Global Pulse

作者： admin

  • Yangtze 3 debuts Chongqing-Shanghai cruise route

    Yangtze 3 debuts Chongqing-Shanghai cruise route

    China Yangtze Shipping Group, the country’s leading inland waterway cruise operator, has launched a landmark premium cruise route connecting the southwestern metropolis of Chongqing and the eastern global commercial hub Shanghai, with its state-of-the-art flagship vessel Yangtze 3 marking the milestone service this Wednesday. This new route makes history as the first regular Yangtze River cruise service to include a stop at Shanghai’s Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, a facility long known as a gateway for international ocean-going cruises that now opens its doors to inland river voyages along the world’s third-longest river.

    The inaugural voyage is scheduled to kick off on October 30, departing from Chongqing’s iconic Chaotianmen Port, a historic trading hub located at the confluence of the Jialing River and the main stem of the Yangtze. After a 9-day scenic journey downstream that will take passengers through the diverse landscapes and cultural sites along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze, the Yangtze 3 will dock at the Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal on November 8. The return upstream voyage back to Chongqing will begin the following day, offering passengers a second perspective on the Yangtze’s changing scenery from east to west.

    As the longest-established operator of Yangtze River cruises, China Yangtze Shipping Group brings more than four decades of expertise to this new service. The company first launched commercial Yangtze cruise operations back in 1979, and over its decades of service, it has earned a strong reputation for excellence, having hosted countless domestic and foreign political dignitaries and tourists from around the world. This new route represents a major expansion of the company’s premium cruise offerings, and is expected to boost inland river tourism, trade connectivity, and cultural exchange between China’s western and eastern regions.

  • In a surprise swap, Trump flies back from Turkey in an old Air Force One, not the Qatari-gifted jet

    In a surprise swap, Trump flies back from Turkey in an old Air Force One, not the Qatari-gifted jet

    In an unanticipated shift that has sparked new debate over presidential travel security, former President Donald Trump departed a NATO summit in Turkey on a decades-old legacy Air Force One jet instead of the newly retrofitted Boeing 747-800 he had flown into the event on. The sudden change of aircraft unfolded against a backdrop of renewed armed escalation between the United States and Iran, just hours after U.S. forces launched large-scale retaliatory strikes against Iranian targets in response to recent attacks on regional commercial shipping.

    Trump first broke news of the swap in a social media post, explaining that the gleaming new jet — gifted to the U.S. by Qatar and upgraded at a cost of $400 million — would make an unscheduled stop at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, a U.S. military facility in the United Kingdom, to allow service members to tour the aircraft. He said he would take the older Boeing VC-25A, a plane that has carried U.S. presidents for more than 35 years, back to Washington. When pressed by reporters on whether security concerns driven by rising Iran tensions prompted the switch, Trump declined to give a direct answer, only noting he was “No. 1 on the list for killing” for Iran, and framing the switch as a choice to fly the older jet “for old time’s sake.”

    Independent observers and public records have long raised flags about gaps in the Qatari-gifted jet’s defensive capabilities. Photos published since the aircraft’s unveiling confirm it lacks some of the advanced missile detection and countermeasure systems that come standard on the older VC-25A fleet. The U.S. Air Force, which manages the presidential aircraft fleet, previously acknowledged that the Qatari jet — classified as an interim “bridge” aircraft meant to cover delays to the permanent Air Force One replacement program — had key complex engineering modifications intentionally excluded to speed up its entry into service. While the Air Force has repeatedly insisted no compromises were made to presidential security, it deferred all questions about the last-minute swap to the White House.

    White House spokesperson Steven Cheung defended the new jet’s security protocols in an official statement, calling it a cutting-edge aircraft outfitted with top-tier safety systems to protect the president and his team. Cheung also acknowledged the administration’s use of tactical misdirection to counter threats, noting: “As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal — including distraction and misdirection — to address those threats.”

    Further fueling security speculation, flight tracking data showed the transponder on the legacy jet carrying Trump was disabled shortly after takeoff from Turkey, a step typically reserved for travel to high-risk regions rather than scheduled summits hosted by NATO allies. All other world leaders’ aircraft departing the summit, including those from Germany and the United Kingdom, left with fully visible transponders. The new Qatari-gifted jet departed Turkey several hours ahead of Trump’s plane and landed without incident at RAF Mildenhall later Wednesday.

    Geopolitical context adds weight to security concerns: Iran’s military arsenal includes drones and ballistic missiles with a range capable of reaching Turkey from Iran’s borders — a distance of roughly 800 miles. However, Washington-based think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies confirms Iran does not currently possess weaponry with the range and accuracy to strike the United Kingdom, where the new jet was headed.

    Jeremiah Gertler, senior aviation and defense analyst at industry consulting firm Teal Group, told the Associated Press that the gaps in defensive systems and a reduced number of communications antennas on the interim jet suggest it is only suited for domestic U.S. travel. The permanent replacement program for the aging Cold War-era VC-25A fleet — originally built to withstand nuclear blast effects and equipped with features including an onboard operating room and air-to-air refueling capabilities — has been plagued by delays, with the new permanent aircraft not expected to enter service until 2028. Trump’s flight to North Dakota last week marked the first time he had flown the new Qatari-gifted jet.

  • Egyptian Football Association ‘cannot remain silent’ about officiating in loss to Argentina

    Egyptian Football Association ‘cannot remain silent’ about officiating in loss to Argentina

    ATLANTA — The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has broken its silence to publicly denounce what it calls unjust, biased refereeing decisions that directly led to its 2-3 round-of-16 defeat against Argentina at a men’s World Cup, a match that already goes down as one of the most stunning comebacks in tournament history.

    The result shocked football fans across the globe: Egypt held a solid 2-0 lead for much of the second half, before Argentina’s side led by Lionel Messi struck three unanswered goals in just 13 second-half minutes to seal a dramatic comeback victory. Within hours of the final whistle, Egyptian head coach Hossam Hassan and multiple first-team players had already openly criticized the performance of the match officials, saying they were left stunned by inconsistent calls that altered the game’s trajectory.

    In an official statement released Wednesday, the EFA emphasized that protecting the national team’s legitimate rights is a non-negotiable core responsibility, not an issue that can be sidelined or downplayed. “It is a responsibility that we carry with full conviction and determination,” the statement read.

    The most contentious call came in the 58th minute, when Egypt appeared to score a second goal to double its lead. However, a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review overturned the goal, ruling that Egyptian midfielder Marwan Attia had fouled Argentina center-back Lisandro Martínez in the build-up. The EFA argues that the on-field referee misapplied the VAR system during this key sequence, an error that it says ultimately swung the outcome of the match.

    “Several key incidents raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the course of the game,” the statement added.

    After the overturned goal, Egypt managed to extend its lead to 2-0 in the 67th minute through a finish from Mostafa Ziko, but the momentum completely shifted in the 79th minute when Messi set up Cristian Romero for Argentina’s first goal, kicking off the 13-minute scoring run that secured Argentina’s win. With Argentina scoring the game-winning goal two minutes into stoppage time, coach Hassan made an “X” gesture with his arms to signal what he says is racially biased officiating, telling reporters post-match that his side had been wronged by a global football system that prioritizes protecting Messi and Argentina.

    In the chaotic closing minutes of the match, Egypt’s goalkeeping coach Saafan Elsaghir was sent off with a red card, and multiple Egyptian players received yellow cards. The EFA noted in its statement that a number of independent football experts and analysts have backed Egypt’s claims, reinforcing that the world’s biggest football tournament requires strict commitment to officiating integrity, fairness, and transparency.

    The statement also gave voice to the widespread frustration shared by Egypt’s players, coaching staff, and millions of supporters across the country and around the globe. “Every player who wears the Egyptian shirt, and every supporter who stands behind the team, deserves fairness, respect, and equal application of the laws of the game,” it concluded.

  • Trump says ceasefire is over and calls Iran leaders ‘scum’, as both sides launch attacks

    Trump says ceasefire is over and calls Iran leaders ‘scum’, as both sides launch attacks

    A month-old ceasefire memorandum between the United States and Iran has collapsed into open hostilities, after a series of tit-for-tat strikes across the Persian Gulf region prompted US President Donald Trump to announce Wednesday that the truce is definitively “over.”

    Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a NATO leaders meeting, Trump made the declaration just hours after the US launched more than 80 pre-planned airstrikes targeting Iranian military assets across the region. Washington framed the strikes as a direct response to a series of Iranian attacks on commercial shipping vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz carried out Tuesday.

    According to a formal statement from US defense officials, the overnight American strikes targeted a wide range of Iranian military infrastructure: Iran’s air defense networks, command and control communications hubs, coastal radar stations, anti-ship missile stockpiles, and more than 60 small fast attack boats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s elite revolutionary military force. US officials said the operation was designed to permanently degrade Tehran’s capacity to target commercial shipping in the strategic waterway.

    The Iranian attacks that preceded the US strikes targeted three commercial tankers near Omani waters, including a Qatari-owned liquefied natural gas carrier named the Al Rekayyat. UK Maritime Trade Operations, a UK-based security body that monitors global shipping activity, confirmed the LNG carrier was struck while it was en route to the Gulf of Oman.

    Within hours of the US strikes, Tehran launched a massive retaliatory attack, sending waves of missiles and drones targeting US military installations stationed in Bahrain and Kuwait early Wednesday. The IRGC confirmed it struck exactly 85 separate targets across the two Gulf nations. Local military and security officials confirmed the attacks: Kuwait’s armed forces activated their national air defense systems to intercept incoming projectiles, while Bahrain’s interior ministry triggered public air raid sirens and urged residents to seek emergency shelter.

    In unusually harsh remarks Wednesday, Trump launched a blistering verbal attack on Iran’s political leadership, calling the ruling faction “scum” and dismissing any further negotiations as a waste of time. “They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people, and they’re vicious, violent people,” Trump told reporters. “Far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them. They’re liars… there’s something wrong with them. They’re cuckoo. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over.” The president added that while he would allow US negotiating teams to continue talks if they wish, he sees no path to a successful diplomatic outcome. “They can talk, but I think they’re wasting their time. They’re a bunch of lying guys,” he said. “They’re bad people, and frankly, I don’t want to waste my time with them. Now, I’ll let our wonderful negotiators keep talking if they want, but I don’t see it.”

    Qatar, which has served as a key neutral mediator between Washington and Tehran throughout the ceasefire talks, issued a sharp condemnation of Tuesday’s shipping attacks. Majed al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry, called the strikes on commercial vessels a “serious and explicit violation” of international law, and said Tehran would be held responsible for the act of aggression.

    Tensions over shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz have been building for weeks. Oman has recently pushed a proposal to reroute international commercial shipping along a new corridor closer to its own coastline, a plan Iran has repeatedly rejected. Tehran has also threatened to impose a navigation toll on all commercial vessels accessing the waterway, and claims US efforts to advance the new shipping route already violate the terms of last month’s ceasefire memorandum.

    Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran’s parliament, accused Washington of multiple “major” violations of the truce even before this week’s hostilities, citing US opposition to Tehran’s position on the Strait of Hormuz, unapproved Israeli military aggression in Lebanon, and the recent US move to reimpose full oil sanctions on Iran. In a post on the social platform X Wednesday, Ghalibaf pushed back against US pressure, writing: “The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere. We don’t fold.”

    Hours after Tuesday’s shipping attacks, the US formally revoked a temporary sanctions waiver that had allowed limited Iranian oil exports, another step that escalates the bilateral conflict. The original ceasefire memorandum signed last month launched a 60-day window for negotiations to reach a permanent truce and resolve longstanding international disagreements over Iran’s nuclear program. This week’s open hostilities bring that negotiating process to the brink of total collapse.

  • China sends nuclear missile message as US looks elsewhere

    China sends nuclear missile message as US looks elsewhere

    As the United States redirects much of its strategic and military attention to escalating conflict with Iran in the Middle East, China has carried out a test of a long-range, nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile, delivering a high-profile demonstration of its expanding nuclear and military capabilities to global observers. The test, conducted earlier this week, comes two years after Beijing launched an intercontinental ballistic missile into waters near French Polynesia, and drew immediate condemnation from Washington and several regional powers. However, just as with prior Chinese military advances that have been overshadowed by other global crises, this demonstration was quickly pushed out of global headlines by the resumption of U.S. strikes on Iran, the latest outbreak of violence between Washington and Tehran that broke a ceasefire reached on April 8.

  • Sam Darcy targets running return as he reveals positive knee injury update

    Sam Darcy targets running return as he reveals positive knee injury update

    For rising Australian Football League star Sam Darcy of the Western Bulldogs, a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture has done nothing to dim his competitive fire or alter his signature playing style. The 22-year-old superstar, who suffered the devastating knee injury during the club’s round 6 clash against Geelong, has confirmed his rehabilitation is progressing without any unexpected setbacks, and he is on track to begin light running as soon as next month.

    Darcy opened up about his recovery journey Wednesday, stepping away from his training regimen to help the AFL and hardware chain Bunnings launch the first-ever National Footy Sausage Sizzle, a community fundraiser that will see more than 260 local footy clubs host barbecues this weekend to raise much-needed funds for grassroots programs. The young forward said he had completed the hardest phase of his recovery, the initial months spent reducing swelling and relearning how to walk comfortably after surgery.

    “I saw the surgeon today, and he’s really happy with how everything is progressing,” Darcy told reporters. “Everything is on track. I work closely with the club’s physiotherapy team every day, and we haven’t hit any hiccups so far. The first couple of months were definitely the toughest part — getting the swelling under control, relearning to walk — but now I’m moving around comfortably. I’m doing regular work on the spin bike, swimming laps in the pool, and putting in daily work at the club. The hardest part of this process is behind me.”

    From here, Darcy will shift his focus to building strength and gradually reintroducing weight-bearing movement. He is scheduled to begin sessions on the AlterG anti-gravity treadmill at the 16-week post-surgery mark, with full light running set to start in just over a month. The rehab team is taking a conservative approach to ensure the injured knee heals fully and reduces the risk of future complications, a timeline Darcy says he is comfortable with.

    Notably, Darcy has a genetic predisposition that put him at higher risk of a serious knee injury over the course of his career. Even with that context, the 2025 Mark of the Year winner — who earned the award for a spectacular acrobatic mark against Melbourne — says he has no plans to rein in his aggressive, instinctive style of play when he returns to the field.

    “Not at all — I don’t think I need to change anything,” he asserted. “I just need to focus on building my strength, refining my running mechanics, and making sure everything moves efficiently and smartly. I still want to play with aggression, lean into my strengths, play on instinct, and keep a free mind out on the field. I’m not going to spend every play worrying about getting hurt again.”

    Darcy says he draws inspiration from the dozens of AFL and other professional athletes who have returned to peak form after ACL injuries, and he is fully confident he can get back to his best. “I’m confident I can get 100 per cent back to my top level,” he said. “A lot of players have gone through this same injury across AFL and other sports, and that gives me a lot of motivation. I fully believe this whole process is going to go smoothly.”

    The young star admitted that sidelining him for the rest of the season has been a difficult adjustment. Ever since his junior playing days, game day has always been the highlight of his week, and sitting on the sidelines has been a frustrating experience. Even so, he is keeping his focus on his recovery and his eventual comeback, with his competitive mindset fully intact.

  • New footage shows first look at Ernest Shackleton’s final ship Quest

    New footage shows first look at Ernest Shackleton’s final ship Quest

    For more than a century, the final resting place of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton’s iconic last ship has rested out of human sight, hidden beneath the frigid, dark waters of the South Atlantic. Now, a team of marine scientists has changed that, capturing the first high-quality footage of the wrecked vessel Quest, the ship that carried Shackleton on his final Antarctic adventure.

    Shackleton, one of the most legendary figures of the early 20th century’s Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, first captured global attention for his daring expeditions into one of the harshest, most unforgiving environments on Earth. His final journey came to an abrupt end in January 1922, when he suffered a fatal heart attack aboard the Quest shortly after the ship arrived at South Georgia Island, a remote outpost in the sub-Antarctic. Following his death, the ship continued on with its expedition, but eventually sank years later under unknown circumstances, leaving its location a mystery for decades.

    The newly released footage marks the first time researchers have been able to document the wreck in detail, after locating the site in recent expeditions. Marine scientists say the footage offers an unprecedented glimpse into a pivotal piece of polar exploration history, allowing historians and the public alike to connect with a story that has captivated adventure seekers for generations. The discovery also opens new doors for archaeological research, giving experts the chance to study early 20th-century polar expedition ship construction and better understand the conditions that led to the vessel’s sinking.

    For the scientific team behind the project, the capture of this footage is more than a technological achievement—it is a moment that honors the legacy of one of exploration’s most iconic figures. “This is a moment we’ve spent years working toward,” said one expedition lead in a statement following the footage’s release. “Shackleton’s story of resilience and ambition has inspired generations, and being able to share the first clear look at his final ship is a privilege that connects past and present.”

  • Ireland passes bill banning goods from Israel-occupied settlements in West Bank and Jerusalem

    Ireland passes bill banning goods from Israel-occupied settlements in West Bank and Jerusalem

    On Tuesday, Ireland’s national parliament passed a historic piece of legislation that bans the import of all goods produced in Israeli settlements located in the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

    Officially titled the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill, the new law targets goods originating from Israeli settlements that fall outside of Israel’s 1967 armistice lines, which are not recognized as part of Israel under international law. The legislation explicitly frames its actions as compliance with Ireland’s binding international legal obligations, as outlined in the landmark advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 19, 2024.

    That ICJ ruling, which was formally upheld by the United Nations General Assembly, determined that Israel’s long-term occupation of Palestinian territories beyond the 1967 borders is unlawful under international law, and requires all UN member states to take active steps to avoid complicity in maintaining the illegal occupation. Aligning with this global mandate, the coalition government that backed the Irish bill says the measure is intended to cut off trade ties that enable the perpetuation of the illegal status quo Israel has established in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    Ireland has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of Israeli policy toward Palestinians among European nations in recent years. The country formally recognized Palestinian statehood in May 2024, and became the first government in the European Union to officially characterize Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as an act of genocide. This string of pro-Palestine actions has triggered sharp diplomatic backlash from Israel: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has already responded to the new import ban by ordering the permanent closure of Israel’s embassy in Dublin.

    The import ban vote is only the latest in a series of escalatory steps taken by Dublin against Israel over the past year. Just last month, Ireland imposed entry bans on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who had already been sanctioned in June for repeated public incitement to violence against Palestinian communities. Alongside Spain, Ireland has also taken a leading role in pushing the European Union to conduct a full formal review of the 1995 EU-Israel Association Agreement, the foundational trade and cooperation pact that governs bilateral relations between the bloc and Israel. Most recently, Ireland joined Spain at an emergency international summit co-hosted by Colombia and South Africa in July 2025, where attendees coordinated collective concrete measures to hold Israel accountable for its alleged violations of international law.

    Public opinion in Ireland reflects the government’s hardening stance, with opinion polls consistently showing among the highest levels of popular support for Palestinians in Europe. Current polling data finds that 86 percent of the Irish public agrees with the assessment that Israel is carrying out genocide in Gaza, while 62 percent of respondents — a clear majority — support the EU imposing harsh economic sanctions on Israel, mirroring the restrictive measures imposed on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The country’s recently elected president, Catherine Connolly, who won an overwhelming landslide victory in the October 2025 presidential election, has long been one of the most prominent Western political voices in support of Palestinian rights. Connolly recently spoke publicly about her pride in her sister, Dr. Margaret Connolly, who was one of six Irish citizens detained by Israeli forces in April while participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, an effort to deliver humanitarian aid to blockaded Gaza.

    Despite this widespread public and political support for Palestinian statehood and accountability for Israel, the new import ban marks a notable shift from Ireland’s prior largely symbolic actions toward concrete policy change. While Ireland is the first EU member state to formally pass this type of settlement goods ban, Spain already implemented its own ban on settlement imports along with a full arms embargo against Israel back in September 2025.

    Still, policy analysts have raised questions about the real-world impact of Ireland’s legislation, noting that watered-down compromises made to secure passage may leave the measure with little tangible effect. The bill retains provisions that allow pre-existing trade contracts to continue uninterrupted and includes broad exemptions for certain types of goods, softening the policy’s potential impact.

    The push for a ban on Israeli settlement goods first emerged in Irish politics nearly a decade ago, with the original version of the Occupied Territories Bill first introduced in 2018. At that time, the sitting Irish government blocked the bill from ever taking effect. The current centre-right coalition government has approved a heavily revised version of the original proposal that only bans physical goods from settlements, and entirely excludes trade in services — a sector that makes up roughly 70 percent of all bilateral trade between Ireland and Israel.

    Diplomatic and economic pressure from the United States political establishment was a key factor driving the decision to weaken the legislation, according to political sources. In October 2025, Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey published an open letter to Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin, warning that passing a full ban on settlement goods would cause significant long-term damage to Ireland’s economic credibility and its commercial partnerships with U.S. businesses.

  • Takeaways: Trump leaves NATO summit declaring ‘a lot of love’ with allies after a rocky start

    Takeaways: Trump leaves NATO summit declaring ‘a lot of love’ with allies after a rocky start

    ANKARA, Turkey — The high-stakes NATO summit held in the Turkish capital on Wednesday appeared poised for chaos before U.S. President Donald Trump and allied heads of state even convened formal discussions. Despite lingering tensions fueled by renewed criticism of U.S. allies from Trump that cast public doubt on his commitment to the transatlantic alliance, alliance leaders emerged with a unified reaffirmation of their core mutual defense promise.

    In post-summit remarks to reporters, Trump pushed back against narratives of division, saying, “There was a lot of love in that room. A lot of unity. We’ve had a tremendous time and I think a great success.” In the official summit declaration, leaders framed their commitment to NATO’s foundational Article 5 — which codifies the principle that an attack on one member constitutes an attack on all — as “ironclad.”

    This public show of unity came after a awkward interlude: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte claimed allies “warmly welcomed President Trump’s leadership,” a statement that jarred with Trump’s recent public demand that the U.S. take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO member Denmark. Still, Rutte framed the gathering as a clear success for the alliance, stating simply, “The message from this summit is simple. NATO delivers.”

    Among the most unexpected developments to emerge from the gathering was the fallout from Trump’s recent decision to approve retaliatory military strikes against Iran, authorized shortly after he left a NATO leaders’ dinner. The unusual timing of the order, announced mid-summit, highlighted a longstanding grievance Trump has held against the alliance: he has repeatedly complained that NATO allies have failed to contribute to efforts to keep the strategic Strait of Hormuz open to international shipping.

    Intriguingly, Rutte declined to rule out a future NATO role in any broader conflict involving Iran. “Obviously Iran is outside NATO territory,” Rutte said, adding: “If helpful, NATO is always willing to play a role. But first now, let’s see what happens over the coming days and weeks.” The open door to NATO involvement aligns with Trump’s priorities, though it has stirred unease among many member states. NATO has billed itself as a defensive alliance focused exclusively on transatlantic security, and its last out-of-area mission in Afghanistan ended in chaotic withdrawal, leaving allies deeply reluctant to be drawn into new extra-regional conflicts.

    One of the most consequential announcements for the ongoing war in Ukraine came directly from Trump, who revealed the U.S. will grant Ukraine a manufacturing license to produce Patriot air defense systems domestically to counter Russian missile and drone strikes. This long-sought concession marks a major breakthrough for Ukraine, which has entered the fifth year of its war against Russian invasion and has urgently needed expanded access to the advanced air defense technology.

    “We’ll give them the right to make Patriots. We’ll show them how to do it,” Trump said during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “I think they can produce them pretty quickly.” Patriots are notoriously expensive, in extremely high global demand, and have long production timelines; Zelenskyy has lobbied for expanded access to the systems for years, and more recently pushed for domestic production rights to speed up delivery.

    For summit host Turkey, the gathering brought major potential policy shifts. Trump announced the U.S. is prepared to lift longstanding sanctions on Turkey, clearing the path for the possible return of F-35 stealth jet sales to Ankara. The announcement came despite formal objections from Israel. Trump noted he had “haven’t totally made up my mind” on a final decision, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — who has built a close personal rapport with Trump — gave a public thumbs-up after the announcement was translated for him. Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after it purchased Russian S-400 air defense systems, a move that violated alliance security guidelines.

    Beyond the Patriot license announcement, the summit brought a notable shift in Trump’s public tone toward Ukraine. Dropping his usual harsh criticism of Zelenskyy, Trump praised the Ukrainian leader’s efforts to advance potential negotiations to end the war. “We’ve actually developed a good relationship. It’s hard to believe,” Trump said, adding that Zelenskyy has “done an amazing job” and “been very effective” in leading Ukraine through the conflict.

    Alliance leaders also approved a massive 70 billion euro ($80 billion) multi-year military support package for Ukraine, spanning from this year through 2027. The package is structured as 30 billion euros per year from a European Union loan program, paired with 40 billion euros in direct contributions from NATO allies. Notably, the Trump administration has effectively halted all new U.S. military spending for Ukraine, so the U.S. will not contribute to the new package. NATO diplomats confirmed that most of the 40 billion euro allocation for 2026 has already been secured from allies.

    Rutte, the new NATO Secretary-General, launched an aggressive outreach effort to accommodate Trump’s longstanding demand that allies increase their own defense spending. He highlighted that European allies and Canada have increased their combined defense spending by nearly $300 billion over the past two years, a shift he directly tied to Trump’s pressure. At a high-profile defense industry event marked by upbeat production and dramatic branding, Rutte celebrated “tens of billions” of dollars in new weapons and military equipment contracts sealed during the summit. “I would argue that without you in this chair, this would not have happened,” Rutte told Trump in a private meeting ahead of the formal summit. “Grab the win. It’s there.”

    In the final summit declaration, leaders announced the start of a sweeping transformation of the world’s largest military alliance, centering on the goal of “building the future: a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO.”

    One lingering unresolved question emerged around the location and timing of NATO’s next scheduled summit. Albania had been widely expected to host the 2027 gathering, but the final declaration only stated “We look forward to our next meeting,” omitting the standard formal confirmation of the host and date. While Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is personally popular among allied leaders, some members have cooled on hosting the summit in the Balkan nation due to its low levels of defense spending. Other allies have reportedly pushed back to avoid scheduling a high-profile divisive summit during what could be another election cycle with Trump as U.S. president. Rutte acknowledged that Albania remains the planned venue, but added “of course we still have to decide on an exact time.”

    Associated Press reporters Seung Min Kim in Ankara, Michelle L. Price, and Collin Binkley in Washington contributed reporting to this article.

  • On La Guaira’s beaches, Venezuela quake survivors improvise showers and toilets amid water shortages

    On La Guaira’s beaches, Venezuela quake survivors improvise showers and toilets amid water shortages

    A month after a pair of powerful back-to-back earthquakes tore through coastal Venezuela, thousands of displaced survivors are grappling with a worsening public health emergency, driven by catastrophic shortages of clean drinking water and basic sanitation infrastructure. The disaster, which struck on June 24, left a staggering toll: Venezuelan government figures confirm 3,685 people killed, 190 buildings completely destroyed, and another 856 structures left damaged beyond safe habitation. In the hardest-hit coastal state of La Guaira, many survivors have been forced to take shelter in makeshift camps or out in the open, with no access to the basic services that protect public health.

    For decades, many communities across Venezuela have struggled with inconsistent water access from the state-run utility, with some neighborhoods receiving potable service just once every one to two months even before the quakes. The earthquakes have compounded this pre-existing crisis by shattering the large blue plastic home storage tanks that most families rely on to reserve water between service deliveries. Juliani Herrera, a 20-year-old survivor who sustained multiple cuts during the tremors when she fell from her motorcycle amid the violent shaking, explained that nearly all neighborhood household tanks cracked or burst when the ground shifted. “Now, we have to wait to see if a tanker comes and fills buckets,” she said, after collecting a donation package at a beach-side temporary shelter.

    In Maiquetía, the coastal city that hosts Venezuela’s primary international airport, dozens of residents lined up Wednesday to receive aid boxes marked with the United States flag, stocked with emergency food, bottled water, and basic hygiene kits that include soap, a toothbrush, and cleansing towelettes. Herrera was among those who received one of these boxes, which she carried several blocks back to her shelter with iodine-stained scratches still visible across her chin, arm, and hands.

    With no access to formal sanitation facilities, many families in La Guaira have been forced to use the region’s popular Caribbean beaches for bathing and open defecation. Feces now litter stretches of the shoreline that once drew crowds of tourists and local visitors. Other survivors stretch their limited remaining water supplies to cover cooking, cleaning, and personal hygiene, choosing between basic needs daily.

    The Norwegian Refugee Council’s regional advocacy director for Latin America, Beatriz Ochoa, has warned that the crowded, unsanitary living conditions create severe risks of communicable disease outbreaks, exacerbated by the region’s sweltering tropical temperatures, ongoing seasonal rains, and a near-total lack of privacy for survivors. Ochoa noted that affected communities have already demonstrated remarkable resilience, organizing spontaneous systems to maintain basic cleanliness in shared shelter spaces, including improvised toilets and informal waste collection. “Their determination is remarkable, but families should not have to shoulder this burden alone,” she said, calling for urgent scaled-up intervention to improve conditions and prevent a secondary public health disaster.