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Trump and Xi Jinping have opened talks in Beijing, with both leaders striking a conciliatory tone as they look to cover tariffs, technology, Taiwan, and the Iran conflict.

Elsewhere, Russia's military leadership has reportedly told Putin that full capture of Donbas is achievable by autumn, Iran has set five conditions before resuming US negotiations, and the Gaza ceasefire remains deadlocked over Hamas's refusal to disarm.

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4️⃣ 🇷🇺🇺🇦 Russia eyes full Donbas capture by autumn: Russian military leadership has reportedly told Putin that Moscow can fully capture Donbas by autumn, after which the Kremlin plans to demand steeper concessions in any ceasefire negotiations, according to the Financial Times. Ukraine's military intelligence deputy chief warned that a Russian takeover of Donbas could lead to further territorial demands, including full control over Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

5️⃣ 🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran sets five conditions before resuming US talks: Iran told Pakistani mediators it will not resume negotiations unless five conditions are met, including an end to hostilities, sanctions relief, release of frozen assets, war damage compensation, and recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, departing for Beijing, dismissed Iran's latest response as "totally unacceptable" while acknowledging the war would be a key topic with Xi Jinping.

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Major Story

🇺🇸🇨🇳 Trump and Xi open Beijing summit with conciliatory tone

Xi Jinping called for China and the United States to be "partners not rivals" as the two leaders opened high-stakes talks in Beijing, with Trump responding by describing Xi as a "great leader" and predicting the bilateral relationship would be stronger than it has ever been. 

The summit, Trump's first visit to China since 2017, began with a formal welcome ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People, where the leaders shook hands on a red carpet, inspected troops, and were greeted by cheering children. 

Trump is accompanied by prominent tech executives including Tesla's Elon Musk and Nvidia's Jensen Huang, and said ahead of his arrival that he would push for China to open its markets to American industry. 

The talks are expected to cover a broad agenda including tariffs, technology competition, Taiwan, and the ongoing war involving Iran, with China having emerged as a potential mediator in that conflict. 

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Other News

1️⃣ 🇭🇺 Hungary summons Russian ambassador after Zakarpattia strikes: Hungary summoned the Russian ambassador after Russia's mass drone attack struck Zakarpattia Oblast, including the border city of Uzhhorod, which was targeted for the first time since the full-scale invasion began. The move marks a significant shift for Hungary under Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who has sought to distance the country from its previously pro-Kremlin stance since ousting Viktor Orban earlier this year.

2️⃣ 🇵🇸 Gaza ceasefire stalled over Hamas disarmament: The US-brokered Gaza ceasefire remains deadlocked over Hamas's refusal to disarm, with Trump administration envoy Nickolay Mladenov calling disarmament non-negotiable while leaving open the possibility of Hamas retaining a political role. Hamas blamed Israel for ceasefire violations, while conflict monitor ACLED reported Israeli attacks in Gaza rose 35% in April.

3️⃣ 🇵🇭 Gunshots fired in Philippine senate amid ICC standoff: Shots were fired inside the Philippine senate where Senator Ronald dela Rosa, the former chief enforcer of Rodrigo Duterte's drug war, has been sheltering to avoid an ICC arrest warrant accusing him of murdering at least 32 people. No injuries were reported, President Marcos denied government involvement, and dela Rosa refused to face charges abroad while appealing to supporters to block his transfer to The Hague.

4️⃣ 🇮🇱 Netanyahu coalition moves toward early elections: Netanyahu's coalition submitted a bill to dissolve parliament, initiating a process toward new elections that must be held by October, with some ultra-Orthodox coalition partners pushing for an earlier September vote. Opinion polls suggest the religious and nationalist coalition could face difficulty winning reelection after a term that included the October 7 attacks and wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.

5️⃣ 🇦🇹🇺🇸 Austria intercepts US military aircraft two days running: Austrian Eurofighter jets scrambled on consecutive days to intercept US military surveillance aircraft, after a permit filing error on May 10 led to an unannounced approach that turned back before entering Austrian airspace, followed by a confirmed overflight on May 11. Austria, which has closed its airspace to US Iran war-related activity, said the incidents would be resolved through diplomatic channels, while US European Command maintained it fully complied with Austrian laws and procedures.

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