WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump on Friday offered a 645-word string of incoherent non-sequiturs to explain whether he is honoring a previous commitment to let Ukraine build its own Patriot anti-missile interceptor factory to defend itself against Russian attacks.

“We have not agreed to that. We’re talking about it. But it’s a hard thing to give away that kind of technology. And I don’t think this would ever happen, but, you know, you give that technology, they can someday turn on you. You know, that is possible. You look at war, it’s happened a couple of times over the years, right,” Trump said, answering a reporter’s question about whether he was now reneging on his pledge from just three weeks ago.

His lengthy response included explosion noises, an attack on former President Joe Biden’s mental acuity, an exploration of whether high-tech computer chips could be copied, and an acknowledgment that the US copies technologies in the same way as China, among various other topics. In his answer, he twice mentioned Tomahawks, a completely different missile that was not asked about.

At the end, even after an attempted follow-up ― the 283-word answer to which inexplicably detoured to India, Pakistan, Congo and Rwanda ― it was unclear what Trump meant.

His White House officials did not respond to requests for clarification.

Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, said they were proceeding based on the commitment made earlier this month, which was reaffirmed at the Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday, and further affirmed in a phone call between Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance on Friday morning.

“We followed up on our recent meeting with President Trump in Washington, which was positive and productive,” Zelenskyy wrote in a social media post after the call. “As Russia’s air attacks on our country continue unabated, air defense – specifically Patriot interceptors against ballistic missiles – remains a top priority.”

Trump publicly announced at the NATO summit in Ankara, at a photo opportunity with Zelenskyy, that Ukraine would be granted a licence to manufacture interceptors for its Patriot anti-missile system, which are currently scarce because so many have been used in Trump’s war against Iran.

“We’re going to give a license to you to make Patriots. That’s pretty cool, right? This way he can’t complain that we’re not giving them enough. Make them yourself,” Trump said on July 8.

Questions about Trump’s commitment to that pledge, though, arose after his interview with the Financial Times on Thursday, during which he said the following about the Patriot license: “It’s a very extraordinary weapon, and we have to be a little bit careful of who we license to.”

Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olga Stefanishyna, on Thursday told reporters that officials from US defence contractors that make the Patriot system have already visited Ukraine and plans were proceeding. She said an interceptor factory could be up and running inside of a year, and that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is now using more ballistic missiles to target civilians in her country because those are the only weapons Ukraine has not been able to counter with its home-grown defense industry.

“We have been effective in every domain except in an anti-ballistic missile technology,” Stefanishyna said.

Trump has long admired Putin, who has been charged with war crimes for his actions against Ukraine, and at the start of the invasion praised it as “genius” and “savvy.” Since then he has blamed Putin and Zelenskyy equally for the war’s continuance and drawn a moral equivalence between Putin’s murder of civilians and Zelenskyy’s attacks against Russian oil infrastructure.

The president repeated that argument Friday at the photo opportunity before a Cabinet meeting he was hosting at Camp David, suggesting that Russia’s war of conquest is still going on because of the personal animosity between Zelenskyy and Putin.

He said, “There’s a lot of dislike, as you probably notice.”

What is it about choosing a new TV show that feels so torturous?

Too much buzz paradoxically puts me off a series – “if everyone’s telling you that you must watch something, part of your brain sort of goes ‘actually maybe I won’t,’” consultant psychiatrist Dr Mosun told HuffPost UK previously.

But I’m not exactly delighted with my habit of rewatching the same five programmes, either.

Which is why, for me, finding an underrated gem offers the best of both worlds.

And according to critics, Netflix series Asura is a particularly glittering example.

Released in 2025, the seven-episode’s synopsis reads: “In 1979 Tokyo, four distinct sisters uncover their ageing father’s affair, causing their happy facades and bottled-up emotions to slowly unravel”.

Food is a force of nature in the show. Ever-present and frequently sumptous, it stands in for all kinds of moods, dynamics, hurts, and triumphs.

Each of Asura’s “strikingly beautiful” hour-long episodes contains “snappy jokes, deep intimacy, physical wrestling, meal-planning and petty but profound complaints about family dynamics,” critics say.

It’s directed by Palme d’Or-winning Hirokazu Kore-eda, and is an adaptation of a novel by Kuniko Mukôda.

Asura has earned a perfect 100% Tomatometer critic score on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, and 94% from its audience-generated Popcornmeter.

The Guardian said the series could be “the best drama [Netflix] has put out in years,” asking, “how has it gone almost unnoticed?”.

The New York Times, meanwhile, called it the “full package: a detailed, human-scale domestic drama with plenty to say, fascinating characters to say it and the stylishness to make it sing.

“The downside is that other shows feel paltry and thin in comparison. The upside is everything else.”

For their part, Slate called Asura “the best new show of 2025,” describing it as a “compassionate yet incisive dissection of family, betrayal, and 1970s Japan”.

One note, though: Guardian writer Rebecca Nicholson said that for those who don’t speak Japanese, the show “urges a second watch, to catch those delicate moments you may have missed when reading the subtitles”.

A rewatch of one of the highest-rated releases on Netflix? Oh noooo…

All seven episodes of Asura are available on Netflix.

They say the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

And that’s me when it comes to family holidays. I keep booking beach breaks, hoping for a relaxed and magical time away – and then overstimulation, heat and sugar come into play and suddenly we’re all arguing.

But, I may have found the secret to a less stressful family holiday. I won’t gatekeep: it’s one without a beach.

When you think of a ‘holiday’ – especially an Italian summer holiday – your mind probably conjures up visions of sparkling sea and soft white sand.

But this year, we decided to do something different and headed to Italy’s South Tyrol instead, swapping sandy shores for mountain views.

And honestly? Not having to worry about losing my kids on a packed beach or having them cry because they’ve got grit in their eyes immediately made the trip way more enjoyable.

We headed to The Dolomites, a mountainous region in northeastern Italy, and stayed in two different locations during our six-day trip.

The first place we ventured to was Hotel Feldhof in Naturno, a village about 40km from Bolzano airport with stunning mountain views.

Part of the Dolce Vita Hotels brand, Hotel Feldhof is their family and wellness hotel, with facilities like a family spa, 80-metre indoor slide and kids club, but plenty of touches for the grown-ups too like a rooftop infinity pool, fitness classes and spa treatments.

The hotel has 10 different pools, so I can honestly say we didn’t miss the beach at all. My four-year-old spent every waking moment he could in the pools (or, racing down slides), and the baby and toddler pool was perfect for my one-year-old to splash about in safely.

There’s a kids club with childcare for those aged three and over, and the additional playroom with a bouldering wall, playhouses and soft-play area is open all day for guests to use. If we ever managed to peel ourselves from the pools, you could usually find us there instead.

The facilities at Hotel Feldhof were seriously impressive and absolutely perfect for a family holiday, but I liked that everything was still stylish and chic. Sometimes you can go away with kids and feel like everything is geared up for them, from pool foam parties to mascots singing the Macarena.

Here, there was none of that – it was a luxurious, Instagrammable setting that understood adults’ needs as well as children’s, and it was family-friendly without compromising on aesthetics or service.

When you stay at one of the Dolce Vita hotels, your booking gives you access to any of the other hotels in the group, meaning you can use their facilities – like pools, restaurants and spas – too. During our trip we walked to the five-star Lindenhof resort nearby (which is equally as gorgeous, but feels less geared up for families with younger children).

I did have the chance to try out their spa treatments though, one of which involved a very relaxing facial which sent me to sleep.

We also ventured out into Naturno and took a ride up into the mountains on a cable car. It’s a definite 10/10 for views and for the chilled beer at the mountainside pub, but be warned if you’re travelling with little ones – there are some very steep inclines and if you’re pushing a pushchair up to the viewing platform you will get sweaty (but the reward of a cold beer makes up for it).

On day four of our trip we made our way up to Soprabolzano, a village 1,200 metres above sea level and up some pretty steep roads, where we checked into Parkhotel Holzner, a family run Alpine Art Nouveau hotel with more than 100 years of history and an array of impressive awards.

We stayed in one of the hotel’s family suites which had two bedrooms, light and bright modern wooden decor, and seriously stunning views. Plus, slightly cooler mountain air, which was welcome during Europe’s sweltering heatwave.

Parkhotel Holzner has a gorgeous, authentic charm about it, and I loved how the house and grounds still had lots of original features, from the furniture to the light fittings.

My favourite place was the panoramic terrace where we ate all our meals, and The Green Parlour Bar, a charming wood-panelled space with Art Nouveau touches. Sadly, kids and stylish bars don’t really mix so I didn’t get to spend as much time in there as I’d have liked, but I can confirm they make an excellent Aperol Spritz.

During our stay here we (again) spent a lot of time in the pool, and also made use of the kids club, the on-site playground and took a cable car trip down to Bolzano, which is just a 15-minute journey.

The hotel had a really lovely, family feel to it and I loved all the little touches like the wicker baskets they provided to put your pool towels and robes into. Obviously ours was immediately filled with pool toys, balls and snacks – but the thought was appreciated.

When you think of mountain escapes you might be put off by visions of a long, arduous journey to get there – especially with young kids in tow – but actually, it was really easy.

We flew from London Gatwick to Bolzano with SkyAlps. The route is fairly new but it makes getting to South Tyrol much simpler. The flight time is under two hours, you get snacks on board and Bolzano airport is tiny so the security queues are minimal.

We had private transfers arranged to get us from the airport to our hotel, and then back to the airport for our return.

The roads are quite steep (being in the mountains and all) so you could hire a car, but I preferred having a local who knows the roads taking us.

The drive to Hotel Feldhof was about an hour from Bolzano airport, and Parkhotel Holzner was around 30 minutes – it would have been even quicker by cable car, but I’m not sure you’d want to lug your suitcases on one…

Both hotels had excellent food offerings, but because South Tyrolean cuisine is predominantly Alpine-Austrian, there were lots of traditional dishes that you wouldn’t typically expect when booking an Italian holiday. Basically, more game meats and fewer pizzas!

This didn’t pose a problem for my husband or I, but even though both hotels had children’s menus, there wasn’t always a great deal that my two would eat. Now that we’re home, I think I need to up my game (sorry) and work on refining their palettes before the next trip. I can confirm though that both hotels had ice cream for dessert, so the kids seemed pretty satisfied.

Hotel Feldhof offers a 3/4 board dining plan including a breakfast buffet, complete with Prosecco (necessary when parenting abroad!), lunchtime snacks and an eight-course gourmet evening menu.

At Parkhotel Holzner there’s 1908, a Michelin star restaurant on site, although we didn’t try it as introducing the kids to venison was a challenge enough! We did however give the half-board dining experience a whirl, featuring excellent breakfast buffets (also with Prosecco, in case you were wondering) and dinner, which included a multi-course gourmet menu with a separate ‘little gourmets’ menu for kids.

If you fancy booking a trip for yourself, here’s the lowdown:

• Hotel Feldhof: from €177 per person per night, (approx. £152) and includes 3/4 board – breakfast included, afternoon buffet and dinner.
• Parkhotel Holzner: from €300 per room, per night, based on two people sharing with half-board.

This region of Italy had never really been on my radar before, but I can wholeheartedly say mountain holidays might be my new favourite destination.

No paying for sunbeds, no struggling to find a toilet, no carrying your kids miles across sand dunes because their legs are tired… just delicious food and drink, fresh air, activities galore, thermal waters and stunning views.

What’s not to love? South Tyrol, you have my heart.

Charlie Bond visited as part of a press trip.

If you’re a fan of a nightly binge-watch session on the sofa (hey, who isn’t?), it might be worth rethinking exactly how much time you spend passively gazing at the TV.

A recent study found people who watched TV ‘very often’ during midlife showed smaller volumes in brain regions linked to memory and areas of damage in the brain’s white matter that are associated with ageing, cognitive decline and even dementia.

Senior author David Raichlen, professor of biological sciences and anthropology at USC Dornsife, said: “For years we’ve focused on how much people sit. Our findings suggest we should also pay attention to what they’re doing while they’re sitting.”

The researchers suggested the results aren’t just because of people sitting still on the sofa for ages, as other types of sedentary activities (like sitting to work) did not have the same associations.

They looked at data from 1,700 adults, with an average age of 53, who had enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study between 1987 and 1989.

Participants were asked to report how often – on a scale ranging from “never” to “very often” – they watched TV during their leisure time. They were also asked how much of their workday they spent sitting.

After more than 20 years, participants had brain MRI scans. Compared with those who reported “never” or “seldom” watching TV, those who watched TV “very often” showed widespread structural differences across the brain.

In this group, the researchers found smaller volumes in brain areas that were associated with early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

They also identified indicators of blood vessel disease associated with cognitive decline and dementia, as well as smaller occipital and frontal lobes, regions associated with vision and movement.

Differences persisted even when the researchers considered factors such as physical activity, diabetes, body mass index (BMI), smoking, and how much alcohol participants consumed.

The study found those who reported high amounts of sitting at work had larger frontal and occipital lobes, as well as reduced white matter hyperintensity volumes.

Researchers noted this indicated better brain health in work-sitters than among TV-sitters. This could be due to the intellectually stimulating nature of their sit-down jobs, they hypothesised.

Their not alone in their thoughts. Dr Soma Sengupta, a neurologist at Tufts Medical Centre, suggested that unlike reading, learning a new skill, or working, watching TV “often requires little active mental engagement”.

She told Prevention: “Over many years, less cognitive stimulation could contribute to less ‘exercise’ for brain networks involved in planning, memory and attention.”

When the MRI scans were separated by sex, researchers found that men were most impacted – most of the changes to the brain, both from TV watching and occupational sitting, were seen in this group.

The study authors suggested that, in future, MRIs should be taken at the start and end of the study so they can monitor changes over time.

They also suggested a different approach to health guidance around sedentary activities might be needed, focusing on reducing TV-watching.

Natan Feter, postdoctoral scholar in the Human and Evolutionary Biology program at USC Dornsife, added: “We frequently encourage the public not to spend too much time sitting down, but experts may want to expand that recommendation to encompass the activities done while sitting, since those seems to have distinct impacts on brain health.”

One study published in the American Academy of Neurology found that a decline in thinking skills and memory can be staved off by regularly reading and writing.

Drinking less, exercising more, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding smoking can benefit brain health and lower your risk of dementia, too.

In 2018, a 44-year-long study published in the journal Nature showed a link between cardiovascular fitness, as measured by a cycling test, and an 88% lower incidence of dementia among women.

Even walking regularly can benefit your brain. A 2022 paper found that just 3,800 steps a day may lower your likelihood of developing dementia by 25%, with increasing benefits up to 9,800 steps.

There is no doubt that Naomi Osaka is blossoming again. During media day ahead of the Mubadala Open in Washington, D.C., this week, she spoke with renewed confidence about trusting herself. And she should. Osaka has put together one of the strongest stretches of tennis since becoming a mother.

This is despite struggling with a bout of postpartum depression she called “extremely bad” in her documentary, Naomi Osaka: The Second Set.

She said: “…During those early months, I felt like a shell of myself at all moments of the day. I no longer knew who I was anymore. It felt like everyone else had moved on and they were living in colour. Meanwhile, my world was stuck in grey.”

Call it a parasocial relationship, but as Osaka continues to reclaim herself after childbirth, I find myself celebrating far more than her victories on the tennis court. Every outfit, every hard-fought match, every smile with Taylor Townsend is a reminder that Black mothers, like Osaka, like me, can make it through postpartum depression.

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a reminder that while conversations around mental health have become more common, too many Black women continue to suffer in silence. We are less likely to be diagnosed and treated for postpartum depression and anxiety despite facing higher rates of stress, barriers to care and cultural expectations that tell us to just keep “locking in”.

Before my daughter was born, I knew motherhood would change me. I expected sleepless nights, breastfeeding and shifting personal dynamics. But I didn’t expect the world to feel dull or to look in the mirror with tears in my eyes because a stranger was staring back at me.

Not just because my body was different, but because who I was had changed forever. It felt like the brightest parts of me were gone. The self-confidence I’d worked to garner dissipated.

My favourite metaphor for motherhood is the flamingo. After giving birth, flamingos lose their vibrant pink colour because every nutrient in their bodies is redirected toward feeding their babies. It can take up to a year before their feathers regain their signature colour. The flamingo survives, but it is transformed.

That was motherhood for me. But it took me much longer than a flamingo to get my colour back.

There are whole stretches of time from my daughter’s earliest years that I cannot remember. My husband will show me pictures, and it’s as if someone removed pages from a photo album. Those missing memories still grieve me because I know I was physically there, yet I cannot access that time. I desperately want to revisit them, but they are simply gone.

That is what postpartum anxiety and depression can do to the mind. It’s not simply mood swings, but a change in the brain’s cognitive ability and health.

People often assume Black women go untreated because we don’t have access to care. That wasn’t my story. I had a therapist. I had physicians. I had family and friends who loved me. I had a husband who wanted to support me.

I was consumed with social media videos where mothers of all races and ages make it seem like motherhood comes naturally, and that women simply “figure it out.” So when I found myself anxious, disconnected and emotionally exhausted, I convinced myself I just wasn’t cut out for motherhood.

My daughter did not in fact have the right mama, I decided. She had a broken one.

The truth is, motherhood in America asks an extraordinary amount of women, particularly Black women. I wish we could be like the flamingo, where all of our efforts go to feeding our babies. In reality, breastfeeding our children barely scratches the surface of the labour and anxieties that come with our new role.

The disproportionate rates of Black maternal death reflect the constant threat of neglect and violence Black women face before and during childbirth. Once our children are earthside, we have less means to navigate skyrocketing child care costs and soaring inflation. The recent death of Nolan Wells, a young Black boy who went missing and then was found dead, is every mother’s worst nightmare.

Black children go missing without urgency from law enforcement, and too many are never found – or are found too late. Among all of this, his mother, Christine Wonsley, is receiving hate mail and online harassment, a case study in vilification of Black mothers.

All of these factors would drive any sane person insane.

When Osaka reflected on her return to tennis after motherhood, she gave voice to feelings I hadn’t been able to name, saying, “I struggled with constant fear and anxiety, and an overall lack of self-confidence in every decision I made.” Before she ever put words to it, though, I thought I could see it in her – the sadness behind her eyes, the uncertainty, the search for herself.

As I watched her compete, I realised I wasn’t simply following one of the greatest athletes of her generation. I was watching another Black mother work through postpartum struggles to find her new colours. In her vulnerability, I finally recognised my own reflection.

I had language for feelings buried beneath guilt and unrealistic expectations. And Osaka’s healing journey made room for me. I started taking anti-anxiety medications, going to the gym and finding community with other mothers who understood that motherhood could be both beautiful and incredibly lonely.

Little by little, I got my colour back. I became more confident in my role, not just as a mother, but as a friend, wife and my own person.

That is why Naomi Osaka’s comeback matters so much.

We often talk about representation in terms of Black women breaking barriers and shattering glass ceilings. We talk less about representation in healing. Watching another Black mother survive something we’ve endured gives us permission to believe survival is possible for us, too – and to seek the help that makes it possible.

Julienne Louis-Anderson is a Black mother who writes about the intersection of culture and politics with education and human development. She is also a Public Voices Fellow of The OpEd Project in partnership with the National Black Child Development Institute.

Do you have a compelling personal story you’d like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what we’re looking for here and send us a pitch at pitch@huffpost.com.