WORLD Radio – Monday morning news: May 12, 2025
The news of the day, including U.S. announces ‘substantial progress’ in China trade talks, Hamas agrees to release last surviving American hostage, President Trump arriving in Middle East today, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin does not agree to ceasefire precondition for meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymr Zelenskyy
A container ship sails off a port in east China’s Shandong province on Wednesday. Associated Press / Chinatopix
China trade talks » The United States and China have reportedly agreed to de-escalate the trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.
On Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emerged from talks with Chinese officials in Switzerland, and told reporters:
BESSENT: We will be giving details tomorrow, uh, but I can tell you that the talks were productive.
President Trump over the weekend on social media said, “we want to see an opening up of China to American business.”
Chinese Vice Premier He Ligeng also voiced optimism after the meetings.
LIFENG: The atmosphere of the meeting was candid, in depth and constructive. The meeting achieved substantial progress and reached important consensus.
While it was not immediately clear what the two sides had agreed to, Trump on Friday said an 80% tariff on Chinese goods “seems right.” The current US tariffs on goods from China add up to 145%.
Hamas to release U.S. hostage » Hamas has agreed to release its last surviving American hostage, in what’s being called a good will gesture with the United States. No word on what Hamas might receive in return.
White House special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is traveling to the region today ahead of Edan Alexander’s expected release.
Trump Middle East visit / Iran » President Trump is also traveling to the Middle East today. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president will express his vision for the region:
TRUMP: Where the United States and Middle Eastern nations are in cooperative relationships and where extremism is defeated in place of commerce and cultural exchanges. This trip ultimately highlights how we stand on the brink of the golden age for both America and the Middle East.
The trip aims to secure more large investments in the United States, with a focus on economic partnerships.
Trump’s first foreign trip of his second term will include stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
His tour of the region comes against the backdrop of ongoing nuclear talks with Iran. Officials completed a fourth round of meetings Sunday. No big developments over the weekend, but officials called the latest meeting “encouraging” and plan more talks soon.
Ukraine peace talks » Western leaders over the weekend made a big push for a ceasefire in Ukraine. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer:
STARMER: There’s only one country that stands between peace and that’s Russia.
Leaders from Britain, France, Germany, and Poland visited Kyiv, where they, along with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, demanded an unconditional 30-day ceasefire to begin today.
Starmer, speaking for that coalition, said of Russia’s Vladimir Putin:
STARMER: If he turns his back on peace, we will respond Working with President Trump. With all our partners, we will ramp up sanctions and increase our military aid for Ukraine’s defense.
Vladimir Putin countered proposing direct peace talks in Turkey this coming Thursday. His spokesman Dmitry Peskov said:
PESKOV: President Putin is open for peace negotiations without any preconditions.
“Without any preconditions” meaning he will not agree to a ceasefire in advance. Instead, he says the two sides could discuss a possible ceasefire during the meeting.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he’ll personally await Putin in Istanbul. He acknowledged Putin’s willingness to meet as a “positive sign,” but said a ceasefire must come first.
Newark airport » Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy plans to reduce the number of flights in and out of Newark, New Jersey’s largest airport for the “next several weeks.”
The airport has struggled with technical issues, causing flight delays and cancellations. Just yesterday, a telecommunications problem slowed traffic.
That came just days after Duffy pointed to Newark Liberty International as the clearest example of why the nation must update and overall the US air traffic control system.
DUFFY: The equipment that we use. Much of it. We can’t buy parts for new. We have to go on eBay and buy parts. If one part goes down, you’re dealing with really old equipment. We’re dealing with copper wires, not fiber, not high speed fiber. Um, and so this is, this is concerning.
But he told NBC’s Meet the Press, Duffy that there are currently backup measures and protocols in place to ensure the safety of flights.
Mayor arrested protesting immigration center » The Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Ras Baraka, has a pretrial hearing this week for a trespassing charge. Federal authorities arrested him at a newly opened detention center for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Democratic mayor joined three members of Congress Friday for what they described as an oversight visit.
The lawmakers were allowed in. Baraka, however, was denied entry. Federal authorities say he refused to leave, and that’s when he was arrested.
The mayor’s wife, Linda Baraka, said her husband did nothing wrong.
LBARAKA: They didn’t arrest anyone else. They didn’t ask anyone else to leave. They wanted to make an example out of the mayor.
And Democrats say Baraka was on public property and never should have been arrested.
But Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin says being a mayor does not give one legal authority at a federal facility.
MCLAUGHLIN: If it was a typical U.S. citizen and they tried to storm into a detention facility that’s housing dangerous criminals or any, any person at all, they would be arrested. Just because you are a public official does not mean you are above the law.
And McLaughlin says DHS is also investigating the actions of the trio of House Democrats at the ICE facility, adding that they could also face arrests.
I’m Kent Covington.
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