海角大神

The U.S. and China will sign a trade deal 鈥渟oon,鈥� President Donald Trump said today after meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. Mr. Trump said China agreed not to restrict rare earth mineral exports. He also halved the fentanyl-related tariff on Chinese exports to 10 percent, saying Beijing would take 鈥渟trong action鈥� to curb illicit fentanyl precursors. Separately, Mr. Trump said the U.S. would resume nuclear weapons testing on an 鈥渆qual basis鈥� with other countries 鈥� ending a three decade hiatus.

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a quarter point for the second time this year, despite stubborn inflation and continued consumer spending. Yesterday鈥檚 move reflects concern that the bigger risk to the economy is a slowdown in job growth; lower interest rates should help buoy the economy. Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed is closely watching the impact of artificial intelligence on company layoffs.

The French parliament passed a landmark bill yesterday to enshrine the principle of consent into the country鈥檚 rape law, joining countries including Spain, Germany, and Belgium. The law says consent must be 鈥渇ree and informed, specific, prior, and revocable.鈥� It comes a year after the trial of French woman Gis猫le Pelicot, whose husband repeatedly drugged and raped her and invited strangers to sexually assault her. Advocates called the bill a 鈥渉istoric step forward.鈥�

A Democratic candidate for Congress was indicted by a federal grand jury over an anti-ICE clash last month near Chicago. Kat Abughazaleh, a progressive running for Illinois鈥� Ninth District, is accused, along with others, of impeding a federal agent. A video clip posted by Ms. Abughazaleh shows her placing hands on the front of a vehicle that proceeded. Other footage shows an agent throwing her to the ground. She鈥檚 the latest Democrat facing charges tied to sometimes violent protests against immigration authorities.

Two colleges offered to join the Trump administration鈥檚 preferential funding agreement. The compact offers access to federal funds in exchange for compliance with certain terms 鈥� a move critics say threatens academic freedom. New College Florida said the agreement would help 鈥減reserve America鈥檚 place鈥� as a top destination for higher education, while the Valley Forge Military College expressed its 鈥渇ull enthusiasm and support.鈥�

Germany pledged over $1 billion for senior home care for Holocaust survivors globally next year. It is the country鈥檚 single largest home-care payout since Holocaust reparations began in 1952. The government also earmarked $205 million to fund Holocaust education programs through 2029. The moves come as countries grapple with the spread of Holocaust misinformation online and spikes in antisemitism. About 220,800 survivors in 90 countries are still living.

A new Dr. Seuss book comes out next year. An original manuscript and cover sketch were discovered in the archives of the Geisel Library at the University of California, San Diego. 鈥淪ing the 50 United States!,鈥� a rhyme to teach the names of all 50 states, goes on sale next June 鈥� although some scholars wonder if it was really meant as an original. Artist Tom Brannon completed new illustrations for the text following the author鈥檚 notes on art direction.

鈥� From our staff writers around the world

A rising U.S. military presence near Venezuela has stirred questions around whether the goal is a drug crackdown or regime change. An effort to oust President Nicol谩s Maduro would carry risks 鈥� with or without U.S. troops on the ground.

The ceasefire in Gaza is holding 鈥� barely. Violations highlight challenges facing Hamas until a new Palestinian administration is formed and a security force is deployed. It鈥檚 a dynamic that leaves Palestinians鈥� hopes for a reconstruction phase on hold.

The U.S. government shutdown is affecting funding for a food assistance program used by nearly 42 million Americans. With benefits set to end Saturday, what challenges will people face, and what are states doing to help them?

Chicago residents are grappling with 鈥淥peration Midway Blitz,鈥� an aggressive federal immigration enforcement campaign. A major apartment raid in South Shore, a historically Black neighborhood,聽surfaced empathy and lingering resentment over city support for migrants.

Soft power can鈥檛 replace military force, but it can go a long way toward bolstering a country鈥檚 international status. Look no further than South Korea鈥檚 K-pop reach.

What began in 1975 as a picnic among Clan Murray members has grown into the annual New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival. Cue the bagpipes.

In the seven years since the U.S. Supreme Court gave a green light for states to legalize sports betting 鈥� 39 have done so 鈥� dozens of professional and collegiate athletes have been punished for gambling violations. Last week, the National Basketball Association was engulfed in a scandal after the federal indictment of a current NBA player, a retired one, and a current head coach. They allegedly gave inside information to illegal gamblers.

How has the NBA responded? In a memo to its 30 teams, it called for several reforms, such as curbing bets on certain aspects of a game. Most of all, it seeks to improve the education of players and other NBA personnel.

That could be a big step for American athletics as more sports leagues now grapple with legalized betting 鈥� and with the tendency to see fans as valuable gamblers rather than as valued spectators. Until now, regulation and tight enforcement has been the default approach. Vast electronic systems are in place to catch cheating. Players are assumed to be prone to corruption. If the NBA now moves to enhance the moral dignity of players, enabling them to better resist gambling interests based on principles, that would be a mental sea change and perhaps better ensure the sport鈥檚 integrity.

To a large degree, a sea change has already begun among the largest group of sports bettors 鈥� young men. Three years ago, 9% of men under age 30 placed an online sports wager. This year, the figure reached 21%, according to Pew Research Center. At the same time, Pew found that 47% of men under age 30 now say legal sports betting is a bad thing for society, up from 22% who said this in 2022.

Attitudes toward gambling鈥檚 chief belief 鈥� luck 鈥� may be giving way to a return to the understanding that talent, inspiration, fair play, and hard work are the essence of sports, and essential to its survival. That turn of thought has already begun in international efforts to curb doping and other problems in athletics.

In 2017, the International Association of Athletics Federations founded an 鈥淚ntegrity Unit鈥� to create the 鈥渞ight frameworks for each and every athlete to succeed.鈥� In 2014, the World Anti-Doping Agency began a global campaign called Play True to emphasize the benefits of clean sports to athletics.

In addition, research in Europe has shown that providing a 鈥渧alues-based鈥� education to athletes emphasizing that an individual鈥檚 principles can reverse moral disengagement from issues like doping. Perhaps that helps explain the theme of this year鈥檚 Play True campaign: 鈥淚t Starts with You.鈥�