Trump-Xi Summit Concludes with Warm Words but No Major Breakthroughs
US President Donald Trump's visit to China concluded on Friday with expressions of mutual admiration but without significant progress on key issues such as Iran and Taiwan. During a walk in the Zhongnanhai garden in Beijing, Trump was overheard telling Chinese President Xi Jinping that he was providing roses for the White House rose garden, according to a pool report.
Despite the warm rhetoric, the summit yielded no major announcements. Trump claimed that the US and China "feel very similar" about ending the war in Iran but offered no specifics on a potential breakthrough. "We did discuss Iran," Trump said on the final day. "We feel very similar about how we want it to end. We don't want them to have a nuclear weapon. We want the straits open."
Trump departed Beijing on Friday, stating that "a lot of good" came from his visit and that "we've settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn't have been able to solve." He also mentioned numerous deals between the US and China, including China's purchase of 200 Boeing jets, as well as US oil and soybeans. However, these deals have not been confirmed by China or Boeing.
China's Stance on Iran and Taiwan
On Friday, China's foreign ministry reiterated its call for a ceasefire in Iran and urged the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz "as soon as possible." Before the summit, there was speculation that the US might appeal to China, the largest buyer of Iranian oil, to leverage its influence. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio walked back that notion on Thursday, stating, "We don't need their help."
Regarding Taiwan, Xi took a firm stance, declaring that "Taiwan independence" and peace in the Taiwan Strait were "incompatible." Trump sidestepped questions on Taiwan, and a White House readout of the meeting omitted any mention of the island.
Deadly Russian Attack on Kyiv Kills 24
At least 24 people, including three children, were killed in Russian attacks on Kyiv on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported. "The Russians practically demolished an entire section of the building with their missile," he said after visiting the site. Ukraine's foreign ministry described it as "one of the deadliest attacks on Kyiv since the start of Russia's full-scale war."
Meanwhile, the UN nuclear watchdog warned of "intensified" military activities near several Ukrainian nuclear sites, posing significant safety risks. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz commented that Russia's heavy bombardment showed Moscow was "banking on escalation rather than negotiation."
Southern States Redraw Maps to Dilute Black Voting Power
Southern states are rushing to redraw congressional maps to eliminate Democratic districts and reduce the influence of Black voters, a move prompted by the US Supreme Court's decision gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. "This is a five-alarm fire for Black representation in the South," said Michael Li, a redistricting expert at the Brennan Center for Justice.
Tennessee Republicans have already enacted a new map, Louisiana is on the verge of implementing one, and Alabama has successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to eliminate a district represented by a Black Democrat. South Carolina's Republican governor is reportedly poised to call a special session for redrawing. States like Texas, Missouri, Florida, and North Carolina, which have already redrawn maps to add Republican districts, could do so again before the 2028 elections.
Other Notable News
- Israeli nationalists chanted "death to the Arabs" during a state-sponsored march through Jerusalem marking the anniversary of the city's capture and annexation.
- The US Supreme Court upheld nationwide access to mail-order mifepristone, an abortion medication, in a shadow-docket decision.
- Closing arguments began in Elon Musk's lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI.
- Internal displacements due to conflict or violence hit a record high of 32.3 million in 2025, a 60% increase from the previous year, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre.
Renters' Rights Could Be Key Midterm Issue
With housing costs climbing for working-class families while billionaire fortunes soar, renters' rights are becoming a defining policy in the upcoming midterm elections. Policies previously considered extreme are now central to insurgent political campaigns, tenant rights organizers say.
Brazil's Atlantic Forest Records Lowest Deforestation in 40 Years
Brazil's Atlantic forest, the country's most threatened biome, recorded its lowest deforestation level since monitoring began 40 years ago, with 8,658 hectares cleared in 2025, the first time it has fallen below 10,000 hectares.
Kindergarten Teacher Protects King Penguin Colony
Cecilia Durán Gafo, a 72-year-old former kindergarten teacher, runs a reserve in southern Chile's Tierra del Fuego region that protects the world's only continental king penguin colony. "Last year, 23 chicks survived – a record," she says.
