Donald Trump is due to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday evening for his first visit to China since he was last there nearly a decade ago. The US president seeks to mend power and prestige weakened by the war in Iran, but the Middle East conflict he started will cast a long shadow over two days of talks.
White House officials said Trump would travel with a delegation of more than a dozen US business leaders, including Elon Musk of Tesla and Tim Cook of Apple, in a sign that both governments still seek economic cooperation despite strategic rivalry.
State of US-China Relations
The two countries remain locked in a fragile tariff truce reached last autumn after tensions threatened to erupt into a full-scale trade war. Trump has long complained about China's trade surplus with the US, while Beijing has opposed American export controls and sanctions.
US-Iran Ceasefire Challenges
The war has entered its third month, with Tehran tightening its grip over the Strait of Hormuz and Washington struggling to turn a fragile ceasefire into a lasting settlement. US officials have spent weeks urging China to pressure Iran to reopen the strait and accept US terms for peace.
Kash Patel Denies Excessive Drinking Allegations
FBI Director Kash Patel denied under oath recent allegations of excessive drinking and unexplained absences on the job, dismissing them as "baseless" during a fiery congressional hearing. Democrats challenged him over the "extremely alarming" allegations in The Atlantic last month, which they argued would amount to a "gross dereliction" of duty. Patel has sued the magazine and the reporter for defamation.
The Atlantic's Allegations
The magazine reported that Patel's alcohol consumption had become "a recurring source of concern across the government" making him a "national-security vulnerability," citing interviews with more than two dozen people including current and former FBI officials. Patel denies all allegations, calling them "outrageous" and "malicious."
Nebraska Democratic Senate Primary Winner Drops Out
Cindy Burbank, a Democratic challenger who said she intends to drop out of November's Senate race in Nebraska to clear the way for an independent candidate, has won the state's Democratic primary. Burbank ran against William Forbes, whom Democrats contend is a Republican plant, with the intent to drop out if she won. The state Democratic party has endorsed independent Dan Osborn for the general election, seen as the best hope to beat Republican Senator Pete Ricketts.
Other News
- Russian forces attacked Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region on Tuesday, killing at least six people, after a three-day ceasefire expired.
- The WHO has told countries to prepare for more hantavirus cases after an outbreak on a cruise ship, considering the virus's long incubation period.
- UK PM Keir Starmer withstood calls to resign after damaging local election results for Labour led to multiple ministerial resignations.
- More than 110 Nobel laureates called for the immediate release of imprisoned Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi after she was transferred to hospital.
Stat of the Day: US Inflation Jumps to 3.8%
US inflation jumped to 3.8% in April, the highest since 2023, as the war in the Middle East continued to drive energy prices. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the energy index increased 17.9% for the 12 months ending April.
Wellness Wednesday: Experimental Depression Treatments
Author Carly Schwartz shares her year trying San Francisco's most avant-garde mental health treatments, from ketamine to transcranial magnetic stimulation to fecal analysis, in a quest to overcome her struggles.
Don't Miss This: The 100 Best Novels of All Time
The Guardian is publishing a countdown of the greatest novels in English, voted by authors, critics, and academics. Top spot goes to George Eliot's Middlemarch. "Anyone who reads this novel cannot come out of it unchanged," one panellist said.
Climate Check: Trump's Rollback of Toxic Gas Rules
Trump's proposals to rescind 2024 regulations for ethylene oxide pollution could increase releases of the carcinogenic gas by 7.8 tons per year, according to a Harvard analysis. The move is part of a broader aim to limit EPA authority over hazardous emissions.
Last Thing: Truck Stuck in Hole It Was Sent to Fix
On a rural road in Somerset, England, a truck became stuck in the sinkhole it was sent to repair. Workers from Stabilised Pavements abandoned the vehicle after it became trapped at a near 45-degree angle.
