Geopolitics: Xi Jinping at Center Stage
Xi Deepens Ties With Putin Days After Hosting Trump China’s leader Xi Jinping welcomed Vladimir Putin to Beijing for a bilateral summit, calling for a halt to fighting in the Middle East while ignoring Russia’s war in Ukraine. The two leaders praised the “unshakable foundations” of their partnership and discussed energy and security, including the “Power of Siberia 2” gas pipeline, though no deal was reached. The visit, coming less than a week after Trump’s trip to Beijing, positions Xi as a leader who talks to everyone while being tied to no one. — NYT · BBC · France 24 · France 24 analysis
China Confirms It Will Buy 200 Boeing Planes Beijing acknowledged that tariffs were discussed in talks with President Trump, signaling it was prepared to push back if the U.S. revives duties. The acknowledgment came alongside confirmation of a 200-plane Boeing order. — NYT
China-US Trade Talks: Washington Commits to Tariff Ceiling Beijing says Washington pledged not to raise future tariffs on Chinese goods above the level stipulated in a trade truce hammered out late last year. Analysts say the commitment signals a shift from unilateral trade shocks toward “managed competition.” — SCMP
Middle East: Iran Threatens Escalation
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Warn of War ‘Beyond the Region’ if US Resumes Attacks The IRGC issued a stark warning as President Trump says he could strike Iran while insisting Tehran still wants to make a deal. Iranian civilians are preparing for a new flare-up as negotiations have yet to lead to concrete decisions. Meanwhile, Jordan’s military shot down a drone of unknown origin in its airspace. — Guardian · NYT · France 24
Europe & Security
Russian Threats Against Baltics ‘Unacceptable,’ EU’s Von der Leyen Says The EU Commission president declared that “a threat against one Member State is a threat against our entire union,” as NATO ministers met in Sweden. NATO chief Rutte stressed how fundamentally Europe’s security environment has changed. — Guardian
Lithuania’s Leaders Take Shelter During Drone Air Alert Flights were suspended and people were urged to take shelter after a suspected drone was detected near the Belarus border. — BBC
UK: Starmer Scraps Planned Fuel Duty Rise, Extends 5p Cut Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced an extension to the temporary 5p cut in fuel duty, calling it a necessary response to cost-of-living pressures. He also announced a 12-month road tax holiday for hauliers and defended changes to Russian oil sanctions. — Guardian
Deputy British Ambassador to the US Leaves Job Abruptly James Roscoe, a diplomat who previously worked for the royal family and at the United Nations, left his role without an immediate explanation. — NYT
‘China Shock’ Blamed for Germany’s Industrial Malaise A report from the Centre for European Reform warns that a “China shock” to Germany’s trade economy is the biggest driver of its industrial slump, urging Berlin to back stronger EU measures against Beijing. — SCMP
Africa: Ebola Outbreak Grows
Ebola: 139 Suspected Deaths, 600 Cases as WHO Warns Numbers Will Rise The World Health Organization declared the DRC Ebola surge an international health emergency and is evaluating whether candidate vaccines or treatments could help rein in what it warns could be a lengthy outbreak. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus defended the agency’s response, saying criticism may reflect a “lack of understanding” about how it works. — BBC · France 24 · NYT
US Politics
Trump-Backed Challenger Defeats Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky Primary Seven-term incumbent Thomas Massie, who had spoken out against the Iran war, government spending, and Jeffrey Epstein files, was defeated by Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL backed by Trump, in the most expensive House primary in history. The result underscores Trump’s iron grip on the Republican Party. — NPR · Guardian · France 24
Georgia’s Republican Races Head to June Runoffs Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones will face healthcare billionaire Rick Jackson in a runoff for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, locking out Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won her primary outright. — Guardian
LA World Cup Workers Vow Strike if ICE Deployed at Stadium UNITE HERE Local 11, representing around 2,000 hospitality workers at SoFi Stadium, is demanding federal guarantees that ICE will not be deployed at the venue during next month’s World Cup matches. — France 24
Asia-Pacific
Killing in Japan Stirs Fears of Tokuryu Crime Rings Four teenage boys were arrested in the killing of a woman at her home. Police say they may have been directed by a new type of transient criminal network known as tokuryu. — NYT
Business & Markets
Meta Lays Off 8,000 Employees in AI Restructuring Notifications went out Wednesday morning starting in Asia, with U.S. employees expected to hear during their morning. — Quartz
Target Beats Wall Street Estimates, Posts First Sales Growth in Over a Year Net sales rose 6.7% in the first quarter with comparable sales up 5.6% — the retailer’s first positive comp in five quarters. Target raised its full-year sales outlook. — CNBC · Quartz
Europe’s Biggest Gas Market Not Storing Enough Winter Fuel Germany’s vast storage sites are less than 30% full, a concern as the Iran war continues to squeeze supplies. — Bloomberg
UBS Warns Consumer Slowdown Threatens Stocks Rally UBS chief investment strategist says the equity markets rally is at risk from a slowdown in consumer spending as real disposable income growth nears zero and fiscal support fades. — Bloomberg
Stellantis CEO to Unveil Turnaround Plan as Stock Lags Shares of Stellantis are off nearly 30% since Antonio Filosa was named CEO nearly a year ago. He is set to present his plan at a capital markets day. — CNBC
Qivalis Expands Euro Stablecoin Consortium to 37 Banks Qivalis added 25 European banks to its euro stablecoin consortium, including Luxembourg’s state-owned Spuerkeess. — The Block
Culture & Sports
Arsenal Win First Premier League Title in 22 Years Set pieces, a mean defence and unorthodox motivation methods are among the key factors behind Arsenal’s success. — Al Jazeera
Totó la Momposina, Colombian Music Legend, Dies Aged 85 One of Colombia’s most celebrated musicians and a global ambassador for cumbia music died of a heart attack, her family announced. — Guardian