ISTANBUL

Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Tuesday with, including Gaza-bound aid ship arriving at Israeli port, US President Donald Trump saying Iran involved in Gaza peace talks, Israeli forces killing 57 Gazans, and Canada vowing to meet NATO defense spending target to reduce reliance on US.

TOP STORIES

• Gaza-bound aid ship arrives at Israeli port of Ashdod under military escort

The aid ship Madleen, loaded with vital humanitarian supplies for Gaza, reached Israel’s port of Ashdod on Monday evening under military escort, an Anadolu correspondent reported.

Israeli forces seized the vessel early Monday, diverting it from its mission to deliver critical aid to the besieged enclave.

The vessel, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, arrived in Israel escorted by Israeli warships, the correspondent said.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said early Tuesday that the activists had arrived at an airport for deportation.

The ministry said in a statement that the volunteers from the Madleen arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to depart from Israel and return to their home countries.

• Trump says Iran involved in Gaza peace talks with US and Israel

US President Donald Trump on Monday said Iran is involved in ongoing negotiations concerning the Gaza Strip, alongside the US, Israel, and the Palestinian group Hamas.

"Gaza right now is in the midst of a massive negotiation between us and Hamas and Israel and Iran actually is involved," Trump told reporters following an event at the White House after returning from Camp David.

The US president did not elaborate on the nature of Iran's role, and said: "We'll see what's going to happen with Gaza."

"We want to get the hostages back. It's all I can tell you," he added.

• Israeli attacks kill 57 Gazans, including 8 near aid site

The Israeli army killed at least 57 Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip on Monday, the last day of Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday, medics said.

A medical source said eight people were shot dead in the Al-Alam area near an aid distribution point run by the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in western Rafah.

Pointing to the high numbers of casualties near such aid points, Gaza’s government has accused the foundation of helping Israel target civilians under the guise of aid.

Three more people were killed and nine others injured in an Israeli strike targeting a group of civilians in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital said in a statement.

• Canada vows to meet NATO 2% defense spending target to reduce reliance on US

Canada this year will meet NATO's target of spending 2% of its GDP on defense, the country’s prime minister announced Monday, calling it a necessary step amid growing global instability and Canada's over-dependence on the US.

Calling Canada “too reliant on the United States," Mark Carney told a news conference in Toronto that it will hit the 2% GDP target “half a decade ahead of schedule. And we will further accelerate our investments in years to come.”

Carney warned that global threats are "unraveling the rules-based international order" and that middle powers like Canada must adapt.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• A convoy of more than 1,000 activists from North African countries departed Tunisia’s capital on Monday, beginning a land journey toward the Gaza Strip to break Israel's siege of Palestinian territory and also show solidarity with Palestinians.
  
  
• French President Emmanuel Macron denounced an Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, renewing calls for an immediate ceasefire and the reopening of aid corridors.
  
  
• California Governor Gavin Newsom said Monday that US President Donald Trump will deploy an additional 2,000 National Guard troops in response to immigration protests in Los Angeles.
  
  
• Spain’s parliamentary Defense Committee on Monday rejected a proposal to ban Israeli companies from participating in all arms and defense-related exhibitions held in the country.
  
  
• The UN said Monday that Israel did not allow any humanitarian aid missions into the Gaza Strip over the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday weekend as the humanitarian situation in the enclave reaches critical levels.
  
  
• The Hind Rajab Foundation said Monday that it lodged a formal war crimes complaint with the Metropolitan Police War Crimes Unit in the UK, accusing the Israeli Navy of serious violations of international law during its recent interception of a Gaza-bound humanitarian ship flying the British flag.
  
  
• Bangladesh’s health authority issued a warning Monday for its citizens not to travel to India and other nearby countries unless absolutely necessary as COVID-19 cases are increasing in the region.
  
  
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday strongly condemned a weekend attack on Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay in the capital Bogota.
• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Monday that the alliance must ramp up its air and missile defense capabilities by a titanic 400%, citing urgent military gaps and rising threats from Russia and China in particular.
  
  
• A radar failure at the largest airport in the southern Italian city of Naples led to the cancelation of dozens of flights as well as delays, authorities said Monday.

SPORTS

• Cristian Chivu named Inter's new head coach

Cristian Chivu has been appointed the new head coach of Italian Serie A club Inter, the football team announced on its website Monday.

The Romanian coach has signed a contract with Inter that will run through June 30, 2027.

Inter announced on June 3 that they had parted ways with Italian coach Simone Inzaghi, who helped it win one Serie A title, two Italian Cups, and three Italian Super Cups, and led the Nerazzurri to the UEFA Champions League final twice, in 2023 and this May.

In the May 31 match for the Champions League crown, Paris Saint-Germain won in a devastating blowout, beating Inter 5-0.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• US, China trade talks begin in London

A new round of trade talks between the US and China, aiming to reach a deal, started Monday in London.

In a bid to resolve months of tensions between the two countries, a senior US delegation including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Chinese representatives – prominently featuring Vice Premier He Lifeng, Beijing's top trade negotiator – met at Lancaster House in the British capital.

Along with tariffs and trade restrictions, particularly Beijing's exports of rare earths as well as China's access to US products, including computer chips, are expected to be top issues during the first meeting of the China-US Economic and Trade Consultative Mechanism.

• Moscow Exchange to start calculating, publishing Bitcoin index

The Moscow Exchange (MOEX) has announced that it will begin calculating and publishing a Bitcoin index starting on Tuesday.

A Monday statement from the exchange said the calculation and publication of the index will be based on data from cryptocurrency exchanges such as Binance, Bybit, OKX, and Bitget.

MOEX had previously begun offering Bitcoin futures trading for qualified investors.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree last August legalizing the experimental use of cryptocurrencies in international payments and Forex transactions.