WORLD

• President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held high-stakes talks in Beijing focusing on resolving escalating trade tensions, technology competition, and coordinating responses to Middle Eastern developments. • The two leaders discussed tariff rollbacks, semiconductor supply chain restrictions, and potential joint initiatives on artificial intelligence regulation, with both nations seeking to avoid further economic deterioration. • The summit marks a critical pivot point in US-China relations, with observers noting that agreements reached could reshape global trade dynamics and influence the trajectory of broader geopolitical competition.

• Diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran have advanced ceasefire talks, with both nations signaling willingness to negotiate a formal agreement to end months of escalating regional conflict. • Officials from both countries met in a neutral location this week to discuss terms, including sanctions relief, prisoner exchanges, and military de-escalation measures along disputed maritime boundaries. • The ceasefire proposal carries significant implications for global oil markets, international shipping routes, and broader Middle Eastern stability, with analysts warning that failure could trigger wider regional conflict.

Doctor in Brandenburg state allegedly committed the crimes, including child rape, between 2013 and 2025German prosecutors have charged a paediatrician with 130 counts of sexual abuse, including the rape of children, most of them in his care, in a case that has caused shock and prompted clinics to step up safeguards for young people.The 46-year-old doctor, whose name has not been released, has been in custody since November after a mother suspected an assault against her child and notified authorities. The doctor worked in clinics in Brandenburg state, surrounding Berlin. Continue reading...

Outgoing health secretary declares Labour’s ‘plan for the NHS is working’ as hospitals hit key targetHospitals in England have hit a key target for improving the time it takes patients to get treatment, which prompted Wes Streeting to declare that Labour’s “plan for the NHS is working” before departing as health secretary.Streeting had told the NHS to ensure that hospitals treated at least 65% of patients within 18 weeks by the end of March. New figures NHS England published today showed that hospitals did so, treating 65.3% on the NHS waiting list within that timeframe in March. Continue reading...

Despite slim majority of 528, many constituents of potential Labour leadership candidate seem rather fond of himUK politics live – latest updatesWes Streeting’s potential leadership bid has been the subject of mockery from figures within Labour, while the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s slapdown of the now former health secretary in the Commons on Wednesday went viral on social media.However, in Streeting’s parliamentary seat of Ilford North, his constituents seem rather fond of him and pleased with the prospect that their MP could get the keys to No 10. Lesley, who works in Tesco in Barkingside, said: “He’d be very good. He comes into Tesco’s a lot, he’s a nice man. He talks to all of us.” Continue reading...

Foreign minister says ships must cooperate with Iranian navy, as vessel reportedly seized outside UAE portThe Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has said ships entering the strait of Hormuz must cooperate with the Iranian navy, as reports emerged of a ship being seized outside a United Arab Emirate port and taken towards Iranian waters.The UK Maritime Trading Organisation said the docked ship was seized by “unauthorised personnel” while it was anchored off the coast of the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah near the southern entry to the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...

US plaintiffs say waterfront site was improperly transferred for Trump’s personal gainA group of Miami residents has filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump and the state of Florida over a land giveaway for his proposed presidential library.Almost three acres of prime waterfront land that once belonged to Miami Dade College (MDC) was illegally gifted to the US president by Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, the lawsuit states. Continue reading...

Evika Siliņa stands down after coalition collapses following sacking of defence ministerEurope live – latest updatesLatvia’s centre-right prime minister has resigned over her government’s handling of Ukrainian drones that strayed into Latvian territory from Russia, bringing down her coalition government months before elections, due in October.Evika Siliņa announced her resignation on Thursday, a day after the Progressives party, her left-leaning coalition partner, withdrew its support over her decision to fire the defence minister, Andris Sprūds, a Progressives member. Continue reading...

Parole Board tells victims of black cab rapist that it had decided against open conditions or releaseThe black-cab rapist John Worboys has been denied parole for the second time.The Parole Board told his victims on Thursday that it had decided against either releasing Worboys or allowing him to move to open conditions within prison. Continue reading...

Revelation comes as Reform UK leader faces parliamentary investigation into money received from crypto billionaireUK politics live – latest updatesNigel Farage bought a £1.4m property in cash shortly after receiving a £5m personal gift from the crypto billionaire, Christopher Harborne.The revelation comes after parliament’s standards watchdog confirmed separately that the Reform UK leader was facing a formal investigation over the gift from the Thai-based businessman. Continue reading...

New undercover video appears to show cruel treatment of salmon at Cooke hatchery amid push for ‘chickenification’ of fishThe Trump administration is keen to do to fish what has been done to chickens – mass-produce them on an industrial scale to accelerate the US’s output of seafood.But this “chickenification” of fish may come at a hefty cost to the environment and to the fish themselves, as a new undercover video at one of the country’s leading fish farms has highlighted. Continue reading...

Duke of Sussex says legitimate concerns over situation in Middle East should not lead to hostility toward Jewish community in UKPrince Harry has described rising antisemitism in Britain as “deeply troubling”, saying that while people were entitled to feel anger over events in the Middle East, there could be no justification for hostility towards individuals or faith communities.The Duke of Sussex appeared to make a veiled criticism of the Israeli government, while stressing that legitimate protest should never tip into hatred. Continue reading...

Chinese president’s comments published after two-hour meeting with Trump. Plus, Stacey Abrams on why gutting of the Voting Rights Act is ‘evil incarnate’Good morning.On the western edge of Tiananmen Square in Beijing, in the imposing Mao-era Great Hall of the People, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping sat down this morning for two hours of talks.What else was on the agenda? The Chinese government said the two leaders discussed the war in the Middle East, the Ukraine conflict and issues on the Korean peninsula. As my colleagues Amy Hawkins and David Smith have written, the US is entering into talks with its superpower rival from a vulnerable position.What is unlikely to be discussed? Unlike under previous US administrations, the visit is not expected to focus on human rights or US-China cooperation to tackle the climate crisis.Follow our live coverage of the summit here.What is Stateside with Kai and Carter? It’s the new flagship video podcast for Guardian US, hosted by the journalists Kai Wright and Carter Sherman. With new episodes three times a week, the show will bring the Guardian’s global perspective and unique lens on America to life. Watch and listen now! Continue reading...

As Missouri asks voters whether to eliminate tax, experts say claims it will grow businesses and create jobs aren’t trueHannah Rejali, 34, lived through the failed so-called “Kansas Experiment” in the 2010s, when the Republican governor cut the state’s income tax to try to give a “shot of adrenaline” to its economy but instead left the state with a $900m budget shortfall.That meant, for example, that in 2015, at least eight school districts ended their academic year early. Continue reading...

Privilege being mistaken for competence as study reveals no evidence to suggest companies run by state-educated peers underperformChief executives who attended private school are perceived as a “safer bet” by investors, according to a study, despite there being no evidence they perform or behave differently to their state-educated counterparts.Companies run by privately educated bosses tend to experience lower stock market volatility, even though there are no meaningful differences in their performance, decision-making or crisis management, the research from the University of Surrey found. Continue reading...

Shares in Spire Healthcare jump after approach from Toscafund, founded by City figure known as ‘the Rottweiler’Business live – latest updatesThe board of Britain’s largest private hospital operator has backed a buyout proposal worth £1bn from its second-biggest shareholder, a hedge fund manager known as “the Rottweiler”, sending its shares soaring by nearly 50%.Spire Healthcare, which owns the Claremont hospital in Sheffield and St Anthony’s hospital in south London, said it had received a non-binding proposal worth 250p a share from funds advised by the activist investor Toscafund Asset Management. Continue reading...

Human rights experts make rare public appeal as US deportees describe being held in ‘prison-like’ conditionsHuman rights experts at the United Nations issued a rare public appeal to Equatorial Guinea, urging the West African country to halt its plans to return US deportees to their home countries where they face political violence, torture and death.The statement, cosigned by a representative of the African Commission on Human and People’s rights, adds diplomatic pressure on Equatorial Guinea, one of the world’s most repressive regimes, to comply with international human rights standards and avoid refoulement, or the expulsion of people to countries where they face persecution. Continue reading...

Role marks a major return for the actor after falling off the stage in 2024 and is a coup for the forward-thinking theatreIan McKellen is to play King Lear in his first major theatrical role since falling from the stage into the first row of the audience in 2024.The accident, which left him with “agonising pains”, happened during a performance of Player Kings in the West End and led McKellen to withdraw from the production. He will now return as Shakespeare’s Lear – a character he played to great acclaim in 2007 and 2017 – in the opening season of the redeveloped Yard theatre in east London, known for its DIY spirit and adventurous experimental work with emerging artists. Continue reading...