Your helper

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Trump To Meet Xi In China After 9 Years Today; Tariffs, Taiwan And Iran In Focus

US President Donald Trump is set to hold crucial talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, with trade tensions, Taiwan and the Iran war expected to dominate discussions between the world’s two largest economies. Trump arrived in China accompanied by a delegation of prominent American business leaders, including Tesla chief Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. The visit comes as several US firms seek greater clarity and smoother business operations in China amid prolonged economic and geopolitical friction between Washington and Beijing. Ahead of the meeting, Trump said he intended to ask Xi to “open up” China further to American businesses. The two leaders are scheduled to meet at the Great Hall of the People before touring Beijing’s UNESCO-listed Temple of Heaven and attending a state banquet later in the day. According to the White House, the programme will continue on Friday with tea and lunch meetings. <h2>A Changed Global Order Shapes the Talks</h2> The meeting marks the first major face-to-face engagement between Trump and Xi since Trump’s earlier visit to China in 2017, but the global landscape surrounding the two leaders has changed significantly over the past nine years. Analysts say Thursday’s talks will unfold against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving multipolar world order, with China now holding far greater global influence than it did during Trump’s previous presidency. Ali Wyne, senior adviser for US-China relations at the International Crisis Group, said the dynamic between Washington and Beijing has shifted noticeably. Speaking to Reuters, Wyne noted that back then "China was trying to persuade the United States of its growing status... This time around it's the United States, unprompted, of its own volition, that is acknowledging that status." Wyne also pointed to Trump’s revival of the “G2” concept, referring to a US-China superpower pairing, during an earlier meeting with Xi on the sidelines of an APEC summit in South Korea last October. ALSO READ | <a href="%20https://ift.tt/3Cgdw8r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump Arrives In Beijing For Crucial Talks With Xi Jinping On Trade, Tariffs And Taiwan</a> <h2>Trade Pressures and Domestic Challenges for Trump</h2> Trade remains one of the most sensitive issues between the two countries, especially as Trump faces increasing pressure at home over tariffs and inflation. US court rulings have restricted Trump’s ability to impose tariffs freely on Chinese and other foreign exports, limiting one of his most prominent economic tools. At the same time, the ongoing Iran war has fuelled inflation concerns within the United States, creating fresh political pressure ahead of November’s midterm elections. The growing economic strain has also intensified concerns within the Republican Party, with fears that rising costs and global instability could weaken the party’s chances of retaining control of Congress. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yhNStP9FDhM?si=byVaZzCf4Z9Hv6oN" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <h2>Iran and Taiwan Expected to Dominate Discussions</h2> Beyond trade, Trump is also expected to urge Xi to use China’s influence with Iran to help broker an agreement with Washington aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. However, analysts remain sceptical about how far Beijing would be willing to go. Iran is widely viewed as one of China’s closest strategic partners in West Asia and serves as an important counterweight to US influence in the region. Experts believe Xi may be reluctant to pressure Tehran into agreeing to a ceasefire or scaling back military support. Taiwan is also expected to emerge as a major flashpoint during the discussions. China claims the democratically governed island as its own territory and has repeatedly objected to US military support for Taipei. On Wednesday, Beijing again voiced strong opposition to US arms sales to Taiwan. Although Washington does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, US law requires the country to provide the island with the means to defend itself, a policy that continues to anger Chinese officials. ALSO READ | <a href="https://ift.tt/ly87e5A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">No Gas After 9 PM: Pakistan’s Fuel Crisis Is Now Deciding Dinner And Tea Time</a>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/trump-xi-summit-us-china-summit-trump-to-meet-xi-tariffs-taiwan-iran-war-in-focus-1843484

Feel like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone, says Vance as Trump visits China

Washington, May 14 (PTI): Holding fort at the White House, Vice President J D Vance likened his experience to Macaulay Culkin in the 1990 film Home Alone. The US Secret Service protocols do not allow the president and the vice president to travel abroad together to protect the line of succession. President Donald Trump is on an official visit to China and returns on Saturday. “As you know, the president just landed in China a few hours ago. You may know that because of Secret Service protocols, I don’t travel outside of the country with the president of the United States,” Vance told reporters here on Wednesday. “So on days like today, I sometimes feel like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone. I walk into the White House, and it’s very quiet, and no one’s there, and it takes me a second to realise exactly what’s going on,” the vice president said, drawing laughter from the roomful of reporters. Vance, who heads the Anti-Fraud Taskforce, threatened to “turn off” federal funding for government health insurance programs in states that refuse to comply with the Trump administration’s crackdown on suspected fraud. Directed by Chris Columbus, Home Alone chronicles the adventures of an eight-year-old Kevin in defending his home from a pair of burglars, after being accidentally left behind by his family from a Christmas vacation abroad. PTI SKU GSP GSP(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/feel-like-macaulay-culkin-in-home-alone-says-vance-as-trump-visits-china-1843482

'Where should we live and study now?': Nepali child's letter to PM captures eviction fallout

Kathmandu, May 13 (PTI): "Our family members voted for the Bell symbol, your party in the March 5 election. Why did you demolish our house? Where should we live and study now?" The questions, posed in a letter by 11-year-old Radhika Mahato to Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah after authorities bulldozed her family’s makeshift home in Kathmandu, have brought renewed focus on the growing humanitarian crisis surrounding the government's eviction drive against landless squatters across the national capital. “We don’t have the money to rent a house. You made our condition miserable like this,” the Class 3 student wrote in the emotional appeal, excerpts of which were published by online news portal Ratopati on Wednesday. Until three weeks ago, Radhika attended classes at Guheshwori Bal Siksha Secondary School near the Thapathali squatter settlement, where her family lived in a makeshift structure. But after authorities bulldozed hundreds of informal homes in the area and shifted displaced families to a temporary holding centre in Banepa Municipality, around 75 km east of Kathmandu, her education came to an abrupt halt. "We need a school to study. Give us a place to live and a school to continue our studies," Radhika wrote. Over the past two weeks, the government has evicted more than 15,000 landless squatters in Kathmandu, dismantling approximately 4,000 structures, saying that these dwellings were illegally constructed on public land and riverside areas. The demolitions have sparked protests and criticism from rights activists, civil society groups and opposition parties, who accuse the government of carrying out evictions without ensuring rehabilitation and basic safeguards for vulnerable families. The issue also reached Nepal’s Supreme Court, which on Friday issued an interim order directing the government not to remove squatters without a proper rehabilitation plan in place. A joint bench of Justices Kumar Regmi and Nityananda Pandey stated that any relocation of squatters or informal settlers must strictly adhere to legal procedures and protect constitutional rights related to housing, education, and health. The bench also warned that continuing evictions without safeguards could trigger a humanitarian crisis. The Rastriya Swatantra Party-led government has defended the demolition drive as necessary for restoring public land and improving urban infrastructure. Meanwhile, anger over the demolitions has spread beyond Kathmandu. According to news portal nepalpress.com, hundreds of landless squatters in Pokhara staged a torch rally demanding Prime Minister Shah’s resignation over the eviction campaign. PTI SBP SCY SCY(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/where-should-we-live-and-study-now-nepali-child-s-letter-to-pm-captures-eviction-fallout-1843477

Iran Keen On India Developing Chabahar Port Project, Says Deputy Foreign Minister Gharibabadi

Kazem Gharibabadi, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, stated on Wednesday that Tehran is eager for India to achieve meaningful and substantial progress in the Chabahar Port project. This comes as the U.S. sanctions waiver for India's operations at the port officially expired on April 26, 2026, which means that New Delhi's 10-year development agreement with Iran no longer has formal legal protection against American secondary penalties. “This project (Chabahar Port) is very important to both India as well as to Iran. It depends on India how they will deal with the project now that the US waiver has expired. Actually, even after getting the waiver on sanctions from the United States, India has not been able to make much progress in Chabahar,” Gharibabadi said Wednesday while addressing a press meet in New Delhi. The U.S. State Department initially revoked India's long-standing 2018 sanctions exception in September 2025. Following intense diplomatic engagement by New Delhi, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a conditional letter on October 28, 2025, extending protection for an additional six months. As a result of the sanctions, India has paused active expansion work and Phase 2 project development to avoid exposing Indian entities like India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) to immediate U.S. sanctions. Technical personnel were reportedly withdrawn ahead of the deadline. India and Iran signed a 10-year contract in May 2024 to develop and operate the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar Port, crucial for India to bypass Pakistan and connect to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Despite U.S. sanctions challenges and a temporary 6-month waiver, India has heavily invested and maintained its involvement in this strategic project as of early 2026. Earlier, in an interview to ABP Live, Mohammad Fathali, Ambassador of Iran to New Delhi, had said, if India takes the Chabahar Port project forward then it will bring economic benefit not only to the both countries but also for the entire region. Located on Iran's southeastern coast, Chabahar provides India direct maritime access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. <h2>‘Mechanism’ Under Works On Strait Of Hormuz</h2> The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister also said, Tehran is willing to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz provided the United States lifts its naval blockade from that region. He said Iran is working out a “mechanism” in cooperation with Oman to bring about “certain protocols” in order for a smooth passage of ships and containers in the contention strait that has taken centre-stage in the ongoing tensions between Tehran and Washington. He said Iran is partnering with Oman to finalize a logistics protocol for merchant vessels. “Ships will be charged a "service fee" for navigation and rescue services,” Gharibabadi said, adding, “This will be done in accordance with international maritime law. This is not going to be a transit toll.” Calling India a "friendly country", Gharibabadi revealed that Iran has exclusively allowed 11 Indian vessels to safely pass through the blocked strait. He also said that Iranian authorities are working to permit additional Indian ships to return home, which is a special provision that has not been extended to other nations. Iran has rejected a U.S.-backed UN Security Council draft resolution on freedom of navigation, calling it biased and politically flawed. It has also condemned the deployment of British and French warships to the region, asserting that the security of the Strait of Hormuz is the sole right and responsibility of Iran.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/iran-keen-on-india-developing-chabahar-port-project-says-deputy-foreign-minister-gharibabadi-1843462

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Saudi Arabia Secretly Carried Out Airstrikes On Iran During West Asia War: Report

Saudi Arabia secretly launched a series of retaliatory airstrikes on Iran during the recent West Asia war, according to two Western officials briefed on the matter and two Iranian officials. The previously undisclosed attacks marked the first known instance of the kingdom carrying out direct military action on Iranian territory. The strikes, reportedly conducted by the Saudi Air Force in late March, came in response to attacks on Saudi Arabia during the broader regional conflict, Reuters reported. One Western official described the operation as “tit-for-tat strikes in retaliation for when Saudi (Arabia) was hit.” The specific locations targeted inside Iran were not disclosed by the officials. Riyadh also stopped short of publicly confirming the operation. Responding to Reuters’ request for comment, a senior Saudi foreign ministry official did not directly address whether the strikes had taken place. <h2>Gulf Conflict Expanded Beyond Public View</h2> The reported Saudi operation highlighted how the conflict spread far beyond what had been publicly acknowledged. The war began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, triggering a wider regional confrontation that drew in multiple Middle Eastern states. Since then, Iran has targeted all six Gulf Cooperation Council states with missiles and drones, according to the report. The attacks reportedly struck not only US  military bases but also civilian infrastructure, including airports and oil facilities. Tehran also closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global trade routes and raising fears of a broader regional crisis. The United Arab Emirates was also involved in military action against Iran, according to a Wall Street Journal report published on Monday. Together, the Saudi and Emirati operations suggested that Gulf Arab states subjected to Iranian attacks had begun responding militarily, even as those actions largely remained out of public view. ALSO READ | <a href="https://ift.tt/xqW4EHt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran's Big Warning To US: 'Could Enrich Uranium To 90% If Attacked Again'</a> <h2>Saudi Signals More Assertive Defence Strategy</h2> Saudi Arabia has long depended on its close military relationship with the United States for regional protection. However, the 10-week conflict exposed vulnerabilities in the US-backed security umbrella after attacks penetrated regional defence systems and struck key infrastructure across the Gulf. The covert strikes appeared to reflect a more assertive Saudi posture toward Iran, its principal regional rival. The operation also indicated a willingness by Riyadh to directly defend its interests rather than rely solely on external military support. <h2>Quiet Diplomacy Led To Informal De-Escalation</h2> According to the Iranian and Western officials, Saudi Arabia informed Iran about the strikes after they took place. That communication was followed by intense diplomatic engagement and warnings from Riyadh that further retaliation could follow if tensions continued to rise. The discussions eventually produced an informal understanding between Tehran and Riyadh aimed at lowering tensions and preventing further escalation. Officials said the de-escalation arrangement took effect in the week before Washington and Tehran agreed to a ceasefire in their broader conflict on April 7. One Iranian official confirmed that both countries had agreed to step back from further confrontation. The understanding, the official said, was intended to “cease hostilities, safeguard mutual interests, and prevent the escalation of tensions.” Despite the military escalation, Saudi officials publicly continued to advocate restraint. The senior Saudi foreign ministry official reiterated Riyadh’s position in favour of “de-escalation, self-restraint and the reduction of tensions in pursuit of the stability, security and prosperity of the region and its people.” ALSO READ | <a href="https://ift.tt/5y0KNUR" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taiwan, Iran War And Tariffs Set To Dominate Trump-Xi Talks In Beijing</a>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/saudi-arabia-carried-out-covert-secret-airstrike-on-iran-during-us-israel-iran-war-1843217

Nigeria Airstrike Kills Over 100 At Market, Amnesty Calls For Probe

Edited by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez According to Amnesty International, at least 100 civilians have been killed in a Nigerian military airstrike on a crowded market in the country's northwest. The rights group's Nigerian office said the attack hit Tumfa market in Zamfara State on Sunday and is calling for an immediate investigation. "The authorities must investigate these deadly strikes, and put an end to reckless attacks on civilians," Amnesty said on social media. The Red Cross also confirmed the strike. A spokesman for Nigeria's military, Major General Michael Onoja, told the AFP news agency reports of civilian deaths in Zamfara were "not true." In a separate statement to the Associated Press, the military said, there was "no verifiable evidence of civilian casualties as being suggested in the media has been established." <h2>Rights Group Cites Repeated Civilian Deaths </h2> Dozens of injured people are being treated in nearby hospitals, and many of the dead are reported to be women and girls, according to community leaders in the area. "Everybody, residents and bandits, goes to the market,"Garba Ibrahim Mashema said. "People are at the mercy of the bandits. There is nothing they can do." A Red Cross official in the state, Ibrahim Bello Garba, told the Associated Press "multiple civilians" were killed. Sunday's strike follows another deadly market airstrike last month in Jilli, in northeastern Nigeria, in which around 200 civilians were killed. "In parts of the north facing conflicts, civilians have borne the brunt of suffering far too often," Amnesty said. "These horrific deaths must not be overlooked." The strike comes as Nigeria is dealing with banditry and a jihadist insurgency in parts of the country, where profit-driven gangs raid villages, kidnap people and extort money in rural areas. The groups are loosely organized and have both fought and cooperated with jihadist factions. Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/nigeria-airstrike-kills-over-100-at-market-amnesty-calls-for-probe-1843206

‘Bing, Bing, GONE!’ Trump Posts AI Images Showing Dramatic US Military Strikes On Iran

US President Donald Trump posted a series of AI-generated images showing dramatic military strikes against Iran as tensions surrounding the fragile Middle East ceasefire continued to intensify. The images, uploaded to Trump’s Truth Social account, depicted fictional combat scenarios involving American military forces targeting Iranian assets. One image showed a US warship firing what appeared to be a high-powered laser weapon at an aircraft marked with the Iranian flag. The aircraft was shown exploding midair alongside Trump’s caption: “Lasers: Bing, Bing, GONE!!!” Another digitally created image focused on naval combat, depicting a US drone flying above a group of Iranian “fast boats” moments before explosions struck the vessels. Trump captioned the image: “BYE BYE, ‘FAST BOATS’.” <h2>Posts Come Amid Rising US-Iran Tensions</h2> The social media posts appeared at a particularly sensitive moment in relations between Washington and Tehran, with negotiations aimed at ending the conflict showing signs of instability. The ceasefire that has largely paused fighting in the Gulf for more than a month now appears increasingly fragile. <h2>Trump Says Ceasefire Is On “Massive Life Support”</h2> Trump on Monday warned that the ceasefire may not hold for much longer after rejecting Iran’s latest proposal intended to revive negotiations. Describing Tehran’s response as “Totally unacceptable”, Trump said the United States would eventually secure a “complete victory” over Iran. “The ceasefire is on massive life support, where the doctor walks in and says, ‘Sir, your loved one has approximately a one per cent chance of living’,” Trump told reporters. <h2>White House Frustration Reportedly Growing</h2> According to CNN, frustration within the White House has been increasing over Iran’s approach to negotiations. The report said Trump has become more irritated with Tehran’s handling of talks and is now reportedly more open to restarting large-scale military operations than he had been in recent weeks. <iframe class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://ift.tt/1aMH0mh" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <script src="https://ift.tt/cyPWmIE" async="async"></script> Sources familiar with internal discussions told the network that Trump is particularly angered by the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and what he sees as divisions within Iran’s leadership that are delaying progress in nuclear negotiations. <h2>National Security Team Meets Over Next Steps</h2> Trump met his national security team again at the White House on Monday to discuss possible next steps in the conflict. ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/taiwan-iran-war-and-tariffs-set-to-dominate-trump-xi-talks-in-beijing-1843185">Taiwan, Iran War And Tariffs Set To Dominate Trump-Xi Talks In Beijing</a> However, officials said no major decision is expected before the president departs for China on Tuesday afternoon. ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/nato-chief-says-alliance-in-discussions-over-reopening-strait-of-hormuz-1843165">NATO Chief Says Alliance In Discussions Over Reopening Strait Of Hormuz</a>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/lasers-bing-bing-gone-trump-s-ai-posts-on-iran-spark-buzz-online-1843198