Trump lays out the pomp for Xi but says little about the significant tensions in US-China relations
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met on Thursday for important talks on the U.S.-China relationship. They are divided on issues like the Iran war and trade, but both leaders hope personal rapport can prevent conflict. Trump emphasized their friendship, while Xi stressed healthy competition. Xi warned against falling into the “Thucydides trap,” the theory that rising powers clash with established ones. China is resisting U.S. pressure on Iran, while Xi urges Trump to handle Taiwan carefully. They also discussed AI, agreeing it should remain under human control. Some analysts say the talks appeared to focus more on ceremony than substance.
3 US news outlets return to White House after judge orders Trump to lift ban
NEW YORK (AP) — Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico returned to the White House hours after a federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban of the three news outlets. The judge said early Thursday that the news outlets must have their access restored. But reporters from all three outlets said they were still blocked early Thursday before access was granted a few hours later. Then some CNN and MS NOW journalists were denied entry to cover an evening event. The back-and-forth was the latest in an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. Trump announced he was banning the outlets Friday, assailing what he called “fake news.” The outlets argued they were singled out over the content of their coverage.
Israel's Netanyahu, at UN, calls accusations of genocide in Gaza 'the biggest lie of the century'
Allegations of Israeli genocide in Gaza are not only false but “the biggest lie of the century" — so says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He told that to world leaders in a defiant speech that asserted his nation’s right to wage war against Iran. It was not heard by scores of delegates who trooped out before he started speaking. His voice rising in emphasis, Netanyahu said attacking Iran “was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make." He denounced as “moral cowards” the mass of delegates who walked out of the U.N. General Assembly when he took the podium to speak.
Netanyahu says Mamdani endangers Jewish New Yorkers by spreading lies about Israel's actions in Gaza
NEW YORK (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accusing Mayor Zohran Mamdani of endangering Jewish New Yorkers with his criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. In a speech at the United Nations on Thursday, Netanyahu said the New York City mayor has spread lies about Israel. Mamdani has long been a vocal critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and has called Netanyahu a “war criminal” who is “the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.” The prime ministers comments, made during the United Nations General Assembly, were the latest in a series of rising tensions between the two leaders.
Trump administration turns to Supreme Court as third-country deportations are thrown into question
WASHINGTON (AP) — A ruling to halt deportations of people to countries other than their own has thrown a core immigration policy of the Trump administration into question, at least temporarily, and prompted a desperate appeal to the Supreme Court. The administration said Thursday that the appeals court ruling came Wednesday just minutes before midnight, forcing the cancellation of a flight with 70 people that was headed to three countries. It said justices needed to step in to “halt that chaos.” Plaintiffs for immigrants said they heard a deportation flight was scheduled to Burundi, Rwanda and the Central African Republic.
Powerful Hurricane Polo drenches Mexico's coast as Nolo takes aim at Hawaii
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Powerful Hurricane Polo is sending bands of heavy rain across Mexico’s Pacific coast, while a separate storm is approaching Hawaii and could bring catastrophic flooding. Polo is forecast to maintain major hurricane strength as it skirts Mexico’s coast with rain and strong winds. Forecasters warn the heavy rains could cause flooding and landslides. Farther west, Tropical Storm Nolo is forecast to become a hurricane by late Thursday and approach Hawaii's Big Island Friday night. Nolo could drop as much as a foot or two of rain on the Big Island and cause flash flooding. Maui is also likely to see extremely heavy rains through Saturday.
California Supreme Court orders Riverside County sheriff to return 650,000 seized ballots
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The California Supreme Court has ruled that a Republican California sheriff must return over 650,000 ballots he seized following a November 2025 special election that favored Democrats. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who was running for governor at the time, claimed he confiscated the ballots after a local group complained about the vote count. Local officials said the complaint was unfounded. Bianco says after Thursday's ruling he will comply with the court's ruling. Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta had challenged the seizure, arguing Bianco had no authority over election materials.
Homeland Security defends officers in immigrant's fatal car crash in Michigan
The federal government is defending its officers after a fatal crash last weekend involving an immigrant in western Michigan. The Department of Homeland Security is trying to counter any claim that officers were chasing the vehicle when Mario Coronado Juarez died Sunday in Grand Rapids. The department says officers were about a half-mile away when they saw smoke from the crash. The government says officers had stopped the enforcement action when Juarez had fled the scene. Juarez did not have U.S. legal status. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has directed state police to investigate the crash.
Senate rejects resolution to halt the Iran war as gas prices upend midterms
WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite increasing political anxiety over Iran war, senators narrowly rejected a war powers resolution. Thursday's vote was the 14th time the Senate sought to halt President Donald Trump’s military action. More Republicans are breaking with the president over the war, which has been largely blamed for the spike in fuel prices and become a flashpoint in the midterm election. As resolutions, the measures do not go to the president’s desk for his signature, but largely stand as a statement from the Congress. The Senate vote is likely to be the last chance for lawmakers to go on record about the war ahead of November. It comes after the House has three times voted to end the war.
Deaths of students at the University of Mississippi cast spotlight on kratom
A drug task force in Mississippi is urging people to avoid kratom after authorities found packages of the substance while investigating the deaths of two University of Mississippi students. Lafayette County Metro Narcotics issued the warning Tuesday, though it said it had no “confirmed information” that kratom contributed to either death. Kratom has come under increasing scrutiny over the past decade from U.S. health officials and states. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends against using it. An industry group says the FDA and states that have banned kratom are conflating the natural product with synthetic and chemically manipulated ones.