President Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington, with visits to the National Archives and a state dinner projecting warmth between the two leaders. Former NPR China correspondents are now assessing what the high-profile summit actually accomplished for U.S.-China relations. The visit comes at a critical juncture for both leaders amid ongoing trade and geopolitical tensions.

President Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling it unacceptable. The plan reportedly mirrors a prior U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding from June. Iran's foreign minister said only negotiation can resolve the standoff, signaling continued tension over the critical shipping chokepoint.

Thailand has declared a flood disaster as Bangkok's roads become submerged under heavy rains. Authorities say the intense rainfall has eased, but the flooding crisis is not yet resolved. The disaster threatens major disruption in the capital of a country of tens of millions.

A powerful nor'easter is bringing severe flooding across the East Coast, prompting New York and New Jersey to declare states of emergency. Tens of millions of people from Maine to Virginia are in the storm's path, with widespread flooding and power outages reported.

The Supreme Court has allowed continued use of a controversial data system for citizenship checks that was overhauled under Trump officials. A lower court had found the system erroneously flagged U.S. citizens and violated federal privacy protections, raising concerns about its accuracy and legality.

According to a WSJ exclusive, Trump has rejected an Iran ceasefire and expects renewed bombing campaigns after the midterm elections. This signals a significant escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions with major foreign policy implications.

A new poll shows Graham and Andrews running neck and neck in the South Carolina Senate race, signaling unexpected competitiveness in a contest that could have national implications for Senate control. This is a notable political development worth watching as the race tightens ahead of further polling and campaigning.

The Trump administration has made legally binding commitments to nearly all of the $400 million in military aid to Ukraine that Congress approved, according to Defense News. This obligation locks in most of the funding despite earlier uncertainty over the administration's approach to continued support for Kyiv. It signals continued U.S. military backing for Ukraine's war effort even amid shifting political rhetoric.

A federal appeals court has upheld the Pentagon's decision to blacklist AI company Anthropic from military contracts, a ruling described as a win for President Trump and the Department of Defense. The case centers on Anthropic's refusal to allow its AI to be used for autonomous weapons systems, raising broader questions about AI companies' relationships with the military. The decision sets a legal precedent for how tech firms' ethical restrictions interact with defense contracting requirements.

Under a newly signed U.S.-Greenland agreement, the remote outpost at Mestersvig could become a significant American military foothold in the Arctic. This development reflects growing U.S. strategic interest in the region amid competition with Russia and China over Arctic access and resources. The move follows heightened attention to Greenland's geopolitical importance in recent U.S. policy discussions.