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The Trump-Xi Summit: A Pivotal Moment in US-China Relations Donald Trump's state visit to China this week – the first by the US president in nearly a decade – comes amid a time of geopolitical upheaval, a new and intractable conflict in the Middle East, and a sometimes rocky relationship between the world's two major superpowers. There is much for Trump and Xi Jinping to discuss, but a few key issues are likely to dominate the agenda. Five Critical Issues on the Summit Agenda The high-stakes meeting between the two leaders addresses several pressing matters that could reshape the global landscape: The Iran Conflict and Hormuz Strait Crisis Trump is eager for China to lean on Tehran to advance peace talks and reopen the strait of Hormuz. To now, Beijing has sat back and watched the US struggle against Iran, at least publicly. But with about half of China's crude oil imports passing through the strait, Xi does want the waterway unblocked. China knows its exports will suffer if a global recession results from an oil supply crisis. Complicating the picture, the US this week put sanctions on several Chinese firms accused of assisting Iranian oil shipments and supplying satellite imagery allegedly used in Iranian military operations, claims that Beijing denied. Trump's arrival comes after Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, visited Beijing last week. Taiwan: The Flashpoint in US-China Relations Beijing is keen to push the US on Taiwan, with Trump saying he is prepared to raise the issue of arms sales to the island, which China claims as a breakaway territory despite never having ruled it. In December, Trump authorised an $11bn arms package for Taiwan, the largest weapons sale ever to the island, but no shipments have been made yet. Xi may seek changes in how the US refers to Taiwan. Ideally, from the perspective of Beijing, this would be a statement from Washington "opposing" Taiwan's independence rather than "not supporting" it. Taiwan will be watching closely. Just two weeks ago, China's foreign minister in a phone call with Marco Rubio urged the US to "make the right choices" on Taiwan. With Trump known to veer off script, John Kirby, a former US state department and Pentagon spokesperson cautioned: "They just have to be so extraordinarily precise when you're talking about Taiwan because, quite frankly, the stakes are enormously high." The AI Cold War: Technological Supremacy at Stake China and the US are locked into a race on artificial intelligence that is becoming something of a technological cold war. In April, the White House accused China of stealing US AI labs' intellectual property on an industrial scale, claims Beijing denied. Meanwhile, Beijing has been frustrated by Washington's reluctance to allow Nvidia to export its most powerful processing chips to China. In January, the White House said Nvidia could export its second most powerful chip, the H200, but no shipments have been sent yet. Analysts and ethics leaders hope Trump and Xi will discuss non-binding AI guidelines, including sharing information about AI misuse and safety, which are seen as critical guardrails amid the advent of AI weaponry and military adoption. Trade War: Rare Earth Minerals and Economic Leverage Trump has repeatedly threatened China over trade, imposing tariffs above 140% last year. But Xi held some cards of his own and did not fold. Instead, China blocked exports of its rare earth minerals and magnets to the US. Trump, finally, backed down. The US has depleted notable levels of its weapons arsenal in the war against Iran, with many weaponry components requiring critical minerals that are linked to supply chains dominated by China. China is expected to announce purchases related to Boeing airplanes, American agriculture and energy, US officials have said. In turn, Beijing wants the US to ease curbs on exports of advanced semiconductors. Beijing also wants to reduce barriers to investment in the US, and hopes to establish a Board of Investment to match the Trump-back Board of Trade. Fentanyl: The Drug War and Political Posturing Fentanyl is a key item on Trump's agenda this week, Politico reported, citing an administration official granted anonymity to preview the closed-door sessions. The US has long accused Chinese businesses of knowingly supplying the chemical precursors to Mexican cartels who use them to make the drug. Trump knows that being seen to press China hard over fentanyl and precursors plays well with his Maga base. But Trump lost important leverage on the fentanyl front when China defied his tariffs threats. In March, the US and China clashed over fentanyl and trade at a UN drugs meeting. China wants to be removed from the state department's annual list of "major drug transit or illicit drug producing countries", due to be updated in September.

The Unparalleled Experience of CannesNothing prepares you for the shock that is the Cannes film festival: the adrenaline, the fatigue, the elation and the emotion, but also the hunger, the anger, the magic and the ridicule. For young cinephiles, and for almost everybody who works in the film industry, it is the mecca of cinema and has been so for nearly eight decades. Anyone going for the first time this week, as I did 25 years ago, should not listen to the old grognards – Cannes' battle-worn veterans – who will lament that the festival has become an abominable circus and swear this year will be their last. It is a circus, and you can bet they will be back for as long as their knees can take it. For there is nothing quite like it.From Resistance to Global Cinema HubBorn to counteract Benito Mussolini's Venice film festival, its first edition was planned for September 1939, but Adolf Hitler had other plans. The previous year, under pressure from Berlin and Rome, the Venice film festival's top prize, the Coppa Mussolini, was handed to Leni Riefenstahl's propaganda film Olympia, prompting the French, British and American delegates to walk out. Hence Cannes, conceived as the festival of the "free world". More than 80 years later, for all its sins, it has remained faithful to that founding promise.The Expansive Scale of Modern CannesOver the decades, Cannes has mutated into an ever-hungrier mammoth, needing more space, and more venues, as it attracts an increasing number of journalists and professionals. A purpose-built Palais des Festivals had to be erected in the 1980s. "The bunker", as we have come to call it, is not exactly beautiful but brutally efficient at managing Cannes' mind-boggling crowds. This year, about 40,000 accredited festival-goers are descending on the French Riviera from 140 different countries, with dozens of films selected across all sidebars. At the same time, the Marché du Film, running alongside the festival since the late 1960s, is gathering about 16,000 participants, with thousands of films and projects up for sale. Cannes is both a summit for the cinema elite and a giant film bazaar.Three Worlds Colliding at La CroisetteFor 11 days in May, three different worlds lead parallel lives – critics, deal-makers and red-carpet royalty – colliding almost by accident on the seafront boulevard known as La Croisette. Hundreds of critics watch multiple films a day with monastic discipline. When they give in to parties, they bitterly regret it the next morning. You can spot some of us sleeping through entire screenings; how some colleagues manage to review films is a mystery. I remember a well-known French critic who had such vivid dreams in the darkness that he became convinced they were scenes in the films. His reviews were full of brilliant analysis of moments that did not exist.We critics rush between screenings, press conferences, interviews, our desks and the bunker's free espresso machines, often forgetting to eat or even pee. Downstairs, in the bunker's basement, and in hotel suites and rented apartments, the film market runs day and night: buyers juggle numbers, producers charm, directors and screenwriters fight for their vision. Above them floats Cannes' top layer – stars and "talent" spending hours in hair and makeup before climbing the 24 steps of the red carpet in borrowed couture and jewellery. When people in the industry groan, "oh God, it's Cannes again", it is this collision of financial anxiety, choreographed glamour and sheer exhaustion they are bracing themselves for.The Magic and Meaning Behind the GlamourThese worlds sometimes collide in the most poetic or grotesque ways. One morning, rushing to my first screening at 7.30am, I was walking along the Croisette when I saw, coming towards me, slightly dishevelled in a tuxedo, Jack Nicholson on his way back to his hotel after a long night. I smiled, he smiled back. He was alone, no bodyguards, no chaperones. Those were the days. I also shared a lift with Takeshi Kitano in full samurai attire, and I will never forget turning into a hotel corridor and finding myself nose to nose with Max von Sydow – Ingmar Bergman's medieval knight from The Seventh Seal. My cinephile heart skipped a beat.One of my favourite sidebars in Cannes, alongside the competition where you watch the year's best crop of films, is Cannes Classics, showing restored world masterpieces and documentaries about cinema. I always start the festival there: it is the best way to reset and begin afresh. Then I am ready for the 10-day onslaught of motion pictures, and for the magic moment that precedes each Cannes screening – the festival's own jingle, a palm ascending the red carpet from underwater and then into the sky, lifted by the ethereal arpeggios of Camille Saint-Saëns's Carnival of the Animals.Cannes: Enduring Symbol of Cinematic ResistanceIn 1955, Cannes gave its first official Palme d'Or to Delbert Mann's Marty; half a century later I found myself befriending its wonderful star, Betsy Blair, on the Croisette. I had the joy of seeing Ken Loach twice climbing those steps to collect the Palme, escorted by police outriders from Nice airport as if he were a head of state. I watched Iranian directors Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof showing films at peril to their lives. For all the craziness of the red carpet and the samurai outfits, Cannes never forgets that it was founded as a gesture of resistance. That, as much as the glamour and the exhaustion, is why we keep going back.

The Unlikely Entourage Member Brett Ratner, the director behind the Rush Hour movies and a documentary on Melania Trump, is accompanying Donald Trump to China for his summit with Xi Jinping. Ratner was among the group of CEOs and top executives from major US tech and finance firms, including Apple’s Tim Cook, Tesla’s Elon Musk and BlackRock’s Larry Fink, who boarded Air Force One. Scouting for Rush Hour 4 Locations Trump’s spokesperson, Victoria Palmer-Moore, said he would use the trip to scout for filming locations for the latest instalment of the Rush Hour franchise. She added that Ratner plans to shoot “a lot” of Rush Hour 4 in China. The Rush Hour Franchise Revival The original Rush Hour was an instant hit in 1998, topping the US box office charts upon its release. Its sequel Rush Hour 2 was also a huge commercial success in 2001, before Ratner’s critically and commercially disappointing Rush Hour 3 was released in 2007. Despite rumours of a fourth film circulating for almost two decades, with Chan suggesting in 2017 that he and Tucker had agreed upon a new script, development had stalled until Trump intervened in late 2025. Ratner's Comeback Trump’s support has allowed Ratner to make a comeback in Hollywood after being sidelined after accusations of sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement in 2017. Ratner denies all of the allegations. In 2026, Ratner released Amazon-backed documentary Melania, which followed the first lady during the 20 days before Trump’s second inauguration. The China Connection The president is reportedly a huge fan of Rush Hour, which revolves around detectives James Carter and Yan Naing Lee – played by Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan respectively – as they navigate their cultural differences and investigate crimes in Hong Kong, Paris and Los Angeles. Last November, Trump encouraged billionaire Larry Ellison, the primary financial force behind Paramount Skydance, to bring back the franchise once Paramount went through with its controversial purchase of Warner Bros.

The Lead: A Budget That Begins to Pay Future GenerationsThe latest Australian federal budget, presented by Jim Chalmers, acknowledges that the nation is at a point in the economic cycle where a surplus should be possible. While it does not erase the existing debt, it marks a decisive step toward investing in reforms that benefit younger Australians and protect the country’s natural capital.Key Reform Packages Embedded in the 2026 BudgetThe budget goes beyond headline numbers to fund a suite of reforms aimed at long‑term productivity and environmental stewardship:Implementation funding for the sweeping amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act passed in December.Investment in a national bioregional planning framework to guide development, renewable energy, mining and carbon‑farming projects.Dedicated resources for Environment Information Australia to improve the quality of biodiversity data.Establishment of a fully resourced, independent Environment Protection Agency with enforcement powers.Fiscal Context: Deficit, Debt and the Push for SurplusThe commentary notes that Australia is currently adding tens of billions of dollars each year to public debt. The budget’s ambition is to reverse this trend by:Targeting a surplus in the current economic cycle.Ensuring the tax system, overdue since the Rudd‑era review, supports stronger budget outcomes.Seeking a larger share of resource rents from foreign multinationals for the public purse.Environmental Impact: From EPBC Amendments to a Resourced EPABy allocating funds to close the implementation gap of the EPBC reforms, the budget aims to move environmental protection from a reactive afterthought to a proactive planning tool. Bioregional plans will map where development can proceed, where it cannot, and where restoration delivers the greatest return, providing certainty for industry and habitat connectivity for threatened species.Outlook: How the Reforms Could Shape Australia’s Next DecadeAccording to former Treasury secretary and climate advocate Ken Henry, the budget’s reforms are “the building blocks that can transform how we protect and restore the environment in the midst of massive economic change.” If the market for nature restoration takes off and the new EPA enforces standards effectively, future generations could inherit a continent with robust ecological foundations, supporting both biodiversity and a sustainable economy.

The Arrest of Adan Funez Honduran authorities have arrested three people, including a powerful politician, accused of plotting the 2024 assassination of an environmental leader, an incident that became a symbol of government corruption. Adan Funez, former mayor of the city of Tocoa, was captured at his home on Tuesday on suspicion of masterminding the killing, following years of accusations by religious and environmental leaders. The Environmentalist's Killing Juan Lopez was an anti-corruption crusader who led a community effort against an iron oxide mining project in Colon, a rural region of northwestern Honduras, which activists said endangered the area’s dense jungles and crystalline waters, including protected reserve areas. Lopez was one of the fiercest critics of Funez, a local mayor at the time, as well as a supporter of the mine and a close ally of Honduras’s former president, Xiomara Castro, whose term ended this year. The Investigation and Charges In September 2024, Lopez called on Funez to step down because of a corruption scandal. Days later, the environmental and human rights defender was shot six times in the chest and once in the head by a masked gunman, fuelling demands for justice from Pope Francis, the United Nations and the administration of United States President Joe Biden. Accusations also emerged against Funez, a power-broker in the region’s decades-long bloody agrarian conflict. The death brought back stark memories of the global outcry over the 2016 murder of Honduran environmentalist Berta Caceres. The Impact on Environmental Defenders Protecting the environment is a high-risk profession in Honduras. People like Lopez often act as unwanted eyes and ears in resource-rich areas of Latin America, the most deadly region in the world for environmentalists, according to nongovernmental organisation Global Witness. Global Witness documented 117 killings of environmental and land defenders in Latin America in 2024 alone, amounting to 82 percent of the global total. The Future Outlook The detentions come after a handful of other arrests months earlier, but Funez was long pinpointed by local environmental and religious leaders as the man who spearheaded the assassination. The trial of the three men is set to begin next June. Dalila Santiago, a close friend and leader in Lopez’s movement, said that, after rampant impunity in the Honduras, Funez’s detention on Tuesday came as a shock. She added that Honduran authorities must continue to go after others responsible and business leaders behind the mining project.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reports that displacement in Colombia doubled in 2025, with over 235,619 people forced from their homes, marking the worst humanitarian year in a decade.The Surge in Displacement Amid Colombia’s Fragmented ConflictSince the 2016 ceasefire with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the conflict has splintered into multiple dissident and criminal groups. The ICRC’s annual report highlights that this fragmentation has reignited violence across the country, especially in the border department of Norte de Santander, where 42 % of the displaced are concentrated.Numbers That Reveal a Humanitarian Crisis235,619 individuals displaced in 2025 (double the 2024 figure)Mass‑displacement events affected > 87,000 peopleExplosive‑related casualties: 965 killed or injuredExplosive incidents rose > 33 % year‑on‑yearLockdowns in small communities increased by nearly 100 %Why the Conflict’s Fragmentation Is Deepening SufferingFragmented armed groups compete for control of illicit economies, leading to a surge in the use of drones and improvised explosive devices. Civilians face “lockdowns” that restrict access to education, crops, and essential services, eroding the social fabric and livelihoods of entire regions.What the Future Holds for Peace Efforts and Civilian SafetyPresident Gustavo Petro’s “Total Peace” negotiations remain stalled as right‑wing factions demand a hardline approach ahead of the May 31 elections. Analysts warn that without a credible security framework, displacement trends are likely to continue rising, pressuring both national and international actors to intervene.

Lead: Hearts on the Brink of a Historic TitleAfter a home victory against Falkirk and a simultaneous defeat for Celtic at Motherwell, Hearts stand poised to win the Scottish Premiership for the first time since 1960. Manager Derek McInnes insists the squad’s belief is unshakable, even as the final two fixtures loom.What’s at Stake: Hearts’ Path to Their First League Crown Since 1960The Edinburgh club’s title hopes rest on two matches: a must‑win against Falkirk and a points‑grab against Celtic at Celtic Park. A win in both games would hand Hearts the championship, ending a 66‑year drought and the long‑standing Old Firm dominance.Current standing: Hearts lead by a single point.Upcoming fixtures: Falkirk (home) then Celtic (away).Historical context: Hearts’ previous titles were secured at Love Street in the 20th century.Numbers That Tell the Story: Points, Wins and the Celtic RunHearts have amassed 10 points from a possible 12 in their recent run, breaking a club record for points tally. Meanwhile, Celtic have won five league games in a row but sit just one point behind.Hearts: 10/12 points, Champions League qualification already secured.Celtic: Five consecutive wins, still needing a win at Motherwell to stay in contention.Old Firm record: Since 2012, Celtic have been denied the title only once.Why This Could Reshape Scottish FootballA Hearts triumph would be the first major disruption of the Old Firm’s grip on the league in over three decades. It would boost the financial and commercial profile of clubs outside Glasgow, potentially attracting higher sponsorship and broadcasting revenue to the Edinburgh side.Potential shift in player recruitment dynamics across Scotland.Increased fan engagement and ticket sales for non‑Glasgow clubs.Broader media attention on the Scottish Premiership as a more competitive league.Looking Ahead: Scenarios for the Final Two FixturesIf Hearts defeat Falkirk and then hold Celtic to a draw or win at Celtic Park, they clinch the title. Should Celtic win both of their remaining games, the championship reverts to the Glasgow giants. A split result would likely force a title decider in the final matchday.Hearts win both – Hearts crowned champions.Celtic win both – Celtic retain the league.Mixed outcomes – Title decided on the final day’s results.

Election Day Arrives in the BahamasOn Tuesday, voters across the Caribbean archipelago head to the polls in a high‑stakes snap election that will determine whether Philip Davis and his Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) secure a rare back‑to‑back mandate.Prime Minister Philip Davis Pursues Rare Consecutive TermDavis, who first came to power in a 2021 snap election, has called this vote early to avoid the hurricane season. He faces a challenge from the Free National Movement (FNM) led by Michael Pintard. The campaign focuses on affordability, stagnant wages and soaring housing costs, while both sides accuse each other of spreading false claims, some allegedly generated by artificial intelligence.Numbers Shaping the Contest: Seats, Majority and New ConstituenciesCurrent PLP hold: 32 of 39 seats in the House of Assembly.New total seats for this election: 41, after two additional constituencies were added by the independent Constituencies Commission.Majority threshold: 21 seats.Historical context: No party has formed a government for two consecutive terms since 1997.Potential Political Shift and Its Regional ImplicationsA Davis victory would mark the first consecutive term for a Bahamian leader in almost three decades, signalling continuity in economic and infrastructure policies. Conversely, an FNM win could usher in a new approach to fiscal management, especially in light of recent revelations about hundreds of millions of dollars in no‑bid contracts.What the Outcome Could Mean for Bahamas GovernanceIf the PLP retains power, the government is likely to continue its current development agenda while addressing voter concerns over housing and wages. A change in leadership could prompt a review of public‑spending practices and a recalibration of the nation’s disaster‑season election timing. Both scenarios will shape the Bahamas’ political stability and its role within the wider Caribbean region.

Executive Summary of the DeploymentIn a televised event in Tel Aviv, Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, announced that Israel has dispatched Iron Dome batteries and the personnel needed to operate them to the United Arab Emirates. The move is presented as a direct response to a surge in Iranian missile and drone strikes targeting Gulf states.Israel Deploys Iron Dome Batteries to UAE Amid Iranian ThreatsThe deployment follows weeks of media speculation and represents the first confirmed instance of the advanced air‑defence system being stationed outside Israeli territory. Iron Dome, a U.S.–funded platform that has intercepted thousands of rockets over the past decade, is now positioned to protect critical UAE infrastructure such as airports, hotels, and energy facilities that have been under Iranian fire since the regional escalation began on February 28.Financial Scale of Iron Dome SupportBillions of dollars in U.S. assistance have underwritten the development and export of the Iron Dome system.The system’s operational cost per interception is estimated at $50,000–$100,000, a figure that will now be absorbed by the UAE as part of the joint defense arrangement.Strategic Shift in Gulf Defense AlliancesThe transfer signals a tangible deepening of the Abraham Accords, moving the relationship from diplomatic rhetoric to concrete military cooperation. While the UAE and Bahrain are the only Gulf states with formal ties to Israel, this action may pressure other regional actors to reassess their security postures, especially as Iran continues to target civilian sites across the Gulf.Future of Israeli‑UAE Military CooperationAnalysts anticipate that the deployment could pave the way for further joint exercises, intelligence sharing, and possibly the export of additional Israeli defense technologies to the Gulf. If Iranian aggression persists, the partnership may expand into a broader coalition that aligns Gulf states more closely with U.S. and Israeli strategic objectives, potentially reshaping the security architecture of the Middle East.