Trump Cancels Meeting With Chinese Leader Xi; Israeli Forces Complete First Phase of Withdrawal

President Donald Trump on Friday announced that he has canceled his planned meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Both leaders were expected to meet during Trump’s visit to South Korea during the APEC summit later this month. “I was to meet President Xi in two weeks, at APEC, in South Korea, but now there seems to be no reason to do so,” Trump said on Truth Social. He accused Beijing of taking a hostile and unprecedented step by sending letters to countries around the world announcing new export controls on rare earth elements and other key materials. He pledged to take countermeasures.

A cease-fire came into effect in Gaza at 12 p.m. local time on Friday. According to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, CENTCOM has confirmed that the Israel Defense Forces completed the first phase of its withdrawal to the yellow line by 12 p.m. The Israeli military also confirmed the withdrawal.