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The US has just added a new Boeing 747 to its presidential fleet. Behind there is a controversial gift from Qatar

June 20, 2026 by usatoday24

A presidential plane It’s never just a plane. It is an office, a symbol of power and, in the case of the United States, a flying extension of the White House. This Friday, in a huge hangar of the Joint Base Andrews, The United States showed a new member of its executive fleet. But we are not looking at a device that has just left the factory or an aircraft purchased directly from Boeing to be modified from scratch. What we have seen is something else: an already existing 747, adapted at full speed and surrounded by questions that go far beyond aviation. Sometimes a picture says more than a thousand words. Others, however, need context so as not to lead us to a hasty conclusion. The photograph of the 747 in the hangar, with the American flag on the fuselage and the new red, white and blue livery already applied, conveys the feeling that the process is practically closed. But the official statement introduces an important nuance: the plane has just arrived at the group in charge of presidential transportation and must now begin its commissioning flights, the final phase in which the modification is validated before becoming available for presidential missions. To understand the movement it is necessary to clarify a concept. “Air Force One“is not the name of the plane, but the callsign that any Air Force aircraft receives when the president travels on board. Therefore, if for some reason Donald Trump were to fly on a C-32a military version of the Boeing 757-200 typically used to transport the vice president, that plane would operate as Air Force One during that journey. A bridge plane for a fleet that shows the passage of time The surname “Bridge” appears on the scene and is part of the official designation VC-25B Bridge and means “bridge.” In this case, the translation fits almost literally, because the plane is designed to fill the gap between the current VC-25 and the two final VC-25s that Boeing must deliver later. The Air Force speaks of an operational need to reduce pressure on the in-service fleet, especially as its heavy maintenance periods lengthen. Reuters, for its part, has reported that the main program is accumulating delays and that delivery is now expected around mid-2028. The difference with the current fleet begins with age and platform. The VC-25A that we have associated with Air Force One for decades are Boeing 747-200B specially modified, in service since 1990while the Bridge is based on a Boeing 747-8 that is about 13 years old. It is not a new plane, but it does belong to a much more recent generation of the Jumbo. That’s where the most delicate part of the story begins. As we say, the plane comes from Qatar and was accepted by the United States Department of Defense as a gift for government use with the aim of adapting it to presidential transportation during the Trump Administration. The controversy arises not only from its value, estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars, but from who delivers it and for what mission it ends up entering the US system. In Washington, the operation has provoked criticism and legal, ethical and security questions — from rules on gifts from foreign governments to potential foreign influence and the real cost of turning it into a presidential platform. The Air Force maintains that the plane is safe, that it incorporates the technologies necessary for the presidential mission and that no risks were assumed in safety, security or mission communications. He also states that A group of interagency experts developed protocols to detect and, if necessary, neutralize possible technical risks on an aircraft previously used by another owner. What has not been publicly detailed is the scope of sensitive capabilities such as hardening against electromagnetic impulses, self-protection systems or their real equivalence with the definitive VC-25. That balance sums up the case well. The new 747 does not arrive to suddenly close the presidential transition, but to buy time while the final planes are still pending. From an operational point of view, the logic is understandable: current models are aging and the continuity of presidential transportation cannot depend on schedules that are delayed. From a political point of view, however, the path chosen has an obvious cost. The Bridge was born as a bridge aircraft, but also involved in controversies. Images | United States Air Force (1, 2,) In Xataka | The European fighter has died, but Europe still has one last bullet to avoid the F-35: the alliance of Spain and Sweden

It seemed impossible to surpass Qatar as the worst organizer in the history of the World Cups. The US is getting it

June 12, 2026 by usatoday24

Can a democratic country offer a starker image than an authoritarian one when organizing a sporting event? The United States seems to be searching for the limits. With the connivance of FIFA, of course, which in recent years has awarded its most media and important sporting event to Russia and Qatar and which will repeat in this series of controversial awards with Saudi Arabia. And it has found in the United States a country that has stepped on the accelerator to catch up with what we consider authoritarian regimes. It is true that the World Cup has been used as a weapon of sportwashing since long before we knew what this meant. This has always implied a certain opening of the most reactionary policies during the time the event lasted to offer a friendlier image to the outside world. That is why it is even more surprising that the United States has barely made concessions in its way of doing politics. The competition hasn’t started yet and we already have a referee who has had to return home, public searches of players as if they were terrorists. A team that has tried to be expelled. And the constant threat towards its own citizens. Welcome to the 2026 Soccer World Cup. The World Cup in Canada, Mexico… and the United States. Hold my cubata, Qatar Standing on the shoulders and cheered by thousands of people in a packed stadium. The images of Omar Artan received as a national hero They surprise. They are surprising because Omar Artan is a referee. And I don’t think a referee has ever received such a welcome back to his country. The reason: being rejected by the United States. And Artan, a Somali, will not referee in the 2026 World Cup because one of the host countries He has not let him cross the border. The United States prohibits entry to citizens of Somalia. And he has made no exception with Omar Artan, who was going to be the first referee from his country to officiate a World Cup match and one in which, according to The CountryFIFA’s director of refereeing, the Italian Pierluigi Collina, had high hopes. The reason for the rejection?: “Concerns in the background check.” There are no more details. There are no more reasons. With those words the United States Customs and Border Protection Service (CBP) has settled the matter. Although it has been known that FIFA has tried to mediate in the matter, the organization has only issued a weak statement in which it points out that they do not have any type of influence on the migration policies of the host countries. The Artan case is the latest in a list of controversial decisions that continues to grow. In March, Donald Trump tried to intimidate the Iranian team football team, assuring that their safety could not be guaranteed if they went to the United States. Iran’s first two games are being played in Los Angeles and the third in Seattle, and the United States has toyed with the idea of banning players from entering, citing national security risks. In April it was put on the table that it was Italy, out of the World Cup for the third consecutive time, which Iranian will take over but it was rejected by FIFA. In May, Donald Trump assured that he would allow the Iranian team to enter in statements in which he assured that Gianni Infantinopresident of FIFA who has been very close to the president of the United States until now, would have given him carte blanche to accept or not the Middle Eastern team. Finally, Iran will play in the United States. Yes, but his players will have to concentrate in Mexico, 15 members of the delegation have been rejected and Their fans will not be able to go to the stadium. Click on the image to go to the original tweet Click on the image to go to the original tweet Obviously, Iran is the most striking case but by no means the only one. According to BBCmore than 25% of the countries participating in the World Cup have border restrictions with the hosts. This has led to intense searches of the Uzbekistan and Senegal teams in which metal detectors, dogs and controls on the airport runway itself have been used before giving them the go-ahead. From the official account of the Senegalese team on X They assure that this procedure was carried out on the airport runway to speed up airport control procedures. However, the country’s own soccer federation indicated a few months ago that They would not send fans to the United States on an official trip because the applications had been rejected. Entering the United States is increasingly complicated for a greater number of travelers. Since 2016 to the Spanish It is not possible for us to travel to the United States without a visa if we have previously visited Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia and Yemen since 2011. And from 2023 the same thing happens with Cuba if we have passed through the island in the last five years. These types of measures are those that on other occasions have been omitted in favor of give some sense of normality in sporting events that take place in authoritarian countries. In Spain we know well how the whitening of authoritarian regimes through sport works, How to bring the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia and even defend the regime and equate it with Spain, like Xavi Hernández did as coach of FC Barcelona in 2023. FIFA will take the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia, with the approval of FIFA, which created an adhoc competition for the country to win the award and overlooked any risk of attacks on human rights to the point that the candidacy has been the best score in history in a selective process. Some human rights which they also seem to want to omit with the United … Read more

The emir of Qatar travels in a private jet so big it helped Sardinia airport upgrade

November 19, 2025 by usatoday24

In 2021, the airport Olbia Costa Smeralda In Sardinia, it undertook work to expand its runway to be able to receive long-distance flights, thus opening the door for international airlines to bring a greater volume of tourists to the island. However, the inauguration of this work was somewhat special. As and how did he count Luxury Launchesthe ceremony inauguration of the new track It starred the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, but he did not do so by unveiling any commemorative plaque or cutting any ribbon. He did it bravely: landing his huge private jeteither. Who said fear? A private jet so big that it changes the category of the airport In the summer of 2021, the works on the Sardinian airport had just been completed. In an attempt to escape the scorching heat of Doha, the emir wanted to spend a few days of relax in the Mediterranean. Neither quick nor lazy, the president gave the order to embark to his crowded entourage who usually accompanies him on his private plane, and they headed to Sardinia. The Boeing 747-8, in addition to being one of the largest airplanes in the worldis the plane that Qatar Amiri Flight, the airline owned by the Qatari emirate, has assigned as a private plane for the top leader of the country. The emir’s plane, valued at around 370 million euros, has impressive dimensions, being 76 meters long, more than 68 meters wide and weighing close to 450 tons at takeoff. Qatar Boeing 747-8 Amiri Flight. The “private jet” of the emir of Qatar Olbia airport was already a key point due to its capacity to move almost 1.8 million passengers in 2008, operating mainly with domestic flights and some destinations in Europe. The infrastructure had just been expanded, lengthening the main runway by about 300 meters to a length of 2,740 meters, the safety zones were expanded and the taxiway was improved, which speeds up the approach to and departure from the runway. In principle, there would be no problem for the huge private jet to land. There was only one small detail: the track had not been tested previously and, in fact, It wasn’t even approved so that planes the size of the emir’s 747-8 could land there. Unimportant details. Olbia Costa Smeralda airport in Sardinia after its expansion As the airlines had not yet scheduled any long-haul international routes from that airport, the airport authorities took advantage of the visit of your important tourist to officially certify the ability to operate this type of flights that use aircraft such as the Boeing 747, Boeing 777, the Airbus A330, the Airbus A340. If the emir could land with your private jet loaded with his entourage, international tourists could too. The operation was carried out without incident, confirming that both the length and the paving of the runway were adequate to support the operations of these air giants. According what was published through the local environment The New Sardegnathanks to the inaugural maneuver of the private jet of the Emir of Qatar, in November of that same year the first flights connecting Sardinia with Los Angeles, China and Singapore with direct flights were inaugurated. The emir of Qatar: main interested party Even if all precautions had been taken during the landing operation, being the first aircraft of its kind to use the runway always entails some risks. However, the emir of Qatar was especially interested in international planes being able to land on that runway. full of tourists. The reason is easy to guess. The most prestigious hotels, marinas and resorts on the Emerald Coast belong to Emerald Holdingwholly controlled by the Qatar Investment Authority. Hotel Cala Di Volpe in Sardinia. One of the five-star hotels of the Emir of Qatar We are talking about a series of five-star hotels that offer luxury stays on the shores of the Mediterranean for clients as select as the Emir of Qatar. Therefore, it is not strange that the highest representative of this hospitality empire opens the way for millionaires from all over the world to use the new runway to land with their private jets or arrive accommodated in the seats business of international airlines. In Xataka | A single millionaire spent the equivalent of 10,000 tourists on his luxury vacation in Mallorca: the Emir of Qatar Image | Wikimedia Commons (Khamenei.ir, Mehmet Mustafa Celik, John Murphy), Marriott

Replacing the Air Force One has become a nightmare for the US. Qatar wants to fix it with a “flying palace”

May 12, 2025 by usatoday24

Air Force One. Few names have more strength than that of the US presidential plane. Ha star filmsis one of the official air transport of the United States (Next to the Nightwatch prepared for the ‘End of the world‘) And it is a strength with wings that has become an iconic vehicle. I had to renew it, and Trump is going to get out “free” The reason? ABC News affirms that the new Air Force One would be a gift by Qatar’s royal family. Trump does not deny it and is a cocktail that has set fire to US politics. Even to the most related to the president. It was renewal. He Boeing VC-25 It is the current presidential plane. It has been in service of the 35 -year -old and, although the airplanes usually have a long useful life, maintenance costs began to be unprofitable. In January 2015, the Air Force announced that they had already chosen which plane to work for the new Air Force One: the Boeing 747-8. Known as VC-25Bthe Air Force organized with Boeing an agreement to buy two 747-8 that were never delivered to a Russian airline that had gained, and thus some money was saved because it is not just buying them: also adapt them with the necessary equipment and security and create an adequate hangar. The current Air Force One Trump negative. In December 2016, before entering the White House for his first term, Donald Trump already showed his disagreement with the price of the program. Boeing is building a new Air Force One 747 for future presidents, but the costs are out of control, more than 4,000 million dollars. Cancel the order! tweeted The tycoon. The Boeing 747-8 entered into service at the beginning of the last decade and was a modernized generation, with both technological and aerodynamic improvements that, in addition, was one of the longest passenger aircraft in the world. In addition, it is of American manufacture, so it was a clear option for the new presidential plane. It was estimated that it would go into service in 2024, but delays and other problems have prolonged the operation up to, at least2027. And that is where Qatar’s royal family can change the rules of the game. A “flying palace” gift. This week, Trump will begin his state travel carousel. As happened in his previous term, Saudi Arabia will be his first destination, followed by Qatar and Arab Emirates. It is one Logic choice Due to the interest shared both in economics (they invest billions in the purchase of American weapons) and geopolitics (US bases in the region, keys to Asian domination), but apart from those treatment, Trump can return with a new presidential plane under his arm. As we read in NBCDifferent sources suggest that Trump will accept a luxurious Boeing 747-8 as a gift by the Royal Family of Qatar. One of the sources consulted by the American media is one of the White House officials, who admitted that it is true that Qatar has offered to donate a plane to the defense department, but that it is not something that will be accepted during the president’s visit. From the Catarí press department, they have been somewhat more concrete: “The possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use such as Air Force One is currently being considered between the Ministry of Defense of Catar and the US Department of Defense, but the matter remains reviewed by the respective legal departments, and a decision has not yet been made.” Reactions. This is something that has not taken long to explode in the American political sphere. Democratic representatives have loaded Against the decision, asking for investigations on what they have described as a “flying scam” or as “the most valuable gift ever granted to a president by a foreign government.” Because we are talking about a vehicle of about 300/4 billion dollars, and there are those who have thrown sarcasm, such as Senator Chuck Schumer. “Nothing says ‘America first’ like an Air Force One sponsored by Qatar. It is not just a bribe, it is a luxury foreign influence with extra space for the legs,” Comment In X. Bernie Sanders has gone somewhat further, describing the movement as something “ridiculously corrupt” and “blatantly unconstitutional.” It is not bribery. Critics They assure which is something that must be presented and approved in Congress, because it is the practice to be followed by the Emoluments clause of the Constitution. This prohibits the president and other federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without the approval of Congress, but the turn is that it would not be a gift to Trump, but to the Department of Defense. A former official of the Department of Justice spoke with NBC anonymously, commenting that bribe Trump is committed to total transparency. ” Trump himself has commented The following in its Truth social network, qualifying Qatar 747-8 as an Air Force One of Transition: “The fact that the Department of Defense receives a totally free gift from a 747 plane to temporarily replace the 40 -year -old Air Force One, in a very public and transparent transaction, annoys the corrupt Democrats so much that insist that we pay it, at the price of gold. The Democrats are world -class losers! Maga!” And after the mandate … Same Leavitt statements for ABC Newsmedium that states that White House lawyers consider that it is “legally permissible” to accept the donation of the plane due to the alleged small print of the agreement: the Catarí government will donate it to the Department of Defense to use it as Air Force One, but before the end of the president’s mandate in 2029, the plane will be donated again: to its presidential library. In this way, Trump can continue to use it as a private plane when he leaves the position. Of course, this is also controversial and organisms that fight for responsibility and ethics in Washington have shouted in … Read more

His fortune has disappeared before reaching Qatar

April 11, 2025 by usatoday24

Nicolas Puech should be one of those people that most of the planet label as “fortunate.” The key is given by its second and unmistakable last name: Hermés. It is, about the role, the largest private shareholder of the luxury firm, and a few months ago it was the protagonist for its curious succession plan: adopt your gardener to make it legitimate heir. It happens that, overnight, His fortune evaporated for an alleged scam of its administrator. Qatar has just passed the same with Puech. The emir and a failed agreement. Nicolas Puechdirect descendant of the founder of HermesThierry Hermès, embodies one of the more complex mysteries and fascinating the European luxury universe. At 82, his figure ranges between opacity and scandal, wrapped in litigation, contradictions and unexpected movements that have questioned not only the magnitude of their fortune, but also their handling and the veracity of their heritage statements. Although a significant participation in Hermès is attributed to him, valued in approximately 5 % of the company (which would be equivalent to More than 15,000 million dollars), Puech has maintained contradictory speeches. While in a recent demand presented in a federal court in Washington DC, it is claimed that he acknowledged to possess that share package and signed his sale to the Royal Catar family, in other Swiss judicial instances he has argued that his actions disappeared in hands of a financial managergenerating a chain of uncertainties that surround its true level of control over the famous French fashion house. A fortune in question. The case that has put Puech back in the center of the international stage Lo Capital America begana company founded in February For the Viceemir de Catar in Washington and backed by Emir himself, Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. The company accuses Puech of having Failure a contract Signed on February 10, 2025, in which he promised to sell more than six million shares of Hermès. Documents included in The demand They show that the parties discussed the agreement for months and that the Catarí side provided direct financing guarantees from the throne. However, despite the formal closure of the deal, Puech twice delayed the transfer of the actions. In a letter sent on March 19, his lawyer claimed that, despite the “best and repeated efforts”, his client was “unable” to access his actions, and considered useless to establish a new closing date. The Catarí company now demands the courts that force Puech to fulfill the agreement or, alternately, compensate for it with 1.3 billion dollars for losses, opportunity costs and reputational damage. The past: a puzzle. As we said at the beginning, this is not the first time that Puech is involved in controversies related to its heritage. As We explainin 2024 he generated headlines after trying legally to his Moroccan gardener, a middle -aged and married man, to read half of his fortune, a decision that She was challenged by a charity foundation created by Puech himself, who hoped to inherit his heritage. To this is added its prolonged conflict with Your former financial managerwhom he accused in Switzerland and then in France of having stripped him of his participation in Hermès. However, a Swiss court rejected the fraud accusation, noting that Puech had voluntarily ceded the control of its assets to the administrator. With this breeding ground and background, added to its historic Rupture with the Hermès family (caused by his support for the tycoon Bernard Arnault in his failed attempt To take control of the company), they have made Puech an isolated, politically uncomfortable and legally unpredictable figure within the French business environment. Qatar and motivations. Had the New York Times This week that the Royal Catar family is no stranger to the world of international luxury, obvious. Through its sovereign fund and investment vehicles, it controls relevant participations in brands, hotels and prestigious stores such as Harrods and Printemps. The opportunity to acquire a 5 % participation In Hermès (one of the houses more profitable and exclusive of the sector, whose stock capitalization has grown more than 200 % in the last five years) was extremely attractive. According to Eric TalleyProfessor of Corporate Law at Columbia University, a participation of that magnitude would have an incalculable strategic value for any global luxury actor. Despite the risk of dealing with a character as enigmatic as Puech, the potential to access a piece of the heart of the French luxury industry exceeded any caution. Hence, the demand, in addition to trying to rescue the frustrated agreement, could also serve as legal tool to obtain rights on Puech assets in case they resurface in their assets or activate after their death. A legal maze. Beyond the signed contract and the financial interest, the great obstacle to the tasks seems to be the very existence of actions. If Puech really does not have access to them, the forced compliance with the contract becomes much more than a problem. However, if a judge determines that the agreement was valid and binding, the sentence could grant the Emirate A legal advantage In the long term, in the event that the titles reappear or are identifiable within the succession heritage of the heir. In parallel, Puech He has reactivated his legal offensive In France against its former manager, reiterating the accusations already ruled out by the Swiss judges. The process, now wrapped in a new veil of secrecy due to the confidentiality of demand in the United States, could be extended for years and keep blocked A capital portion whose real existence, ownership and location remain in doubt. We assume that sooner or later this story will have its reflection in the cinema: in the center, a lone octogenarian, whose fortune no one can confirm at all, and whose influence (although invisible) continues to generate global repercussions. Image | Pexels, The Presidential Press and Information Office In Xataka | Nicolas Puech: The Swiss millionaire who wants to leave a gardener with Spanish ties as the only … Read more

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