Trump will open his Mideast trip by visiting the Saudi crown prince
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — President Donald Trump is opening his four-day Mideast trip by paying a visit to Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two leaders on Tuesday are expected to hold talks on U.S. efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, end the war in Gaza, hold down oil prices and more. The crown prince is also expected to fete Trump with a formal dinner and a gathering of members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. It is made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
What’s next with Trump’s trade war truce with China
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s agreement with China to temporarily slash tariffs for 90 days offered the world a bit of welcome relief. But what persists is a sense of uncertainty and the possibility that the damage from the trade war could already be done. Trump declared the de-escalation of the trade war a victory, saying he would soon chat with Chinese President Xi Jinping about how to preserve the financial relationship between the world’s two largest economies. Regardless, the tariffs are now elevated from when Trump took office and the scramble to respond to the White House’s mix of threats and olive branches might leave CEOs, investors and consumers unwilling to take risks.
Hamas releases Israeli-American hostage in goodwill gesture toward Trump administration
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas has freed an Israeli-American soldier who was held hostage in Gaza for more than 19 months. The release offered a goodwill gesture toward the Trump administration. The deal could lay the groundwork for a new ceasefire with Israel. Edan Alexander was released to the Red Cross, which transferred him to the Israeli military. His release was the first since Israel shattered an eight-week ceasefire with Hamas in March and unleashed fierce strikes on Gaza that have killed hundreds of Palestinians. Alexander was reunited with his mother before being flown to a hospital in Tel Aviv.
Trump’s mediation offer renews focus on Kashmir after India-Pakistan clash risked broader war
SRINAGAR, India (AP) — A series of military strikes last week by India and Pakistan brought the nuclear-armed rivals closer to a broader war. The possibility of a nuclear conflagration seemed real and the fighting only stopped when global powers intervened. Experts say the crisis deepened the neighbors’ rivalry as both crossed a threshold with each striking the other with high-speed missiles and drones. The tit-for-tat strikes also brought Kashmir again into global focus, as the U.S. President Donald Trump offered mediation over the simmering dispute that has long been described as the regional nuclear flashpoint.
More than 100 killed in jihadi attack in northern Burkina Faso
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — More than 100 people have been killed in a jihadi attack in northern Burkina Faso. Local residents and an aid worker told The Associated Press on Monday that the attacks were carried out on several locations, including a military base and the key town of Djibo, long besieged by the extremists. Analysts have described the attacks as evidence of the growing extremist threat in the west African nation, more than half of which is controlled by jihadi fighters. A jihadi group aligned with Al-Qaida known as Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin or JNIM has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Defense concedes Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs had violent outbursts, but say no federal crimes occurred
NEW YORK (AP) — A federal prosecutor says the public knew Sean “Diddy” Combs as a larger-than-life music and business mogul, but in private he was coercing women into drug-fueled sexual encounters and using violence to control them for years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson made the accusation Monday during opening statements in Combs’ sex trafficking trial in Manhattan. One of Combs’ lawyers, though, says the trial is a misguided overreach by prosecutors who see consensual sex between adults as prostitution and sex trafficking. Combs has pleaded not guilty. Witness testimony began later Monday and the jury saw footage of Combs attacking his then-girlfriend at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.
Judge refuses to block IRS from sharing tax data to identify and deport people illegally in U.S.
A federal judge is refusing to block the Internal Revenue Service from sharing immigrants’ tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the purpose of identifying and deporting people illegally in the U.S. In a win for the Trump administration, U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich denied a preliminary injunction Monday in a lawsuit filed by nonprofit groups. They argued that undocumented immigrants who pay taxes are entitled to the same privacy protections as U.S. citizens and immigrants who are legally in the country. The decision comes after former acting IRS commissioner Melanie Krause resigned over the deal allowing ICE to submit names and addresses of immigrants inside the U.S. illegally to the IRS for cross-verification against tax records.
Trump’s plan to accept free Air Force One replacement from Qatar raises ethical and security worries
WASHINGTON (AP) — For President Donald Trump, accepting a free Air Force One replacement from Qatar is a no-brainer. But Trump’s plan threatens to turn a global symbol of American power into an airborne collection of ethical, legal, security and counterintelligence concerns. He tried to tamp down some of the opposition by saying he would donate the plane to a future presidential library after his term ends. Democrats are united in outrage over the plan, and even some of the Republican president’s allies have expressed concerns. Trump will likely face persistent questions about the plane in the coming days as he travels to the Middle East.
Mercury fuels gold mining in Senegal. And it’s poisoning the people who use it
KEDOUGOU, Senegal (AP) — In Senegal’s gold-rich Kedougou region, women and children face serious health risks from mercury exposure used in gold processing. Despite Senegal’s 2016 pledge to reduce mercury use, the toxic metal remains widespread due to cost, convenience and a lack of safer alternatives. A promised rollout of 400 mercury-free processing units stalled after only one was built. Critics say government efforts, including a mining ban near the Faleme River, fall short. Community leaders warn that without accessible, effective alternatives and stronger enforcement, mercury will continue to poison ecosystems and the people who depend on them.
China’s army of food delivery drivers get by with help from discount ‘loving meals’
BEIJING (AP) — More and more of China’s migrant workers are choosing to work in the gig economy. And a culture of free or reduced-price meals at some restaurants has grown to support them in major cities like Beijing. There are no questions asked. The “loving heart meals” have been featured in China’s government-run media and social media. Some influencers have posed as hungry customers in need to highlight the generosity of the restaurants. One delivery drivers calls the custom economical and practical. Another driver says the food at the restaurant he frequents for the meals reminds him of his hometown.