Trump due in China for high-stakes summit with Xi Jinping | First Thing

• Venezuelan citizens are conducting their own search and rescue operations as the death toll continues to rise following a devastating earthquake. • The U.S. State Department announced the creation of a "Military Coordination Group for Lebanon" to implement a new strategic framework for the region.

• Professor Michel Chossudovsky published an analysis on June 26, 2026, arguing that the United States has been engaged in a continuous conflict with Russia and the Soviet Union for over a century. • The article details a historical timeline of US-led wars and strategic initiatives aimed at destabilizing and eventually eliminating the Soviet Union from the global map.

• Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting stability in Sudan, focusing on securing a ceasefire and preserving the nation's territorial integrity and state institutions. • According to a statement released by the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday, the Kingdom emphasized that the crisis must be resolved through a Sudanese-led political solution.

• On Friday, June 26, 2026, the United States launched military strikes against Iran following threats from Donald Trump to respond to fires in the Gulf region. • The escalation occurs amidst a broader conflict involving a US-Israel war against Iran and ongoing Israeli military attacks targeting Lebanon.

• A commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz was targeted in a suspected drone attack, which is widely attributed to Iranian forces. • The incident occurs amid a fragile ceasefire and heightened regional tensions, threatening the stability of critical global shipping lanes.

• Ukraine has launched drone strikes deep inside Crimea, marking an escalation in its efforts to target Russian military infrastructure. • Diplomatic efforts regarding the Iran nuclear deal remain uncertain, with key details and the future of the agreement still described as blurry.

• Tensions have escalated within Pakistan's ruling coalition as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) challenged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to hold long-delayed local government elections. • The dispute specifically centers on the failure to conduct these critical elections in the Punjab province and the capital, Islamabad.

• The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has identified Turkey as one of the top 10 global perpetrators of transnational repression. • An accompanying report details alleged operations by Turkish intelligence targeting exiled journalists and individuals associated with the faith-based Gülen movement.

• Israeli prosecutors have charged six individuals with "acts of terrorism" following a violent settler attack on a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank. • The assault involved several criminal acts, most notably the torching of a local mosque, as confirmed by police on Friday.

• Afghanistan is facing a severe humanitarian crisis following the Taliban's return to power in 2021 and the subsequent withdrawal of international development assistance. • Essential public services, which had become heavily dependent on external support due to years of conflict and state fragility, have largely collapsed.

• Türkiye is leveraging regional crises, specifically the conflict between Iran, Israel, and the U.S., to re-establish its presence and influence on the global stage. • The nation is utilizing its strengths in the defense industry, energy sector, infrastructure, and multidimensional diplomacy to turn geopolitical instability into strategic opportunities.

• Türkiye has criticized the European Parliament's 2025 report, claiming it contains biased clauses that directly conflict with established international law. • The dispute centers on maritime delimitation, with Türkiye arguing that the report ignores the jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding coastal lengths and geographic configurations.