U.S. and world news for Oct. 30

Trump and Xi meet

Donald Trump has departed South Korea after a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping — their first face-to-face meeting in six years. At the final stop of his trip in Asia as the U.S. government shutdown continues, Trump said the two leaders agreed on “almost everything” and reached a trade deal that could be signed “pretty soon.” Trump added that the discussions yielded progress on issues including Russia’s war in Ukraine, rare earths and the flow of fentanyl into the US. Analysts say the talks could potentially reset the volatile relationship between the world’s two largest economies. Chinese officials said a consensus has been reached with the U.S. on “important economic and trade issues,” but did not provide further details about an agreement.

Trump overturns 30-year policy and calls for new nuclear weapons tests

Shortly before his meeting with China’s Xi Jinping, President Trump announced that the U.S. would start testing nuclear weapons after a 30-year hiatus. “We have more nuclear weapons than anybody. We don’t do testing … but with others doing testing, I think it’s appropriate that we do also,” Trump said Tuesday, referring to China and Russia. Asked whether he’s concerned about the U.S. entering a riskier nuclear environment, Trump replied, “I think we have it pretty well locked up.” He mentioned that he would like to see denuclearization but reiterated that such testing is “appropriate” at this time. None of the three major nuclear powers — Russia, the U.S. and China — has tested a nuclear weapon since China did so in 1996. Russia’s last nuclear test was in 1990 and the U.S. last set off a nuclear device in 1992.

Trump administration cuts out Democrats from briefings

Trump administration officials briefed Republicans on Wednesday about the U.S. military attacks on boats in international waters without telling Democratic members about the briefing, according to a top Senate Democrat and a source with direct knowledge of the incident. Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner slammed the Trump administration for cutting out Democratic lawmakers who represent about half of the population, calling the move “a partisan stunt” that is a slap in the face to Congress’ responsibilities and to the men and women who serve this country. Warner said, “Decisions about the use of American military force are not campaign strategy sessions, and they are not the private property of one political party. For any administration to treat them that way erodes our national security and flies in the face of Congress’ constitutional obligation to oversee matters of war and peace.”

Hurricane Melissa leaves path of destruction

Melissa has gained strength again and become a Category 2 hurricane as it moves away from the Bahamas and heads northeast toward Bermuda. The storm has already carved a trail of destruction across the Caribbean, hammering Jamaica, Cuba and neighboring islands with torrential rain and powerful winds. Officials say Melissa has killed at least 30 people — though the actual toll is uncertain as authorities continue assessing the damage. In Cuba, flooding remains the biggest concern hours after the storm slammed into the island on Wednesday. Meanwhile, officials in Jamaica say “catastrophic” isn’t a strong enough word to describe the scale of devastation in some of the hardest-hit areas. More than 70% the country is without power and officials warn that repairing critical infrastructure could take weeks, if not longer.

Food banks gear up for SNAP cuts

With the government shutdown now entering its 30th day, the Trump administration’s pending suspension of federal SNAP food benefits on Saturday threatens to leave millions of Americans at risk of going hungry. Many food banks and charities say they are now bracing for a grim holiday season as demand for assistance is expected to surge. More than a dozen large and small charitable nonprofits told CNN that they have exceeded their capacity to help and warned that the level of support they can provide will fall short as Thanksgiving approaches. The Trump administration says it will refuse to use contingency funding that’s in place to provide assistance to nearly 42 million Americans, prompting states across the U.S. to try to step in with their own food-assistance programs.

More Louvre heist suspects arrested

Five new suspects have been arrested over the theft of France’s crown jewels from the Louvre museum, the Paris prosecutor announced today. The arrests come almost two weeks after the brazen seven-minute daylight heist on Oct. 19, when thieves escaped with jewelry valued at over $100 million. Among the new suspects apprehended is a man believed to have been part of the four-person gang that carried out the heist, Laure Beccuau told French radio RTL. Beccuau said the investigation had not yet uncovered any of the looted treasures. The crime of theft as part of an organized gang carries a potential 15-year prison sentence and a hefty fine, the prosecutor said.