Trump leaves China, short on deliverables but with signs of a stabilized relationship
Beijing (CNN) — President Donald Trump departed Beijing Friday afternoon local time without any immediate sign that the US and China have resolved thorny challenges dogging their fractious relationship, but with a freshly stabilized relationship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping – for now. The leaders covered a range of issues from Iran and Taiwan to trade, during two days that included intensive bilateral meetings. But there were also grand displays of soft diplomacy, marking the first Beijing meeting for the longtime rivals in nearly a decade. Since Trump’s last visit in 2017, he has reimagined Washington’s role in the world, while Xi has tightened his grip on authority domestically and spurred China’s high-tech transformation. Speaking aboard Air Force One as he left China, Trump did reveal that he had discussed with Xi Taiwan and US arms sales to the island “in great detail.” “We discussed the Taiwan, the whole thing with the arm sales, in great detail, actually, and I’ll be making decisions, but you know, I think the last thing we need right now is a war that’s 9,500 miles away,” he said. Ahead of talks, expectations were high that the American president could push his Chinese counterpart to help resolve the Iran conflict. China is a close diplomatic partner of Iran and the top purchaser of its oil – and has framed itself as proponent of peace throughout the war. The topic was part of the more than two hours of discussions between the two leaders Thursday, but Trump departed without a clear sign from Beijing that it’s willing to press Tehran to work with US demands.
Powell, the most battle-tested Fed chair, finishes his term
Washington (CNN) — The sharpest economic decline in American history, the highest inflation in more than 40 years, aggressive political attacks from the White House, and the worst-ever global energy shock. Those are some of the extraordinary events that unfolded during the eight-year chairmanship of Jerome Powell at the Federal Reserve, an institution tasked with managing the economy to achieve maximum employment and stable prices. Powell’s term ends on Friday, with Kevin Warsh now confirmed by the Senate to take the reins. The outgoing Fed leader is known for being a steady hand who was collaborative and decisive, some of his former colleagues told CNN. They credited Powell’s leadership for the Fed’s success at handling the numerous economic crises of recent years, making him perhaps the most battle-tested Fed chair in the US central bank’s 113-year history.
Why double jeopardy doesn’t apply after court overturns Alex Murdaugh’s murder convictions
(CNN) — Disgraced former South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh’s dramatic downfall was sealed following a sensational six-week 2023 trial in which he was convicted of murdering his wife and son. But the long-running saga involving the scion of a prominent and powerful family of local lawyers and solicitors took an unexpected turn this week when the South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned the murder convictions. Saying the trial was marred by the “improper” influence of the county clerk, Becky Hill, the court ordered a new trial for Murdaugh in the killing of his wife, Maggie, and 22-year-old son, Paul, in June 2021. While the US Constitution’s double jeopardy clause generally forbids subsequent prosecutions after an acquittal, it does not apply if a defendant’s conviction is later overturned, according to legal experts. The 5-0 ruling also vacated the two life sentences Murdaugh had received for the murder convictions. Still, he has separately pleaded guilty to dozens of financial crimes and will remain behind bars on concurrent state and federal sentences of 27 and 40 years. Attorney General Alan Wilson said his office plans to retry Murdaugh on the murder charges “as soon as possible.”
FBI offers $200,000 for information leading to arrest of ex-intelligence specialist for spying
(CNN) — The FBI is offering $200,000 for information that could lead to the arrest of a former Air Force intelligence specialist who was charged in 2019 with spying for Iran. In an announcement Thursday, the FBI said it is still trying to locate Monica Witt, who it believes defected to Iran in 2013. The agency said it believes she “likely continues to support (Iran’s) nefarious activities.” “The FBI has not forgotten and believes that during this critical moment in Iran’s history, there is someone who knows something about her whereabouts,” Daniel Wierzbicki, special agent in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division, said a statement, likely referring to the US’ ongoing tensions with Iran. Witt was a former counterintelligence officer for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. From 2003 and 2008, Witt’s work involved counterintelligence assignments that took her to the Middle East. In 2019, then-Assistant Attorney General John Demers alleged that Witt was targeted and recruited by Iran, and after she defected, she allegedly revealed to Iran the existence of a “highly classified intelligence collection program” and the identity of a US intelligence officer, “thereby risking the life of this individual.” The indictment also charged four Iranians with conspiracy, attempts to commit computer intrusion and aggravated identity theft.
Somali piracy on the rise as Iran war forces ships into high-risk detours
(CNN) — Somali pirates are profiting from the war in Iran as commercial ships, bypassing conflict routes through lengthy detours around Africa, sail into their strike zone. The intensifying conflict in the Middle East has choked traffic through the Strait of Hormuz – a vital route for roughly 20% of the world’s oil, natural gas and critical raw materials. To avoid it, carriers are having to detour around Africa’s southern tip, extending travel times by weeks and pushing maritime traffic directly into the volatile Somali basin. This rerouting is costing an estimated $1 million in additional expenses per vessel due to soaring fuel, insurance and operational costs. But it has also allowed pirates to make a comeback that threatens to shatter years of relative calm along the Somali coast. Capitalizing on the increased traffic, pirate networks have executed a wave of back-to-back hijackings in recent weeks, signaling a major resurgence. According to a May 12 advisory from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), Somali pirates are currently holding at least three vessels: two oil tankers and a general cargo/cement carrier.
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