Trump and Xi meet in Beijing for key summit, with trade, Iran and AI on table

• A magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, resulting in at least 73 deaths and the collapse of numerous buildings. • In the Middle East, Iran's president reported that the supreme leader is calling for national "unity" to withstand the pressure of U.S. sanctions.

• Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has reshuffled Iran's military leadership, announcing six new senior appointments. • The leadership shake-up occurs as diplomatic talks regarding the Strait of Hormuz appear to have stalled.

• Oil prices have climbed following Iran's signal that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed despite a potential management agreement with Oman. • Iran stated that reopening the vital waterway is contingent upon the United States meeting a specific list of conditions.

Republicans, including Graham’s sister Darline, expedite campaigns to replace late senator in special primary raceIn the race to replace the late US senator Lindsey Graham, 10 candidates have been barnstorming South Carolina diners, church halls and recreation centers, compressing a normal year of campaigning into about a fortnight.The Republican party is staging a special primary election in the state on Tuesday to choose Graham’s replacement. His sister, Darline, who has been serving as interim senator following his sudden death last month, is on the ballot. Continue reading...

From progressive and moderate to election deniers, state sees wide spectrum of candidates in test of direction for both partiesMinnesota voters on both sides of the aisle are weighing the direction of their parties – and their chances of winning over the general electorate – in marquee statewide races on Tuesday.On the left, Peggy Flanagan, the state lieutenant governor and a progressive, faces off against Angie Craig, a US representative, for the Democratic bid for US senate in a race punctuated by the role of immigration enforcement in the state that saw two residents killed by immigration agents in a winter surge. Continue reading...

Prosecutors allege 28-year-old gunned down Brian Thompson outside Manhattan hotel in 2024Luigi Mangione, who is accused of the killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is due to appear on Tuesday morning at Manhattan state court.Mangione’s appearance comes less than a month before the start of his highly anticipated 8 September trial. Prosecutors allege that Mangione gunned down Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel on 4 December 2024. Continue reading...

The wild capture and release of a female big cat into a nature reserve is the first step towards reintroducing a population that hasn’t been seen for 70 yearsOn 31 July, “Umit” – which means hope in Kazakh – was released into a nature reserve on the edge of Lake Balkhash after more than a decade of careful planning to return the caspian tiger to the region. With this release, Kazakhstan became the first country to restore its tiger range after they had been thought extinct, with the last reliable sighting in the country recorded more than 70 years ago.Umit – a wild-caught female tiger transported from the Russian far east – will be joined by more big cats in the coming years, with plans to establish a self-sustaining population of about 50. A wild-caught male flown from Russia is still being monitored by authorities and will be released when he is judged fit to survive alone. Two wild tiger cubs are also being reared on the reserve in special enclosures, with as little human contact as possible, and are likely to be released into the marshlands next year, to feast on boar, deer and kulans, a type of wild donkey. Continue reading...

Francesca Hong is Democratic frontrunner in four-way primary race to lead the swing state, a test of anti-establishment sentimentWisconsin voters will decide on Tuesday whether to nominate a democratic socialist for the state’s highest office in the latest test of an anti-establishment wave among Democratic primary voters.Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist state lawmaker, emerged as the frontrunner in a four-way race to succeed Tony Evers, the Democratic governor who is not seeking another term. Continue reading...

Analysis finds nearly one in six people leaving jail last year in England and Wales were released into homelessnessAndy Burnham’s pledge to end rough sleeping is under threat from a failure to find accommodation for a growing number of newly released prisoners, a charity has warned.An analysis by the social justice charity Nacro has found that nearly one in six people leaving jail in England and Wales last year were released into homelessness, reaching the highest rate for five years. Continue reading...

Fair Work Commission issues a new minimum standards order for gig workers to come into effect 17 AugustGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDelivery drivers in Australia will be paid a minimum rate of $31.30 an hour and insured for injuries on the job under a landmark agreement approved by the industrial umpire.The Fair Work Commission (FWC) on Tuesday issued a new minimum standards order for gig workers who perform on-demand delivery of food, drinks, or groceries, and the operators of the digital platforms who engage their services. Continue reading...

An Amnesty International report reveals that the country is now a key part of Israel’s weapons supply chain. Plus, Assam floods, student anger spreads and a song to put in rotation• Don’t get This is India delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereHello, and welcome back to This Is India.For this week’s newsletter, I’m looking at India’s evolving relationship with Israel, and how it has deepened as conflict swept across the Middle East. Why is it that India has formed an even closer bond with a country that has faced mounting international isolation and backlash over a military campaign in Gaza that has left the territory in ruins and killed more than 70,000 Palestinians, – many of whom were children? Continue reading...

Burnham has asked the justice secretary Alex Norris to come to parliament in September with solution Good morning. Andy Burnham has been prime minister for three weeks and one day, and arguably he is performing his first U-turn. It is in relation to the prisoner early release scheme and, in particular, finding a way of ensuring that two of the killers of PC Andrew Harper are not included.Burnham has been looking at this for some time. Early last week he announced significant changes to the early release scheme that he inherited and that was due to come into force from September. Around 1,000 fewer prisoners were going to be included. But two of the three Harper killers (Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers) were not affected by the change, and remained eligible. The main perpetrator (Henry Long), who was driving the car that dragged Harper to his death, was not covered by the scheme anyway because his manslaughter sentence was longer than theirs.The prime minister is determined to ensure that there is a solution to this, and I think he’s made that really clear. And he’s tasked the justice secretary to come to parliament in September with that solution. He’s looking at alternatives like the indefinite sentences, like women prisoners and speeding up foreign nationals being deported. So there is a lot of work that’s going on.The prime minister is really clear. He will not just accept that the system says no. He understands the anger and the trauma that PC Harper’s family are going through, and other victims who are seeing this prison crisis unfold. Continue reading...