid protectionism,” she said.- Linking Ukraine and Iran -Von der Leyen also called for the Group of Seven to link the crises in Iran and Ukraine, which has been hit by drones sold to Russia by Tehran’s cleric-run state.”The same type of Iranian-designed and -made drones and ballistic missiles are indiscriminately hitting cities in Ukraine and in Israel. As such, these threats need to be addressed together,” she said.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is among the invited guests and hopes to speak to Trump, who publicly derided him when they met at the White House on February 28.Trump had hoped to force Ukraine into a quick deal with Russia, but he has grown frustrated after President Vladimir Putin refused US-led appeals for at least a temporary truce.Trump spoke by telephone with Putin on Saturday, both about the Israel-Iran conflict and Ukraine.Macron, however, cast doubt on Putin serving as a Middle East mediator.The French president headed to Kananaskis after stopping in Greenland, where he denounced Trump’s threats to seize the Danish autonomous territory.”That’s not what allies do,” he said.Trump for his part arrived at the summit after attending a military parade in Washington that coincided with his birthday, prompting nationwide protests over steps seen as increasingly authoritarian.

Group of Seven powers on Sunday began negotiating on whether they can find common ground on an escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, as leaders including US President Donald Trump arrived for a summit in the Canadian Rockies.The three-day gathering in the mountain town of Kananaskis marks the return to the international diplomatic calendar for Trump, who has stunned allies by defying norms and slapping sweeping tariffs on friend and foe alike.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had designed an agenda aimed at minimizing disagreements within the club of wealthy industrial democracies — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.But Israel shocked the world two days before the summit with a surprise, massive military campaign against Iran.Canada is now sounding out countries about making a joint call on Israel and Iran, diplomats said.The statement could call for de-escalation or could simply back Israel, saying that it has a “right to defend itself” due to Iran’s contested nuclear work.European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told reporters that she spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the summit and agreed that Iran was to blame.”Of course I think a negotiated solution is, in the long term, the best solution,” she said, stopping short of calling for an immediate ceasefire.Trump has praised Israel’s strikes, noting it used US weapons, even though Netanyahu defied his public calls to hold off as the United States sought a negotiated solution.Unusually, Japan, which historically has maintained cordial ties with Iran, made a forceful break with allies in the United States and Europe when it denounced Israel’s strikes as “deeply regrettable.”European powers have all steered clear of criticizing Israel on the Iran strikes, despite separate concern about the humanitarian situation in besieged Gaza.French President Emmanuel Macron has called for restraint and urged Iran to re-enter talks with the United States, while also blaming Tehran for escalating tensions over its nuclear program.- Visiting ’51st state’ -Trump is visiting Canada despite his mockery of the United States’ northern neighbor, which he has said would be better off as the 51st state.Tensions have eased since Carney, a former central banker known more for his competence than pizzazz, took over in March from Justin Trudeau, an erstwhile star on the global stage whom Trump made no secret of disliking.When Trump last visited Canada for a G7 summit, in 2018, he bolted out early and tweeted from Air Force One insults about Trudeau, disassociating the United States from the final statement.But deep tensions remain. Trump, seeking a radical transformation of a global economic order centered on free trade, has vowed to slap sweeping tariffs on US friends and foes alike on July 9, a deadline he postponed once.Von der Leyen, who spoke to Trump by telephone on Saturday, voiced hope that the Europeans can reach a solution and offered veiled criticism of the US approach.”Let us keep trade between us fair, predictable and open. All of us need to avoid protectionism,” she said.- Linking Ukraine and Iran -Von der Leyen also called for the Group of Seven to link the crises in Iran and Ukraine, which has been hit by drones sold to Russia by Tehran’s cleric-run state.”The same type of Iranian-designed and -made drones and ballistic missiles are indiscriminately hitting cities in Ukraine and in Israel. As such, these threats need to be addressed together,” she said.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is among the invited guests and hopes to speak to Trump, who publicly derided him when they met at the White House on February 28.Trump had hoped to force Ukraine into a quick deal with Russia, but he has grown frustrated after President Vladimir Putin refused US-led appeals for at least a temporary truce.Trump spoke by telephone with Putin on Saturday, both about the Israel-Iran conflict and Ukraine.Macron, however, cast doubt on Putin serving as a Middle East mediator.The French president headed to Kananaskis after stopping in Greenland, where he denounced Trump’s threats to seize the Danish autonomous territory.”That’s not what allies do,” he said.Trump for his part arrived at the summit after attending a military parade in Washington that coincided with his birthday, prompting nationwide protests over steps seen as increasingly authoritarian.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday directed federal authorities to ramp up deportation efforts in Democratic-led cities, doubling down on a politicized anti-immigration drive after major protests in Los Angeles.”We must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.”These, and other such Cities, are the core of the Democrat Power Center,” he claimed, citing debunked right-wing conspiracy theories that undocumented immigrants are voting in US elections in significant numbers.Trump has made deporting undocumented immigrants a key priority for his second term, after successfully campaigning against an alleged “invasion” by criminals.Raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in Los Angeles sparked unruly protests, prompting Trump last week to deploy 4,000 National Guards and 700 Marines, against the wishes of local and state authorities.California has sued to regain control of the National Guardsmen from Trump, arguing he overstepped his authority. That suit is working its way through federal court.In a long screed on Truth Social Sunday, the Republican president charged that “every day, the Brave Men and Women of ICE are subjected to violence, harassment, and even threats from Radical Democrat Politicians.”But, he insisted, “nothing will stop us from executing our mission… ICE Officers are herewith ordered … to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.”Trump insisted that “Radical Left Democrats are sick of mind, hate our Country, and actually want to destroy our Inner Cities — And they are doing a good job of it!””There is something wrong with them,” he said, listing a litany of grievances, including charges that Democrats “believe in Open Borders, Transgender for Everybody, and Men playing in Women’s Sports.”That, he said, was why he wanted ICE and other law enforcement agencies “to FOCUS on our crime ridden and deadly Inner Cities.”Doubling down on his characteristic bluster, Trump seemed to compare migration to the United States with weapons of mass destruction.He said he had directed his entire administration “to put every resource possible behind this effort, and reverse the tide of Mass Destruction Migration that has turned once Idyllic Towns into scenes of Third World Dystopia.”With his typical divisive rhetoric, Trump said he wanted “our Brave Officers to know that REAL Americans are cheering you on every day.””To ICE, FBI, DEA, ATF, the Patriots at Pentagon and the State Department, you have my unwavering support. Now go, GET THE JOB DONE!” he wrote.

Police and FBI agents waged a huge manhunt Sunday for a gunman who killed a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband in Minnesota, in what officials called a politically motivated attack.Following the discovery of a vehicle, the search was being centered on Sibley County, a rural area about an hour southwest of the Minneapolis suburb where the killings took place early Saturday.”Over 100 law enforcement officers and numerous SWAT teams… are in that area searching for him,” Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, told a press conference Sunday evening.A second lawmaker and his spouse were also attacked in a nearby community, surviving but with serious injuries, authorities said.He said it was not clear if the suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, was on foot. When asked if Boelter was possibly receiving assistance, the official said “all options are on the table.”Boelter, disguised as a police officer, is alleged to have shot and killed Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark at their home early Saturday.Before those murders, he also allegedly shot and wounded Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette.Yvette said Sunday her husband was “enduring many surgeries” but “is closer every hour to being out the woods,” according to a text message from her shared on X by US Senator Amy Klobuchar.The lawmaker was shot nine times and Yvette eight times, she said in the message.- ‘Politically motivated’ -Boelter fled on foot after exchanging gunfire with officers arriving at the Hortmans’ home, where he left a vehicle.A notebook with names of other lawmakers and potential targets was found inside the car, which Evans said Sunday was not a “traditional manifesto.””I am concerned about all our political leaders, political organizations,” Klobuchar said Sunday.”It was politically motivated, and there clearly was some throughline with abortion because of the groups that were on the list, and other things that I’ve heard were in this manifesto. So that was one of his motivations.”As speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to January 2025, Hortman was committed to legislation that protected reproductive rights in the state, local media reported.- ‘Bring the tone down’ -The United States is bitterly divided politically as President Donald Trump embarks on his second term, implementing hardline policies and routinely insulting his opponents. Political violence has become more common.Trump himself survived an assassination attempt last year, with a second attempt foiled by law enforcement. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home was set on fire this year. An assailant with a hammer attacked the husband of then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2022. “We need to bring the tone down,” Klobuchar said on CNN.US Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, himself attacked by a neighbor in 2017, told NBC “nothing brings us together more than, you know, mourning for somebody else who’s in political life, Republican or Democrats.”On Saturday the FBI released a photo that appears to show Boelter wearing a mask as he stands outside the home of one of the lawmakers.It is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction.The shootings came on the day a dramatic split screen showed a country divided: hundreds of thousands of protesters across the United States took to the streets to rally against Trump as the president presided over a military parade in Washington — a rare spectacle criticized as seeking to glorify him.Trump has condemned the attacks in Minnesota on the lawmakers and their spouses.In a conversation Sunday with ABC News, Trump was asked if he planned to call Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was Kamala Harris’s running mate in the election Trump won last year.”Well, it’s a terrible thing. I think he’s a terrible governor. I think he’s a grossly incompetent person,” the president said. “But I may, I may call him, I may call other people too.”

Hundreds of protesters supporting various causes assembled peacefully in downtown Calgary on Sunday as the Group of Seven summit began a long drive away in the mountain resort of Kananaskis.In recent years, G7 protests have become tightly controlled affairs. Demonstrators are confined to designated spaces, often more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) from where world leaders meet.The 2025 edition is no different, with protesters voicing their anger in Alberta’s largest city. Canadian officials promised a livestream of their messages to the isolated mountain town of Kananaskis where leaders of the seven industrialized nations are meeting.The crisis in Gaza was a dominant theme for the crowd of about 500 gathered in front of Calgary’s main municipal building — one of several areas in the city designated as protest zones.Police said no protesters were present at the other two local demonstration zones, including one near the Calgary airport where the leaders began arriving.”I’m here because I’m an Indigenous person,” said Emrys Peacock, who came by bus from British Columbia’s Okanagan region.”As an Indigenous person, I can’t ignore a fellow Indigenous nation being bombed, murdered and starved at the hands of an occupation, (something) my people have been through since colonization,” she added.Dozens of other protesters also railed against Israel’s war campaign in Gaza, which was triggered by the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas.Calgary student Terrence, who declined to give his last name, seemed surprised by the calm atmosphere. “I’m a little underwhelmed. I thought there would be a lot more confrontation because last year’s Gaza protest was quite tense,” he said.- Not a ’51st state’ -Unsurprisingly, hostility toward US President Donald Trump emerged as another major theme, particularly regarding his suggestions that Canada should become America’s 51st state.Calgary native Diane Houston carried a sign calling the US leader an “abomination” and a “sociopath.” She said she wanted “to make sure he’s under no illusion that Canadians want to be a 51st state.”Tracy Osterland from nearby Canmore echoed this sentiment: “Trump is a wannabe dictator, and he definitely needs to be stopped. Enough of the 51st state stuff already. We’re not at all interested.”Capturing the potpourri of themes at the protest, her double-sided poster had biting criticism of Trump on one side and a colorful welcome sign for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the other.”I’m really hoping that they can do something for him,” she said of the Ukrainian leader, who will be attending the G7 summit along with other invitees.Another attendee beyond the seven leaders of the industrialized countries is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who launched strikes on Pakistan last month after an attack on civilians in divided Kashmir.The G7 leaders “are the world’s peacekeepers,” said Asif Nazir of the Jammu Kashmir National Awami Party.”We give our message to Modi and all the G7 summit participants to come forward and solve this issue, as per the Kashmiris’ wishes,” he said.Environmental concerns also featured prominently, with activists highlighting Canada’s vast freshwater resources.Ila Dame from the group Protect Alberta’s Rockies and Headwaters suggested Trump’s interest in Canadian annexation stems from coveting resources.”We have 20 percent of the world’s fresh water. Trump wants our water and our resources. It has nothing to do with wanting our people,” she said.Despite being relegated far from the actual summit, most protesters took the strict rules surrounding the G7 in stride.”I do think it would be more effective if we were closer, if we could actually get the attention of the people who attend the G7,” Peacock said.”However, we will have an effect anywhere,” she added, not regretting her long ride to Calgary.