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White House denies U.S. requested ceasefire, says new talks may happen in Pakistan

Speaking at a White ​House press briefing, Leavitt said any fresh talks ​would likely be in Pakistan again as it ⁠has emerged as the “only mediator” in the effort to ​end the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

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Reports that the White House has requested a ceasefire in the Iran ​war are wrong, press secretary Karoline Leavitt told ‌reporters on Wednesday but added that discussions about a second round of talks with the Iranians were ongoing and productive, Reuters reported.

Speaking at a White ​House press briefing, Leavitt said any fresh talks ​would likely be in Pakistan again as it ⁠has emerged as the “only mediator” in the effort to ​end the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

“These conversations are productive and ​ongoing, and that’s where we are right now. I’ve also seen some reporting about the potentiality for in-person discussions. Again, those discussions ​are being had, but nothing is official until you ​hear it from us here at the White House, but we feel ‌good ⁠about the prospects of a deal,” Leavitt said.

The talks last weekend broke down without an agreement to end the war, which President Donald Trump began alongside Israel on ​February 28, triggering ​Iranian attacks ⁠on Iran’s Gulf neighbors and reigniting a conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in ​Lebanon, read the report.

The war has led Iran to effectively shut ​the ⁠Strait of Hormuz – a vital artery for global crude and gas shipments – to ships other than its own, sharply reducing ⁠exports ​from the Gulf, particularly to Asia ​and Europe, and leaving energy importers scrambling for alternative supplies.

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Trump returns from China with stability but little progress

While the meeting produced a calmer tone and modest commercial agreements, key disputes over trade, technology and regional influence remain largely unsettled.

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US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing this week ended with limited economic agreements and no major breakthroughs, highlighting the continued strategic and economic rivalry between the United States and China.

The two-day summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reflected a shift away from last year’s intense trade war toward a more stable — but unresolved — relationship between the world’s two largest economies.

While the meeting produced a calmer tone and modest commercial agreements, key disputes over trade, technology and regional influence remain largely unsettled.

Analysts said China appeared to benefit from the return to more predictable relations after the sharp tensions triggered by Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs in early 2025. Beijing and Washington later reached a temporary trade truce, but both countries continue to compete strategically and economically.

Reuters reported that Scott Kennedy, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the summit marked a return to stability after months of severe tariff escalation.

Trump travelled to Beijing with several leading American business figures, including Elon Musk of Tesla and Jensen Huang of Nvidia, although few major commercial outcomes were announced publicly.

The summit also failed to secure any public Chinese commitment to assist Washington in ending the war involving Iran, an issue that has affected global markets and weighed on Trump’s domestic approval ratings.

A White House official said Trump used his relationship with Xi to secure benefits for the American economy, pointing to reported agreements involving Boeing aircraft sales and expanded agricultural exports.

Chinese officials described the talks as “constructive and strategic,” saying both sides discussed how major powers should manage relations amid long-term competition.

Despite the improved atmosphere, longstanding U.S. concerns — including China’s industrial overcapacity and trade practices — were not publicly addressed during the visit.

The summit’s commercial results also fell short of Trump’s 2017 China visit, when agreements worth around $250 billion were announced.

Although Trump claimed Boeing secured a deal for China to purchase 200 aircraft, the figure was reportedly lower than earlier expectations of up to 500 jets.

No breakthrough was reached on allowing China to purchase advanced artificial intelligence chips from Nvidia, an issue closely watched by lawmakers in Washington concerned about China’s technological development.

Officials said some additional commercial agreements could be delayed until a possible reciprocal visit by Xi to Washington later this year.

Experts said the summit demonstrated that both countries are increasingly accepting long-term competition rather than seeking a return to closer cooperation.

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Large blast near Beit Shemesh part of pre-planned test: Israeli defense firm

The company said the blast was a “pre-planned experiment” that was carried out according to schedule.

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A large explosion near the central Israeli city of Beit Shemesh late Saturday was part of a pre-planned and controlled test, according to a statement by state-owned Tomer defense company that was cited by The Times of Israel.

Videos on social media showed flames and a large plume of smoke rising from the area following the blast, which was heard in nearby communities.

The Times of Israel said the explosion occurred at a testing ground belonging to Tomer, a company that develops rocket and missile engines.

The company said the blast was a “pre-planned experiment” that was carried out according to schedule.

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Trump says ISIS second-in-command Abu-Bilal al-Minuki killed by US and Nigerian forces

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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, ​was killed in an operation conducted by U.S. and Nigerian forces.

“Tonight, ​at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces ⁠of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to ​eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield. Abu-Bilal ​al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he ​was doing,” Trump said on Truth Social, Reuters reported.

Trump did not disclose in his ​post the exact location of the operation.

Al-Minuki, a Nigerian national, was designated as a “specially ‌designated ⁠global terrorist” by the former Biden administration in 2023, according to the U.S. Federal Register.

Trump, who has previously accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants in the northwest, thanked the Nigerian government for its ​partnership in the ​operation.

Nigeria denies discriminating ⁠against any religion, saying its security forces target armed groups that attack both Christians and Muslims.

The U.S. had ​earlier carried out strikes targeting Islamic State-linked militants in ​Nigeria in ⁠December. Since then, Washington has deployed drones and 200 troops to provide training and intelligence support to the Nigerian military against Islamic State and al Qaeda-linked ⁠insurgencies that ​are spreading across West Africa.

The U.S. forces ​were operating in a strictly non-combat role, Nigerian military officials said earlier this year.

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