U.S. and Iranian officials met and spoke briefly in the first round of nuclear talks on Saturday in Oman, according to the Iranian foreign ministry.
Why it matters: President Trump has repeatedly said Iran needs to rapidly reach a deal that makes sure it can't obtain a nuclear weapon or face the prospect of military strikes, which could lead to war.
Nearly five years after fueling the largest protest movement in American history, Black activism stands at a generational, emotional and strategic crossroads.
Why it matters: Many of the Black Americans who flooded the streets in 2020 have stepped back from the renewed anti-Trump protests — torn between the urgency of the moment and the spiritual toll of relentless, often fruitless resistance.
U.S. and Iranian officials are using similar language to describe their primary objective for Saturday's high-stakes nuclear talks: determining whether the other side is serious or just stringing them along.
Why it matters: President Trump insists Iran must make a deal quickly or face potential military strikes. But Tehran doesn't trust Trump, who previously withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, and two U.S. officials tell Axios they aren't yet sure what to expect from the Iranians.
The U.S. military shifted a Patriot battalion from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East, requiring at least 73 flights, according to one commander.
Why it matters: The air defenses are a high-profile resource, capable of intercepting missiles and aircraft. They arrive at a volatile moment.
Further, the number of C-17 flights conducted underscores just how stressful materiel moves can be. The Boeing-made aircraft can transport hefty equipment, like tanks.
Treasury bonds and other U.S. dollar assets have acted as a global safe haven for generations. This week, global investors woke up to the possibility that they are not particularly safe, and not at all a haven.
The big picture: The last nine days will reverberate through economic history, as the kind of shifts in the global trade order and financial markets that usually play out over years were compressed into each news cycle.
The Pentagon removed a Greenland base commander on Thursday after she sent an email critical of Vice President JD Vance's comments about Denmark, multipleoutlets reported.
Why it matters: The Pentagon said it would not tolerate officials who undermine President Trump's agenda.
China increased its tariff on U.S. goods to 125% on Friday, matching President Trump's levy, but said it won't go higher.
Why it matters: The tit-for-tat move extends a trade war impacting hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of goods — though the intention to cap the tariff may be a small opening to moderate tensions.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has no shortage of pressure points to ensure Americans feel the pain from President Trump's superpower trade war.
The big picture: China on Friday increased its tariffs to an eye-watering 125% in response to Trump's 145% levies. And ever since trade war 1.0, Beijing has also been developing a wider array of tools that it's now putting to use.
Why it matters: The U.S. Treasury market is the heart of the global financial system. The rapid selloff fueled by Trump's tariffs was seen as a ticking economic time bomb that risked bringing the world economy to a screeching halt.
President Trump's diplomatic envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Russia and met President Vladimir Putin on Friday, according to a source familiar with the trip and FlightRadar data.
Why it matters: This will be the third meeting between Witkoff and Putin as Trump pushes for a ceasefire in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
President Trump threatened Mexico with more tariffs and sanctions on Thursday over a water dispute at the southern border.
What he's saying: "Mexico OWES Texas 1.3 million acre-feet of water under the 1944 Water Treaty, but Mexico is unfortunately violating their Treaty obligation," Trump said in a Truth Social post, referring to a 1944 agreement that requires Mexico to deliver to the U.S. 1.75 million acre-feet of water over a five-year cycle.
