Trump-Xi summit: trade truce extended, deeper rifts remain
A three-day state visit begins as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announces an 11-month trade truce extension to January 10.
Trump-Xi summit: trade truce extended, deeper rifts remain — US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, the first such meeting in three years.[^1] The diplomatic choreography was timed to project stability, but the substance reveals a truce that buys time rather than resolves tension. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced an extension of the 11-month trade truce through January 10, a move that postpones the next tariff escalation without addressing the structural disputes that produced it.[^1] Deep differences remain on issues including export controls on rare-earth minerals and computer chips, China's ties with Iran, and US support for Taiwan.[^1] These are not side issues—they are the core of the competition. Trump himself acknowledged the limits of the conversation, tweeting that "super intelligence will be a big topic in discussions, but I want to leave it exactly where it is."[^2] He added that "this is also China's position," and that "our protection is the Department of Justice."[^2] The statement suggests both sides prefer to keep AI governance vague rather than negotiate binding rules. The extension gives both leaders a diplomatic win for domestic consumption, but the unresolved questions—especially over Iran and Taiwan—mean the underlying rivalry remains unchanged. The question now is whether the January deadline will force real concessions or simply reset the clock on the same standoff. Israeli crime brief: executions, polygamy raids, and a car-theft conviction — Doron Weizman arrived at a Caesarea restaurant in a stolen Kia, surveilled the building for nearly an hour, and then fired a single shot to the back of Yanis Yushayev's head as he left with two friends. Weizman surrendered two days later at a warehouse, but tried to give police a false name and ID number. The case illustrates how patient, premeditated violence can be undone by a suspect's own clumsy attempt at concealment. In a separate proceeding, the Nazareth District Court today sentenced Muhammad Sabih to life imprisonment for the aggravated murder of Abdullah Saadi, 76, from the village of Muqeible. Sab