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China and U.S. concluded Beijing summit on a cordial note.听U.S. President Donald Trump departed after talks that spanned from Taiwan to the Iran war. He and his host, Chinese President Xi Jinpeng, described their meeting as "historic," but offered few details of any concrete agreements.听

U.S. Chief Admiral Brad Cooper told lawmakers that 90% of Iran鈥檚 drone and missile production has been destroyed. Its Navy has been wrecked for a 鈥済eneration,鈥� the head of U.S. Central Command told the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday in his first congressional hearing since the war began. Admiral Cooper drew skepticism from some senators when he said the U.S has only one active civilian casualty investigation 鈥� a strike on a girl's school 鈥� and that there is 鈥渘o way that we can corroborate鈥� charges from human rights groups of accidental strikes on other Iranian schools and hospitals.
Our coverage:听US investigates fatal air strike on Iranian girls's school

Israel planned to sue The New York Times for an article on alleged sexual violence against Palestinians. Mutual accusations from Israelis and Palestinians of wartime sexual abuse came to a head this week. On Monday, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof detailed accusations of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. The following day, an Israeli nonprofit organization published a report of rape and sexual assaults it said were committed by Palestinian militants during and after the Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack on Israel. Israel and Hamas deny the respective allegations. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Times article was an attempt to create a false symmetry between Israel and Hamas.

Drone warfare in the Ukraine war alarms nearby nations. As Russia ramped up its barrage of aerial strikes on Ukraine this week, Hungary summoned the Russian ambassador on Thursday to lodge a protest. Russian drones skirted close to Hungary鈥檚 border and attacked a Ukrainian area that is home to a Hungarian minority. The diplomatic meeting signaled less amicable relations with Moscow under new Hungarian Prime Minister P茅ter Magyar. Meanwhile, in Latvia, Prime Minister Evika Silina resigned after several incidents in which Ukraine鈥檚 drones entered Latvia after straying off route during attacks on Russia. Ms. Silina鈥檚 government was accused of being ill-prepared to defend Latvian airspace.

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks stepped down. The reason behind his departure, which the Border Patrol union confirmed Thursday on the social platform X, is unclear. But the leadership change is the latest of several at the Department of Homeland Security, whose former secretary was fired two months ago amid conflict-of-interest concerns.

The U.S. Senate agreed to withhold its own pay during government shutdowns. Under the unanimous resolution, the secretary of the Senate would suspend salaries for the chamber鈥檚 elected officials during a shutdown of one听government agency听or more. A recent partial shutdown over funding the Department of Homeland Security lasted a record 76 days. The resolution, introduced by Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, was intended to spur senators to find solutions to impasses during shutdowns. The Senate resolution would come into effect only after November鈥檚 midterm elections. The agreement did not include the House of Representatives.听

鈥� Compiled by Monitor writers around the world

Talks between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday struck a positive tone, as Mr. Trump avoided sensitive issues and focused instead on business.

As new Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh navigates surging inflation and pressure from President Trump to lower interest rates, consumers may face delayed rate cuts and shifts in the central bank鈥檚 approach to the economy.

Consumers worldwide have felt squeezed for many reasons, including the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz. So, they鈥檝e come up with their own solutions.

In the memoir 鈥淪mall Town Girls,鈥� Jayne Anne Phillips tells of the rural upbringing that set her on the path to becoming a writer. She also pays tribute to Southern authors who inspired her, such as Stephen Crane.

In many parts of the United States, the arrival of spring has been fleeting and fickle. But there鈥檚 no mistaking that college graduation season is here, with the strains of 鈥淧omp and Circumstance,鈥� turning of tassels, tossing of caps 鈥� and protests over choices of commencement speakers arising along lines that reflect the country鈥檚 political divides.

Rutgers, South Carolina State, and Utah Valley are among the universities that recently disinvited speakers after objections by campus activists. Others have forged ahead 鈥� as New York University did on Thursday, with the choice of one of its own: professor, author, and free speech advocate Jonathan Haidt. Student government leaders had objected to hearing from Dr. Haidt, known for his critiques of social media and diversity initiatives, as well as what he views as the 鈥渃oddling鈥� of young people from having to deal with the friction of differing worldviews.

Despite such protests and even walkouts, a countertrend is quietly taking hold. Increasingly, public and private colleges are establishing study programs and research centers to reduce campus polarization and address sensitivities around controversial topics.

On a deeper level, proponents say, these initiatives are about recentering a core purpose of higher education 鈥� the public good of training and equipping individuals for civic and civil engagement and the exercise of robust, democratic citizenship. According to one source, there are now more than 45 centers of civic education at institutions in 25 states.

Paul O. Carrese, the founding director of Arizona State University鈥檚 School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership (launched in 2016), sees his school鈥檚 role as 鈥渞estoring higher civics鈥� and upholding the 鈥減olitical-intellectual virtue of moderation 鈥� of avoiding extremes and single-mindedness.鈥� Johns Hopkins University President Ronald Daniels has argued that universities owe it to society and democracy to educate young people in 鈥渢he full suite of aptitudes necessary for good citizenship.鈥�

The University of North Carolina鈥檚 School of Civic Life and Leadership, which opened in 2023, has seen burgeoning student demand. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that nearly 1,000 are currently taking classes at the center, up from 85 in the fall of 2024.听

And earlier this month, Stanford University voted to expand and make permanent its pilot program COLLEGE (Civic, Liberal, and Global Education). Observing that students 鈥渁rrive with extraordinary academic preparation but very little practice sitting with discomfort and engaging respectfully across difference,鈥� a university administrator indicated the program provides the 鈥渓anguage, community, and tools鈥� to do so.

As the Monitor鈥檚 Stephen Humphries has reported, many universities 鈥渟ee civil discourse as foundational. ... It鈥檚 key to an ethos of free speech and open inquiry, rooted in mutual respect.鈥�

These same tenets resound well beyond academia in the daily practice of self-governance and democracy, from town halls to state legislatures. And, perhaps, in the nation鈥檚 capital.听