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Trump, Xi discuss US-China ties
WASHINGTON -- Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met on Thursday for important talks on the U.S.-China relationship. They are divided on issues like the Iran war and trade, but both leaders hope personal rapport can prevent conflict.
Trump emphasized their friendship, while Xi stressed healthy competition. Xi warned against falling into the "Thucydides trap," the theory that rising powers clash with established ones. China is resisting U.S. pressure on Iran, while Xi urges Trump to handle Taiwan carefully.
They also discussed AI, agreeing it should remain under human control. Some analysts say the talks appeared to focus more on ceremony than substance.
3 news outlets return to White House
NEW YORK -- Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico returned to the White House hours after a federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's ban of the three news outlets.
The judge said Thursday that the news outlets must have their access restored. But reporters from all three outlets said they were still blocked early Thursday before access was granted a few hours later. Then some CNN and MS NOW journalists were denied entry to cover an evening event.
The back-and-forth was the latest in an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. Trump announced he was banning the outlets Friday, assailing what he called "fake news." The outlets argued they were singled out over the content of their coverage.
Deportation order appealed to high court
WASHINGTON -- A ruling to halt deportations of people to countries other than their own has thrown a core immigration policy of the Trump administration into question, at least temporarily, and prompted a desperate appeal to the Supreme Court.
The administration said Thursday that the appeals court ruling came Wednesday just minutes before midnight, forcing the cancellation of a flight with 70 people that was headed to three countries. It said justices needed to step in to "halt that chaos." Plaintiffs for immigrants said they heard a deportation flight was scheduled to Burundi, Rwanda and the Central African Republic.
Hurricane Polo drenches Mexico coast
MEXICO CITY -- Powerful Hurricane Polo is sending bands of heavy rain across Mexico's Pacific coast, while a separate storm is approaching Hawaii and could bring catastrophic flooding.
Polo is forecast to maintain major hurricane strength as it skirts Mexico's coast with rain and strong winds. Forecasters warn the heavy rains could cause flooding and landslides.
Farther west, Tropical Storm Nolo is forecast to become a hurricane by early Friday and approach Hawaii's Big Island Friday night. Nolo could drop as much as a foot or two of rain on the Big Island and cause flash flooding.
Return of 650K seized ballots ordered
SAN FRANCISCO -- The California Supreme Court has ruled that a Republican California sheriff must return over 650,000 ballots he seized following a November 2025 special election that favored Democrats.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who was running for governor at the time, claimed he confiscated the ballots after a local group complained about the vote count. Local officials said the complaint was unfounded. Bianco says after Thursday's ruling he will comply with the court's ruling. Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta had challenged the seizure, arguing Bianco had no authority over election materials.
Senate again rejects halt to war in Iran
WASHINGTON -- Despite increasing political anxiety over the Iran war, senators narrowly rejected a war powers resolution. Thursday's vote was the 14th time the Senate sought to halt President Donald Trump's military action.
More Republicans are breaking with the president over the war, which has been largely blamed for the spike in fuel prices and become a flashpoint in the midterm election.
As resolutions, the measures do not go to the president's desk for his signature, but largely stand as a statement from the Congress. The Senate vote is likely to be the last chance for lawmakers to go on record about the war ahead of November. It comes after the House has three times voted to end the war.
Officers defended in immigrant's death
The federal government is defending its officers after a fatal crash last weekend involving an immigrant in western Michigan.
The Department of Homeland Security is trying to counter any claim that officers were chasing the vehicle when Mario Coronado Juarez died Sunday in Grand Rapids.
The department says officers were about a half-mile away when they saw smoke from the crash. The government says officers had stopped the enforcement action when Juarez had fled the scene. Juarez did not have U.S. legal status. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has directed state police to investigate the crash.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen beatified
ST. LOUIS -- Tens of thousands of Catholic worshippers gathered in St. Louis for the beatification ceremony of the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen, a pioneer of religious broadcasting.
Thursday's event at the Dome at America's Center designated him "Blessed Fulton Sheen" and brought the former radio and TV pioneer one step from sainthood. Known for his show "Life is Worth Living," Sheen was a prominent figure in American households. After years of delays, the ceremony was greenlighted by Pope Leo XIV, who recalled watching his fellow Illinois native on TV while growing up in Chicago. The ceremony honored Sheen's legacy in evangelization and media.
The Associated Press