NO PLAN FOR AID CITY IN GAZA.

JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)

NO PLAN FOR AID CITY IN GAZA.

DR DOCTORION-ANGEL OF THE MIDEAST
"The angel showed me that the United Nations shall be broken in pieces because of the crisis in the Middle East. There shall be no more United Nations. The angel with the sickle shall reap the harvest.

FIRST ANGEL: ASIA
But the angel said: "Millions will die in China and in India. Nation will be against nation, brother against brother. Asians will fight each other. Nuclear weapons shall be used, killing millions."Twice I heard the words, "Catastrophic! Catastrophic!"Then the angel said, "Financial crisis will come to Asia. I will shake the world."I was trembling while the angel was speaking.
SECOND ANGEL: MIDDLE EAST
Then I saw that the second angel had a sickle in his hand, such as is used in harvesting.The second angel said: "Harvest time has come in Israel and the countries all the way to Iran."I saw those countries in a few split seconds."All of Turkey and those [inaudible] countries that have refused me and refused my message of love shall hate each other and kill one another."I saw the angel raise the sickle and come down on all the Middle East countries. I saw Iran, Persia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, all of Georgia - Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, all of Asia Minor - full of blood. I saw blood all over these countries. And I saw fire; Nuclear weapons used in many of those countries. Smoke rising from everywhere. Sudden destruction – men destroying one another. I heard these words:"Israel, Oh Israel, the great judgment has come."

Jeremiah 6:14
14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 

Isaiah 57:21
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Ephesians 2:2
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,(LIBERAL GODLESS AIR WAVES) the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

EZEK 39:11-16
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog (300 MILLION RUSSIA,GERMANY, IRAN, TURKEY, ARAB MUSLIMS) a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: (IN THE JORDAN VALLEY) and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.
13 Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord God.
14 And they shall sever out men of continual employment, (NUCLEAR SPECIALISTS) passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.
15 And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog.
16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.

MEANING OF HAMONAH
Hamonah, ham-o'-nah (Heb.)-- host; multitude; noise; tumult; commotion of mind. The prophetic name of a city that is mentioned in conjunction with Hamon-gog: "And Hamonah shall also be the name of a city.
Metaphysical meaning of Hamonah (mbd) - Truth Unity

Strong's Lexicon-Hamonah: Hamonah-Original Word: הֲמוֹנָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location-Transliteration: Hamownah
Pronunciation: hah-mo-NAH-Phonetic Spelling: (ham-o-naw')
Definition: Hamonah-Meaning: Hamonah

Word Origin: Derived from the Hebrew root הָמוֹן (H1995), meaning "multitude" or "abundance."Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Greek equivalent for "Hamonah" in the Strong's Greek Dictionary, as it is a specific Hebrew proper noun. However, the concept of a multitude or abundance can be related to Greek words like πλῆθος (G4128), meaning "multitude."Usage: The term "Hamonah" is used as a proper noun referring to a specific location mentioned in the prophetic literature of the Old Testament. It is associated with the aftermath of a significant battle, symbolizing the multitude of the slain.Cultural and Historical Background: In the context of the Hebrew Bible, names often carry significant meaning and are used to convey theological and prophetic messages. "Hamonah" is mentioned in the book of Ezekiel, a prophetic text that addresses the restoration of Israel and the judgment of the nations. The name reflects the abundance of God's judgment upon the enemies of Israel, serving as a reminder of divine justice and sovereignty.

DAMASCUS DESTROYED

ISAIAH 17:1,3,13-14
17 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
3 The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the Lord of hosts.
13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
14 And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.

JEREMIAH 49:23-27
23 Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.
24 Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the Lord of hosts.
27 And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.(PALACES OF DAMASCUS)

ISRAEL WILL BE IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM, THE SIGN OF THE START OF THE LAST GENERATION.

NEHEMIAH 2:17
17  Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we (ISRAELIS) are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste,(AD 70) and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem,(DAN 9:24-27) that we be no more a reproach.

LUKE 21:24
24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.(ISRAEL RECAPTURES JERUSALEM)(THE BEGGINING OF THE LAST GENERATION AND THE LAST END OF THE AGE OF GRACE.NOT THE END OF THE WORLD ,THE WORLD GOES ON FOREVER)

MATTHEW 1:17
17  So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations;(14)and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations;(14)and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.(14)(42 GENERATIONS DIVIDED BY 2160 YEARS = 51.4 YRS TO A GENERATION)

LUKE 3:38,23
38  Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
23  And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,(SO HERE IN LUKE 3 WE HAVE 77 GENERATIONS FROM ADAM TO CHRIST-77 DIVIDED BY 4,000 YEARS = 51.9 YRS TO A GENERATIN)(SO A TRUE BIBLE GENERATION IS FROM 40 TO 51 YEARS)

MATTHEW 24:33-36
33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things,(ALL THE SIGNS OF PROPHECY HAPPENING IN THEIR BEGGINING STAGES AFTER ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION AND IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM)(THEN) know that it is near, even at the doors.(THE RAPTURE)
34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass,(1967-ISRAELS RECAPTURE OF JERUSALEM=40-51 YRS(A GENERATION)=2007-2018+) till all these things be fulfilled.(ALL THE LITERAL PROPHECIES OF THE BIBLE WILL BE FULFILLED(AT LEAST 500 WILL BE FULFILLED)
35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

ISRAEL SATAN COMES AGAINST

1 CHRONICLES 21:1
1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

GENESIS 12:1-3
1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I (GOD) will shew thee:
2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3  And I will bless them that bless thee,(ISRAELIS) and curse (DESTROY) him that curseth thee:(DESTROY THEM) and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

93 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza, Hamas-run health ministry says-Legislator from the terror group said killed in attack on Shati refugee camp that also killed 6 kids and their parents; IDF calls on areas of north Gaza to evacuate By Emanuel Fabian,Nurit Yohanan-and AP Today, 9:10 pm-JUL 15,25

Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least 93 people and wounded 278 on Tuesday, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, as Israeli troops pressed on with ground operations there.The toll did not specify the number of combatants among the dead. Local officials said dozens of women and children were killed, but the Hamas ministry did not specify how many.One strike in the northern Shati refugee camp killed a Hamas member of the Palestinian Authority’s defunct legislature, as well as a man and a woman and their six children who were sheltering in the same building, according to officials from Shifa Hospital, where the casualties were taken. The legislator was identified as Mohammed Faraj al-Ghoul, 68.One of the deadliest strikes hit a house in Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa district on Monday evening, killing 19 members of the family living inside, according to Shifa. The dead included eight women and six children. A strike on a tent housing displaced people in the same district killed a man and a woman and their two children.There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the strikes. The military says it takes measures to mitigate harm to civilians, including using aerial surveillance and precision munitions, and accuses Hamas of embedding itself in civilian infrastructure, including hospitals.Also on Tuesday, Gaza resident Anas Arafat told The Times of Israel that Israeli drone fire had for hours prevented rescuers from reaching his parents, brothers, and their children, who he said were buried under a building in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighborhood following an Israeli strike on Monday.According to Arafat, the rescuers arrived Tuesday afternoon lacking heavy equipment needed to move the rubble. The rescuers recovered the remains of one woman. It appeared that the rest of the family — 13 people in total — did not survive, as no voices were heard from under the rubble since Monday.The Israel Defense Forces did not immediately comment on the incident.IDF tells north Gaza residents to flee, says Hamas tunnels razed-The IDF on Tuesday urged residents of Gaza City and Jabalia in the Strip’s north to evacuate amid the ongoing offensive.“The IDF is operating in the area with increased force to destroy the enemy and terror organizations. The fighting is spreading westward toward the city center,” the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee said on X.The warning called for civilians to head south to the Mawasi area on the coast.The military announced that it had recently demolished a 3.5 kilometer (2.2 mile)-long Hamas tunnel in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis.The tunnel was located by troops of the Kfir Infantry Brigade and the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit during operations in the south of Khan Younis, the IDF said.The tunnel connected to other underground passages and also featured several rooms used by Hamas operatives as living quarters, according to the military.The IDF said the Kfir troops also located weapons and destroyed a facility used to store explosive devices.The IDF released footage showing the demolition of tunnels and booby traps in Beit Hanoun, amid an ongoing offensive against Hamas in the northern Gaza town.Troops of the Givati Infantry Brigade killed dozens of operatives in combat and by directing airstrikes, as well as destroyed Hamas infrastructure, including tunnels, in a joint effort with combat engineers, the military said.The Hamas health ministry says more than 58,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the terror group invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, sparking the war in Gaza.The figure, which cannot be independently verified, does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel says it had killed some 20,000 combatants in battle as of January, as well as about 1,600 terrorists inside Israel during the onslaught, which killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.

Amid heated debate, no real plan for ‘humanitarian city’ in Gaza, officials say-UN reiterates opposition to ‘forced displacement,’ as IDF official says planning at very early stage, denies Gazans would be forcibly herded to Rafah site or expelled from Strip-By Reuters and ToI Staff Today, 8:01 pm-JUL 15,25

An Israeli scheme to move hundreds of thousands of already uprooted Palestinians to a so-called humanitarian city in an Israeli military-controlled part of southern Gaza has led politicians to spar with the defense establishment. However, officials say a practical plan has yet to be crafted.Even without a clear blueprint, critics of the government have denounced the proposal, with some pointing to potentially prohibitive costs and danger to soldiers, while others likened the suggested site to a “concentration camp.”Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has defended the project, saying it would offer Gazan civilians a safe haven while further weakening Hamas’s grip on Gaza. But it remains unclear whether the plan is a concrete government policy.The idea was publicly floated by Defense Minister Israel Katz earlier this month, and Netanyahu convened ministers and defense officials to discuss it late on Sunday.The military had been asked to put together a detailed proposition, but Netanyahu dismissed it as far too costly and complicated, two Israeli officials who were present said, and ordered them to come up with something cheaper and faster.A military source said it was a complex initiative that required intricate logistics for infrastructure such as sewage, sanitation, medical services, water and food supplies.Planning was in a very initial phase only, the source said, and the goal was to help Palestinians who do not want to live under Hamas rule.When asked about the plan, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said: “As we’ve said multiple times, we firmly stand against any plan that involves forced displacements of civilians in Gaza or forces [them] to make impossible choices.”Asked about concerns the relocations would be forced, and whether the new zone was meant to serve as a transit camp with the ultimate aim of expelling Palestinians from Gaza, the military official who spoke with Reuters said: “That is not our policy.”Netanyahu’s office, Katz, the Israel Defense Forces, and Hamas did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.According to Katz in a press briefing last week, the “humanitarian city,” to be set up on the ruins of Rafah, would initially accommodate some 600,000 displaced Palestinians who have been living in the coastal area of al-Mawasi, near Khan Younis.After screening out Hamas operatives, the displaced people would be confined in the Rafah site, Katz said, adding that the zone would be run by international forces rather than Israeli ones.Katz’s statement followed a briefing by Netanyahu last month in which the premier conditioned the Gaza war’s end on the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan to oust Gaza’s residents. Trump’s announcement of the plan in February triggered international outrage, including among allies of the US and Israel.Following Katz’s statement, Israeli media reported that the “humanitarian city” plan had met resistance from the military due to legal and logistical challenges, and the fear that the plan would scupper the Gaza hostage-ceasefire talks.The plan was reportedly estimated to cost some NIS 10 billion to 15 billion ($3 billion to $4.5 billion). Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who opposes ending the war in Gaza, said the reported estimate represented efforts by some defense officials to derail the plan by presenting inflated budgets.“Preparing a protected area for the population,” Smotrich’s office said, “is a simple logistical operation that costs only hundreds of millions – an amount that the Ministry of Finance is willing to transfer.”Some commentators suggested that the real aim of floating the plan was to increase pressure on Hamas during the ongoing ceasefire-hostage talks, while also appeasing Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners, including Smotrich.According to the United Nations, some 1.9 million Gazans — roughly 90 percent of the population — have been displaced, and 92% of residential buildings destroyed, since the war in the Strip was sparked by the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023.

THE ISLAMIC SATANIC DEATH CULT EXPOSED AS A FRAUD RIGHT FROM THE START-THESE USELESS EATING LEECHES ARABS IN GAZA AND THE WESTBANK BETTER GET OFF ISRAELS LAND. THESE LEECHES ARE A BUNCH OF OCCUPYERS ON ISRAELS GOD GIVIN LAND. AFTER ALL THEIR LEADER MUHAMMAD AND MAHDI DO NOT EXIST. AND THAT SO CALLED KORAN IS A A PLAGERISM FROM CHRISTIAN BOOKS. THAT SO CALLED SINGLE KORAN IS MADE UP OF HUNDREDS OF VARIOUS COPIES BY OF ALL A GERMAN AND MANY OTHERS. IN FACT MECCA THE SO CALLED CITY OF INVISIBLE MUHAMMAD IN THE 7TH CENTURY. NEVER CAME IN TO BEING TILL AFTER MUHAMMAD WAS DEAD. WELL THIS DEATH CULT HAS A NON EXISTAN LEADER WITHOUT A MECCA. THIS TELLS US SATAN INVENTED ISLAM. AND NOTHING BUT. ITS A SATANIC DEATH CULT. LEAD BY SATAN AND HIS DEMONIC FALLIN ANGELS WHEN THEY GOT BOOTED OUT OF HEAVEN BECAUSE OF PRIDE AND REBELLION.

UN says mass displacement of West Bank Palestinians at highest levels since 1967-Since ‘Iron Wall’ operation was launched in January, tens of thousands have been displaced due to IDF orders and settler pressure, in what the UN warns could be ‘ethnic cleansing’By AFP and ToI Staff Today, 4:45 pm-JUL 15,25

The UN warned Tuesday that mass displacement in the West Bank had hit levels not seen since the start of Israel’s military control of the Palestinian territory nearly 60 years ago.The United Nations said an Israeli military operation launched in the north of the territory in January had displaced tens of thousands of people.The military operation “has been the longest since … the Second Intifada,” in the early 2000s, said Juliette Touma, spokeswoman for UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.“It is impacting several refugee camps in the area, and it is causing the largest population displacement of the Palestinians in the West Bank since 1967,” she told reporters in Geneva via video from Jordan, referring to the Six Day War, in which Israel captured the West Bank from Jordan.The UN rights office warned that mass forced displacement by an occupation force could amount to “ethnic cleansing.”Since Israel’s military launched its operation “Iron Wall” in the north of the West Bank in January, rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan said, “about 30,000 Palestinians remain forcibly displaced.”Most of the Palestinian civilians in the Jenin refugee camp, the area at the center of the campaign, have evacuated, allowing Israeli troops to search and clear each individual building of infrastructure and weapons used by local terror groups.Israeli security forces during the same period issued demolition orders for about 1,400 homes in the northern West Bank, he said, describing the figures as “alarming.”Kheetan pointed out that Israeli demolitions had displaced 2,907 Palestinians across the West Bank since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack, which sparked the ongoing war in Gaza.Since then, troops have arrested some 6,000 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 2,350 affiliated with Hamas.According to the Palestinian Authority health ministry, more than 950 West Bank Palestinians have been killed in that time. The IDF says the vast majority of them were gunmen killed in exchanges of fire, rioters who clashed with troops, or terrorists carrying out attacks.During the same period, 53 people, including Israeli security personnel, have been killed in terror attacks in Israel and the West Bank. Another eight members of Israeli security forces have been killed in fighting during anti-terror raids in Nablus, Jenin, and elsewhere in the West Bank.Another 2,400 Palestinians — nearly half of them children — had been displaced as a result of Israeli settler actions, Kheetan added, lamenting that the combined result was the “emptying large parts of the West Bank of Palestinians.”“Permanently displacing the civilian population within occupied territory amounts to unlawful transfer,” he said, stressing that depending on the circumstances, it could be “tantamount to ethnic cleansing” and could “amount to a crime against humanity.”Kheetan said 757 attacks by Israeli settlers had been recorded in the West Bank during the first half of the year, a 13 percent increase on the same period in 2024.The attacks injured 96 Palestinians in the territory in June alone, he told reporters, stressing that it was the highest monthly injury toll of Palestinians from settler attacks “in over two decades.”

Israeli Druze block roads, rally for Syrian community as regime advances on Sweida-Protests calling for international intervention break out in north shortly before IDF strikes Syrian forces in bid to protect Druze across border By Charlie Summers-and ToI Staff Today, 4:03 pm-JUL 15,25

Fiery protests broke out Tuesday on several major roads in northern Israel, as members of Israel’s Druze community rallied in support of their coreligionists in Syria after regime forces entered the Druze-majority city of Sweida, sparking fears of inter-ethnic violence.Protesters demanded that the international community intervene to protect Syria’s Druze minority from Islamist fighters loyal to the regime, amid rampant concern they could be subjected to deadly violence.The demonstrations came as Israeli planes bombed Syrian government forces rolling into Sweida following days of deadly clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin clans thought to be aligned with the country’s Sunni leadership. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the attacks were meant to ensure the demilitarization of southern Syria as well as to protect the Druze, who are viewed as potential allies.In Israel, police said that Route 6 near Elyakim Junction was closed to traffic in both directions as a result of the demonstrations.Other small protests were reported near Shfaram and Rameh in the upper Galilee.Videos posted to social media showed demonstrators burning tires and waving Druze flags.Police said in a statement that it would allow the protests so long as they remained lawful.“We will not allow events that harm public safety or could bring disruptions of public order,” it said.The drivers were asked to take alternative routes.Around 150,000 Druze live in northern Israel and the Golan Heights, according to Central Bureau of Statistics figures. Many Druze, especially in the Golan Heights, continue to maintain close links with communities in Syria, where some 700,000 Druze live.Druze men are the only Israeli minority, apart from members of the small Circassian community, to be conscripted into the Israel Defense Forces.On Tuesday, the Association of Druze Discharged Soldiers and Reservists penned a letter to Netanyahu urging him to provide military and humanitarian assistance in defense of their Syrian compatriots, who are suffering “brutal attacks by extremist terror organizations.”“There is an unending series of massacres, kidnappings, looting, and harm to innocent civilians — women, children, and the elderly alike,” the group said.The fighting that erupted in Sweida Sunday has underscored the challenges facing interim Syrian leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, whose Islamist forces ousted president Bashar al-Assad in December after nearly 14 years of civil war. Though he has been welcomed by the West, there are fears that religious minorities, including the Druze, could be persecuted under his rule.Druze communities in Syria generally stayed loyal to Assad during the civil war. That has bolstered fears that they could fall victim to revenge-seekers loyal to the new regime, with some pointing to massacres of Syrian Alawites who backed Assad earlier this year.“Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherly alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel, and their familial and historical ties to the Druze in Syria, and we are acting to prevent the Syrian regime from harming them, and to ensure the demilitarization of the area adjacent to our border with Syria,” Netanyahu and Katz said in a statement.The IDF said Tuesday that it struck “several armored vehicles, including tanks, armored personnel carriers, multiple rocket launchers, as well as access routes” belonging to Syrian regime forces, to “disrupt their arrival” in Sweida.

Wizz Air, United and Lufthansa resume Tel Aviv routes-EasyJet closes Israel routes until spring 2026 as some foreign carriers return-Low-cost airline nixes flights, while Israel prepares Ben Gurion Airport to meet increased passenger traffic in coming months By Sharon Wrobel-Today, 4:53 pm-JUL 15,25

British low-cost carrier easyJet on Tuesday announced it will not resume flight operations to Israel before the spring of 2026, as more foreign airlines started to bring back their services to the country ahead of the lucrative summer season and the busy travel period during the Jewish holidays in the fall.The UK carrier, which had been expected to restart its flight operations at the end of October, announced that it would extend the suspension of all routes to and from Tel Aviv through March 28, 2026.“To provide our customers with certainty on our winter flying schedule, we will no longer be operating flights to Tel Aviv over the winter season,” the airline said in an emailed statement. “We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and remain committed to resuming our Tel Aviv flying from summer 2026.”EasyJet extended its suspension of flight services to and from Tel Aviv when Israel’s airspace was closed on June 13 with the outbreak of war with Iran. The fighting ended 12 days later with a US-brokered ceasefire. The flight suspensions by foreign and local airlines left tens of thousands of Israelis stranded abroad. Israel reopened its airspace on June 24.EasyJet’s decision comes after a host of foreign airlines announced plans to resume their flight operations to the country following the truce with Iran, and after the European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency last week lifted a high-risk advisory recommending pilots avoid the airspace over Israel and other parts of the region, due to the risk of war reigniting.Despite recent developments, some European and US airlines have yet to announce or have postponed their resumption dates for flights to and from Israel. US carrier Delta and Air India delayed the resumption of their Israel operations through August 31. British Airways and low-cost carrier Ryanair canceled their Tel Aviv route through October 25.Dutch carrier KLM suspended all flight services to and from Ben Gurion Airport until further notice, citing the “ongoing security situation.”Meanwhile, Hungary-based low-cost airline Wizz Air is expected to bring forward the resumption of flight services to and from Ben Gurion to August 8.French carrier Air France resumed nonstop flights between Ben Gurion and Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport on July 7. Greece’s Aegean Airlines and Spanish airline Air Europa brought forward the resumption of flight services to and from Tel Aviv to July 14.The Lufthansa group — which includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings — is expected to restart services on August 1.US carrier United Airlines announced that it would resume flight services from New York to Tel Aviv with a single flight starting on July 21, 10 days earlier than it previously planned.The sustained ceasefire between Israel and Iran also prompted many smaller foreign airlines to gradually resume flight routes to and from Israel, including Ethiopian Airlines, Azerbaijan Airlines, Etihad Airways, Flydubai, Bluebird, TUS Airways, and Hainan Airlines.Earlier this week, the Transportation Ministry, together with the Israel Airports Authority, announced the launch of expansion plans at Ben Gurion to meet increased passenger traffic expected at the airport during the peak summer months.During July, an estimated 1.5 million passengers are expected to come through Ben Gurion Airport, and 1.9 million in August. Passenger traffic is still lower than the 2.5 million and 2.8 million travelers the international airport handled in July and August of 2023, respectively, before the outbreak of war with the Hamas terror group.After the EU aviation safety advisory against Israel air travel was lifted, and with some international carriers gradually resuming flight operations to Tel Aviv, Israel is making preparations to meet security and operational challenges, said Transportation Minister Miri Regev.On August 14, a new advanced security and check-in concourse at Ben Gurion’s main international Terminal 3 will open, spanning an area of about 3,900 square meters. The new area, built at an investment of NIS 50 million ($14.9 million), includes 22 check-in stations and advanced security screening and baggage processing systems.Starting August 3, Ben Gurion will reopen Terminal 1, used mostly by low-cost airlines and charter carriers for international operations, and by Israeli airlines for domestic flights. Initially, flights by Israeli flag carrier El Al, smaller local rivals Arkia and Israir, and Georgian Airways will be operated at the reopened terminal, followed by Wizz Air and other companies. During August, about 500 international flights are expected to operate at the terminal.“We are working vigorously to bring airlines back to Israel, and at the same time are promoting projects that will allow Ben Gurion Airport to accommodate more passengers, while maintaining a high level of service,” said Transportation Ministry Director General Moshe Ben Zaken. “This is the infrastructure that Israel needs for the years to come.”

Japan says China's military activities could 'seriously impact' its security.

Tokyo, July 15 (AFP) Jul 15, 2025-Japan said Tuesday that China's intensifying military activities could "seriously impact" its security, citing the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace in an annual threat assessment.The defence ministry said in its white paper that China was ramping up its activities in the entire region surrounding Japan.A Chinese military aircraft entered Japan's airspace in August last year, it said. Then in September, a Chinese aircraft carrier and two other naval ships sailed between two Japanese islands near Taiwan.Beijing's military "created a situation that could seriously impact Japan's security", the paper said.It repeated its comment from last year's paper that China's military ambitions pose "an unprecedented and (the) greatest strategic challenge" to Japan and the world.Beijing responded by saying the paper "hypes up the so-called China threat"."China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this and has lodged solemn representations with Japan," China's foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.Tokyo said last week that Chinese fighter jets flew within 30 metres (100 feet) of a Japanese military patrol aircraft over the East China Sea.Last year, Chinese vessels sailed near the Japanese-administered Senkaku islands -- known as the Diaoyu in China -- a record 355 times, according to Tokyo.And last month Japan said that two Chinese aircraft carriers sailed in the Pacific simultaneously for the first time, including in Japan's economic waters.China called it "routine training".Beijing has also conducted joint drills with Russia which are "clearly intended as a demonstration of force against Japan", the paper said.It repeated that North Korea's activities pose a "more grave and imminent threat to Japan's national security than ever before".The white paper was approved by the cabinet of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday.- Japan boosts defence spending -Japan is in a multi-year process of increasing its defence spending.It is bolstering its military ties with Washington -- and other regional US allies -- to make US and Japanese forces nimbler in response to threats such as a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.The Pentagon is pressing Japan and Australia to make clear what role they would play if the United States and China went to war over Taiwan, the Financial Times reported on Saturday.Elbridge Colby, US under-secretary of defence for policy, has been pushing the issue in meetings with Japanese and Australian defence officials in recent months, the FT said.Colby said that President Donald Trump's "common sense agenda" included "urging allies to step up their defense spending and other efforts related to our collective defense"."Of course, some among our allies might not welcome frank conversations," Colby wrote on X.The issue also forms parts of negotiations between Tokyo and Washington on a trade deal to avert 25-percent tariffs on Japanese imports due from August 1.nf-sam/rsc

China hails 'strategically valuable' Russia ties in Lavrov visit-by AFP Staff Writers.

Beijing (AFP) July 14, 2025-Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hailed Beijing's "strategically valuable" relations with Moscow as he met his Russian counterpart against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and turbulent ties with the United States.Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov was visiting Beijing after a trip to North Korea, where he received assurances of support for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.Wang told Lavrov on Sunday that "China-Russia are the most stable, most mature and most strategically valuable relationship between major powers in the world today", according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout of their meeting."The current focus is to... deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation, promote each side's development and revitalisation, and jointly respond to the challenges brought by a turbulent and changing world," Wang said.The two ministers "exchanged views on the Korean peninsula, the Ukraine crisis, the Iranian nuclear issue and other matters", the Chinese statement said.It did not mention ties with Washington, which Moscow said was also on the agenda.The Russian foreign ministry said Lavrov and Wang also discussed other "burning issues", including the war in Gaza.China, a diplomatic and economic ally of Moscow, claims to be neutral in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.However, it has never denounced Russia's 2022 invasion nor called for it to withdraw its troops, and many of Ukraine's allies believe that China has provided support for Russia.Beijing regularly calls for an end to the fighting, while also accusing Western countries of prolonging the conflict by arming Ukraine.

Russia's Lavrov visits Beijing to discuss Ukraine.

Moscow (AFP) July 13, 2025 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Sunday in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart to discuss Ukraine and relations with the United States.Russia's top diplomat arrived in China following a visit to North Korea, where he received assurances of support in its conflict with Ukraine.Lavrov and Wang Yi "discussed relations with the United States and the outlook for settling the Ukrainian crisis," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.China, a diplomatic and economic ally of Moscow, claims to be neutral in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.But it has never denounced Russia's 2022 invasion nor called for it to withdraw its troops, and many of Ukraine's allies believe that China has provided support for Russia.Beijing regularly calls for an end to the fighting, while also accusing Western countries of prolonging the conflict by arming Ukraine.The statement from the Russian foreign ministry said Levrov and Yi also discussed other "burning issues" such as the war in Gaza and the "situation on the Korean peninsula". 

Drone attack shuts US-run oil field in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Arbil, Iraq, July 15 (AFP) Jul 15, 2025-A drone strike on Tuesday forced a US company to suspend operations at an oil field in Iraq's Kurdistan, the latest in a string of attacks targeting the autonomous region's energy facilities.The Iraqi government said it will investigate the attacks, which occurred months before legislative elections, at a time of simmering tension between Baghdad and the regional administration in Arbil mainly over oil exports.The Arbil government said the Sarsang oil field in Duhok province was hit, denouncing the strike as "an act of terrorism against the Kurdistan Region's vital economic infrastructure".It did not say who may be behind the attack, and there was no claim of responsibility.Tuesday's attack followed similar drone strikes a day earlier on an airport hosting US troops and on an oil field in Arbil province, near Duhok.HKN Energy, the US firm operating the Sarsang site, said a blast occurred at about 7:00 am (0400 GMT) at one of its production facilities."Operations at the affected facility have been suspended until the site is secured," it said in a statement.A fire broke out but caused no casualties. HKN said emergency teams later contained the blaze.In the past few weeks, Iraq and particularly the Kurdistan region have seen a spate of unclaimed drone and rocket attacks.Long plagued by conflict, Iraq frequently experiences such attacks, often linked to regional proxy struggles between Iran and the United States and its ally Israel.Iraqi Kurdistan presents itself as a relative oasis of stability in a volatile Iraq, attracting foreign investors due to its close ties with the United States and European countries.- 'Vital institutions' -On Tuesday, Kurdistan's presidency condemned the latest attacks, warning that they "pose a risk" to international investments and calling on Baghdad to find the perpetrators and prevent further incidents.Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered an "immediate and comprehensive investigation" into the attacks, his military spokesman Sabah al-Numan said."The nature and timing of these criminal acts indicate malicious intent aimed at creating confusion and harming Iraq and its vital institutions," Numan added.Iraq is gearing up for legislative elections in November, which are often marked by heated political wrangling.The attacks also come at a time of heightened tension between Baghdad and Arbil over oil exports, with a major pipeline through Turkey shut since 2023 over legal disputes and technical issues.In May, Iraq's federal authorities filed a complaint against the autonomous Kurdistan region for signing gas contracts with two US companies, including HKN Energy.Iraq slammed the deals, saying all oil and gas development must be conducted through the federal government.A few hours after Tuesday's drone attack, Iraq's oil ministry announced an initial agreement with HKN to develop the Hamrin oil field in Salaheddin province.- 'Unacceptable' -The US embassy in Baghdad denounced the recent drone strikes, including on "critical infrastructure" in Kurdistan."These attacks are unacceptable," the embassy said on X, adding that the Iraqi government "must exercise its authority to prevent armed actors from launching these attacks against sites... where Iraqi and international companies have invested in Iraq's future".The Sarsang attack came a day after other explosive-laden drone attacks were reported elsewhere in Kurdistan.One drone was shot down near Arbil airport, while two others hit the Khurmala oil field in the same province, causing material damage.There has been no claim of responsibility for those attacks.Politicians close to the Kurdish authorities blamed pro-Iran groups, without offering evidence.On July 3, the Kurdistan government said that the Hashed al-Shaabi, a coalition of pro-Iran former paramilitaries now integrated into the regular armed forces, had downed a drone near Arbil airport.Baghdad rejected the accusation against "an official Iraqi security institution".str-rh-cbg/ami

Patriot air defences for Ukraine: Useful but no panacea.

Paris, July 15 (AFP) Jul 15, 2025-Expected deliveries of new US Patriot air defense systems by some NATO countries to Ukraine will help against intensifying Russian missile and drone attacks, but are no front-line game changer, analysts say.- A proven system -Introduced in 1985, the Patriot has been continuously updated since its first deployment against Iraqi Scud missiles in the Gulf War, allowing it to intercept ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.Each battery consists of a control station and mobile launchers equipped with four interceptor missiles, each costing several million dollars.The latest radar version, which has only just gone into service in the US, allows 360-degree coverage. Previous models only cover a 120-degree arc.Patriot is in service in 18 countries, including Ukraine, which has a few batteries.Its interception range is up to 70 km (43.5 miles) against aircraft and cruise missiles for the Patriot PAC-2 version, and between 20 and 35 km against ballistic missiles for thePatriot PAC-3, according to US army data.Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the PAC-3 MSE missile, plans to increase production from 500 missiles in 2024 to 650 in 2027.Raytheon, which produces the missiles for PAC-2, expects to boost its monthly output by 150 percent by 2028, Tom Laliberty, its president in charge of air defence systems, told AFP. He did not, however, reveal its current production level.- How useful against Russian attacks? -The challenge for Ukrainians is that the Russians are aiming more airborne weapons at their cities - including many cheap drones - and these attacks are also becoming increasingly effective.Over the past week, Russia launched over 1,800 Geran-2 (the Russian version of the Iranian Shahed-136) alongside decoy long-range drones, according to Fabian Hoffman, a research fellow at the University of Oslo."This marks a sharp increase in the average intensity of long-range drone attacks per day, peaking at 728 combined drones and decoys on July 9", not counting ballistic and cruise missiles, he said.In comparison, the most intense salvo last winter, on February 23, involved 267 drones.While Patriots are useful against high-performance missiles, their deployment against a mass of Shahed drones is "a waste of resources", researcher Joseph Henrotin, who is editor-in-chief of the Defence and International Security (DSI) journal, said in a podcast last week.Each Geran-2 costs an estimated $30,000 to $70,000, according to Hoffman, who said that western arsenals currently lack cost-effective interceptors for defence against long-range drones."This forces Ukraine - and, in a future conflict, European states - to choose between expending interceptor missiles that cost 20 times more than the drone, relying on anti-aircraft guns that are not widely available, or allowing the drone through and accepting the resulting damage," he said.Even against manoeuvring Russian ballistic missiles like the Iskander or Kinzhal, the Patriot's performance is limited."Until a few weeks ago, Patriots regularly intercepted Iskander missiles. Now, they struggle more because the Russians have started using their manoeuvring capabilities," said a European missile defence specialist who did not wish to be identified.The rate of successful interceptions of such missiles has fallen by about 10 percentage points from last winter to 86 percent currently, said Henrotin.- What impact on the course of the war? -With its missile strikes aimed at cities, Russia is forcing Ukraine to allocate significant resources to the protection of its population."Additional means can indeed help to better concentrate Ukraine's air defense efforts," said one western military source who declined to be named.However, the overall trend points to a slow and steady weakening of Ukrainian positions amid Russian territorial gains."I fear that Russia might be able to last five minutes longer" than western support for Ukraine, French armed forces chief-of-staff Thierry Burkhard said last month.And even if the US delivers Patriot systems to Ukraine "over the next year or two", Russia will be able to hike missile and drone production in response, said a high-ranking western officer who declined to be named.The current annual production of Patriot systems -- between 850 and 880 -- is only just above the lowest estimate for Iskander and Kinzhal production, cautioned Hoffman.Russian cruise missile production, of the Kalibr et Kh-101 type, is greater still, he said.mra-fz/jh/gv-LOCKHEED MARTIN-RTX Corporation

Russia fires 136 drones at Ukraine ahead of Trump-NATO head meeting-by Darryl Coote.

Washington DC (UPI) Jul 14, 2025-Russia fired 136 drones at Ukraine, Kyiv's air force said Monday, ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's meeting with NATO head Mark Rutte, where the two are expected to announce a new weapons deal for their besieged European ally.The overnight attack began at 6:39 p.m. Sunday, and consisted of four surface-to-air missiles launched from Russia's Kursk region and the drones from several areas of Russia.The drones were reportedly Iran-made and -supplied Shahed unmanned aerial vehicle systems.Sixty-one of the drones were shot down and another 47 were either lost from radar or suppressed by electronic warfare, Ukraine's air force said, adding that 28 hit targets in 10 locations."The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units and drone systems, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces," it said in a statement on Telegram.The attack came as Trump is set to meet with Rutte, the NATO secretary general, on Monday. Rutte is in Washington, D.C., for a two-day trip ending Tuesday.Trump told a press gaggle at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Sunday that he will send Ukraine Patriot air defense system munitions, with the bill to be covered by the European Union.He also mentioned his upcoming meeting with Rutte, stating they will be sending "various pieces of very sophisticated" military equipment to Ukraine "and they're going to pay us 100% for them."Trump's announcement comes as he has grown publicly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump campaigned on ending the war in 24 hours, but since returning to the White House in January has failed to bring about a cease-fire.He has pursued a cease-fire plan, but has been unable to get a commitment from the Russian leader. Earlier this month, Trump and Putin spoke over the phone, after which the American president told reporters that he "didn't make any progress" toward securing a cease-fire.To reporters on Sunday, he said, "Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everyone in the evening. There's a bit of a problem there. I don't like it."

Airbus to develop advanced PAZ-2 radar satellites for Spanish defence and civil operations-by Hugo Ritmico.

Getafe, Spain (SPX) Jul 14, 2025-Airbus Defence and Space has secured a contract from Hisdesat to develop and manufacture two next-generation PAZ-2 radar satellites for the Spanish Ministry of Defence. The project aims to ensure continuity of service following the original PAZ satellite, operational since 2018, while significantly enhancing national space capabilities.The PAZ-2 system will deliver major technological upgrades over its predecessor, offering sub-25 centimetre resolution and expanded daily coverage of up to 6.7 million square kilometers per satellite. Each satellite will complete 16 Earth orbits per day, delivering radar imaging around the clock in any weather conditions. These enhancements will support both military and civilian missions, including risk assessment, infrastructure surveillance, border management and natural disaster monitoring."With the PAZ-2 satellites, Airbus reaffirms its commitment to strengthening technological sovereignty in security and defence, as well as its leadership in the national and European space sector," said Alain Faure, Head of Airbus Space Systems.Airbus will design, assemble and test the satellites at its Getafe facility and lead a national consortium of over 15 Spanish firms. Approximately 65% of the satellite components will be developed domestically, underscoring the programme's strategic value for the Spanish space industry.The first PAZ-2 satellite is slated to be operational by mid-2031. The initiative extends the successful collaboration between Hisdesat and Airbus in delivering cutting-edge X-band radar capabilities, reinforcing Spain's Earth observation assets and bolstering European security resilience.

China, India, EU among Russia's main trading partners.

Paris, July 15 (AFP) Jul 15, 2025-US President Donald Trump is threatening to hit Russia's trading partners with tariffs of up to 100 percent if Moscow does not end its war on Ukraine by the beginning of September.Here are the countries most exposed to that ultimatum, if he follows through:- China -China is by far Russia's biggest trading partner, with annual import and export flows between the two totalling nearly $240 billion according to the Bruegel think tank.That Brussels-based institute has been piecing together monthly trade figures for Russia since that country in April 2022 ceased publishing detailed figures as it came under sanctions for its all-out invasion of Ukraine.China accounts for 48 percent of Russia's trade flows, according to Bruegel.In the year to May 2025, Russia exported $125 billion in goods including natural gas and oil, medical equipment and chemical products.Its imports from China amounted to $113 billion, mainly steel, equipment, electronics and textiles.Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian, responding to Trump's threat on Tuesday, said his country's position on Ukraine had always been "clear and consistent -- we have always believed that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis".China "firmly opposes all illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction", he said, adding: "There are no winners in a tariff war."- India -India is Russia's third-biggest trade partner, with exchanges totalling $68 billion in the year to May, according to Bruegel.Russian exports to India -- primarily fossil fuels -- accounts for 90 percent of that. India is the biggest buyer of Russian oil in the world.India's exports to Russia are essentially nuclear reactors, machinery and pharmaceutical compounds.Yet clandestine exchanges are believed to greatly expand trade, according to several media reports. The Wall Street Journal, for example, has said that Indian shipping companies deploy a shadow fleet to transport sanctioned Russian oil.- Belarus -Belarus, a close ally of Russia's and itself under US and EU sanctions for helping Moscow in its war on Ukraine, relies heavily on Russian oil and gas for its energy needs.Trade between the two amounted to $60 billion between January and October 2024, according to Russian customs figures.But Belarus's exposure to the threatened US tariffs could be limited, given it exports just $21 million worth of goods to the United States, principally food products, according to the UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database.- EU and Turkey -Even though the European Union has slapped several rounds of sanctions on Russia, it remains a big buyer of Russian gas.According to Bruegel, the EU is likely Russia's second-biggest trading partner, with exchanges totalling $71 billion in the year to May, or 14 percent of Russia's total inflows and outflows.The European Commission is seeking to reduce that trade, and has presented how it plans to phase out Russian natural gas imports by the end of 2027.Turkey, not part of the EU, is Russia's fourth-biggest trading partner, according to Bruegel, which tallied $52 billion worth of exchanges last year.Turkey largely imported Russian fossil fuels and exported electronics.burx-lem/rmb/giv

Nvidia says it will resume sales of 'H20' AI chips to China.

Beijing, July 15 (AFP) Jul 15, 2025-US tech giant Nvidia announced Tuesday it will resume sales of its H20 artificial intelligence chips to China after Washington pledged to remove licensing restrictions that had halted exports.The California-based company produces some of the world's most advanced semiconductors but cannot ship its most cutting-edge chips to China due to concerns that Beijing could use them to enhance military capabilities.Nvidia developed the H20 -- a less powerful version of its AI processing units -- specifically for export to China. However, that plan stalled when the Trump administration tightened export licensing requirements in April."The US government has assured Nvidia that licenses will be granted, and Nvidia hopes to start deliveries soon," the company said in a statement Tuesday, adding it was "filing applications to sell the Nvidia H20 GPU again."CEO Jensen Huang, wearing his trademark black leather jacket, told reporters in a video published by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV: "I'm looking forward to shipping H20s very soon, and so I'm very happy with that very, very good news."Defending the policy change, Trump's AI Czar David Sacks told CNBC the H20 was a "deprecated chip" that is "not anywhere close to the state of the art."He said the reversal on the H20 came because Nvidia's Chinese rival Huawei was making "huge strides" and could potentially threaten Nvidia's market dominance.China represents a crucial market for Nvidia, but recent US export restrictions have intensified competition from local players like homegrown champion Huawei."We don't want to sell China our latest greatest technology, but I do think we at least want to make it a little bit difficult for Huawei," Sacks said.Sacks also said that the decision was linked to ongoing trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing that are locked in a bitter trade feud.Beijing has criticized Washington's curbs as unfair and designed to hinder its development.- 'Abrupt shifts' -Zhang Guobin, founder of Chinese specialist website eetrend.com, said the resumption would "bring substantial revenue growth, making up for losses caused by the previous ban."It would also ease trade friction impacts on the global semiconductor supply chain, he told AFP.However, he noted Chinese firms would remain focused on domestic chip development, adding that "the Trump administration has been prone to abrupt policy shifts, making it difficult to gauge how long such an opening might endure."Huang will attend a major supply chain gathering Wednesday, according to event organizers, his third trip to China this year, CCTV reported.During an April visit to Beijing, Huang told Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng he "looked favorably upon the potential of the Chinese economy" and was "willing to continue to plow deeply into the Chinese market and play a positive role in promoting US-China trade cooperation," state news agency Xinhua reported.The tightened US export curbs come as China's economy wavers, with domestic consumers reluctant to spend and a prolonged property sector crisis weighing on growth.President Xi Jinping has called for greater self-reliance amid increasing external uncertainty.The Financial Times reported in May that Nvidia was planning to build a research and development center in Shanghai, though neither Nvidia nor city authorities confirmed the project to AFP.China's economy grew 5.2 percent in the second quarter, official data showed Tuesday, as analysts had predicted strong exports despite trade war pressures.bur-arp/md-NVIDIA

Netherlands, Scandinavian states look to join Trump Ukraine arms plan.

Brussels, Belgium, July 15 (AFP) Jul 15, 2025-Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands on Tuesday said they wanted to participate in US President Donald Trump's plan for Europe to buy American weapons for Ukraine.Trump announced a tougher line on Moscow over its war in Ukraine on Monday as he gave the Kremlin 50 days to end the fighting or face massive new economic sanctions.With NATO chief Mark Rutte, Trump also unveiled a deal under which European members of the alliance would buy billions of dollars of arms from the United States -- including Patriot anti-missile batteries -- and send them to Ukraine.Economic powerhouse Germany has already said it is going to play a leading role in the scheme and has offered to buy two Patriot systems.Denmark's foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said that his country was "absolutely ready" to join the scheme and would contribute with cash."We have to work out the details," he said.His Dutch counterpart Caspar Veldkamp said the Netherlands was looking into the scheme "with a positive inclination"."We will look into what we can do in relation to Mr Trump's announcements and take it from there," he said.Sweden's Defence Minister Pal Jonson said his country "would contribute"."We welcome the US announcement that it will enable increased sanctions against Russia and open up for deliveries of Patriot systems and other weapon systems to Ukraine," Jonson told AFP in a written statement.He noted that Ukraine was "in great need of more air defence," given Russia's "constant bombings and attacks."One of the major questions hanging over the US plan is how fast it can get desperately needed weaponry to Ukraine as it faces nightly Russian bombardments.Rutte said the scheme could allow European countries to send weaponry to Ukraine from their stocks that would be then replaced by new US arms.But few countries possess systems like Patriots and those that do have frequently argued that they cannot spare more.He said that beyond Germany, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands, NATO members Canada, Norway, and Britain were also among the potential buyers."Norway is in close dialogue with Ukraine on how we can best assist the country with military support," Norwegian defence minister Tore O. Sandvik said in a written statement to AFP, also noting that air defence was a "high priority".Meanwhile, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told public broadcaster YLE that his government would "evaluate each decision case by case as we receive more detailed information."Trump's apparent pivot away from an attempted rapprochement with Russia's President Vladimir Putin will please Washington's European allies."After yesterday's announcements, it's clear that leadership is once again coming from the US," said Lithuanian foreign minister Kestutis Budrys.European countries admit that helping Ukraine keep up its fight against Russia's invasion would be very difficult without access to US weaponry.