President Trump will travel to Beijing May 14-15 for a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, featuring a welcome ceremony, bilateral meeting, a tour of the Temple of Heaven, and a state banquet. The White House has invited Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook to accompany the delegation. The trip, originally slated for late March, was postponed due to the Iran war. Trump says he will raise the issues of trade rebalancing, the jailing of Catholic media tycoon Jimmy Lai, and arms sales to Taiwan.
The national average for a gallon of gas hit $4.52 on Sunday, up more than $1.50 since the start of military operations against Iran in late February. JPMorgan analysts warned today that $5 gas is now a realistic possibility as the Strait of Hormuz blockade enters its most critical phase. Saudi Aramco's CEO cautioned that continued disruption could drag oil market recovery into 2027, with roughly 20% of global crude supply cut off daily.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, entered a not guilty plea through his attorney on federal charges of attempting to assassinate President Trump at the April 25 White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton. Allen allegedly stormed the event armed with guns and knives and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer, striking the officer's bullet-resistant vest. Allen faces charges including attempted assassination, assaulting a federal officer, and multiple firearms counts. He is due back in court June 29.
A transgender athlete from Jurupa Valley High School dominated three jumping events at a California postseason track and field meet this weekend, earning top seeds heading into the state championship. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova and Olympic gold medalists have publicly condemned Governor Newsom, who acknowledged males competing in girls' sports is "deeply unfair" but has taken no action to change California's 2013 gender-identity participation law. The Trump administration has sent a warning to California as a federal investigation continues.
President Trump tore into Iran's latest nuclear proposal, calling it "stupid" and a "piece of garbage," saying the ceasefire has a "1% chance of living." Iran reportedly reneged on verbal commitments to give up enriched nuclear material by refusing to include the terms in written documentation. Pakistan told media that Tehran is reviewing a 14-point proposal that would end the conflict, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, lift US sanctions, and curb Iran's nuclear program. Trump has threatened an expanded "Project Freedom Plus" if Iran rejects terms.
The last six passengers and several crew members disembarked from the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius on the Spanish island of Tenerife on Monday, ending weeks of crisis aboard the Dutch vessel. The outbreak of the rare Andes-strain hantavirus — confirmed by the WHO as human-transmissible — has been linked to at least three deaths and originated when an ornithologist visited a rat-infested landfill near Ushuaia, Argentina. An American passenger has tested positive as the CDC maintains the risk to the general US public is "low."
The remains of 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr., 27, of Richmond, Virginia, have been recovered after he and a fellow soldier fell from a sea cliff during an off-duty hike near Tan-Tan, Morocco on May 2. The two were participating in African Lion, an annual multinational military exercise. Initial reports indicate one soldier fell into the ocean and the other jumped in attempting a rescue. More than 600 personnel from the US, Morocco, and partner nations are continuing the search for the second soldier.
The Department of Defense's primary chip supplier has partnered to manufacture advanced gallium nitride semiconductors on American soil, with production now underway at a DOD-accredited facility in 2026. GaN chips use 40% less energy than silicon while delivering up to 100 times better performance, and are already doubling detection range on the Pentagon's newest radar systems. The move eliminates dependence on foreign supply chains for a mineral critical to national security applications.
The toll of scientists and researchers connected to classified aerospace, nuclear, and UFO-related programs who have died or disappeared under suspicious circumstances has risen to 13 since 2023. Recent cases include Caltech researcher Carl Grillmair, fatally shot outside his home in February; retired Air Force Gen. William McCasland, who vanished from his Albuquerque home; and defense researcher James Moffatt, killed in an April plane crash. House Republicans have opened an investigation, requesting information from the FBI and NASA, and the White House has signaled it may look into the matter.
A bipartisan group of senators is urging President Trump to approve a long-delayed $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan just days before his scheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. China has signaled that Taiwan remains its top priority heading into the talks and has promised "countermeasures" over any US arms sales. Trump said Monday he will discuss the arms sales directly with Xi. The timing makes the diplomatic tightrope act this week one of the most consequential of his second term.
