First Thing: Xi warns Trump of ‘clashes and even conflicts’ with US over Taiwan | US news

Good morning.

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met for two hours of talks this morning in the imposing Mao-era Great Hall of the People at the western end of Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

Following the meeting, China’s foreign ministry published Xi’s remarks. He said Taiwan was “the most important issue in China-US relations” and warned of “conflicts and even conflicts” in the future for the US.

Beijing wants the United States to reduce its support for Taiwan, a self-governing island that China claims as its own territory. Xi has made “unification” with Taiwan a key priority of his legacy, and has not ruled out the use of force.

• what else Was it on the agenda? The Chinese government said the two leaders discussed the war in the Middle East, the Ukraine conflict and issues on the Korean peninsula. As my colleagues Amy Hawkins and David Smith have written, the United States enters negotiations with its superpower rival from a vulnerable position.

• What is unlikely to be discussed? Unlike previous US administrations, the visit is not expected to focus on human rights or US-China cooperation in combating the climate crisis.

• Follow our live broadcast of the summit here.

Stacey Abrams on why gutting the US Voting Rights Act is ‘evil incarnate’

The Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965 last month, ruling in Louisiana v Callais that states cannot take race into account in redistricting. Southern states from Tennessee to Alabama rushed to wipe out majority-black districts, causing chaos in the midterm elections.

In our new podcast with Kai and Carter in the United States, co-host Kai Wright talks to voting rights activist and former Georgia state legislator Stacey Abrams about the ramifications of the decision and why Abrams, even now, thinks the way forward is to encourage more voters to participate in democracy.

• What’s in America with Kai and Carter? Guardian US’s new flagship video podcast, hosted by journalists Kai Wright and Carter Sherman. With new episodes three times a week, the program will bring to life the Guardian’s global perspective and unique perspective on America. Watch and listen now!

Senate appoints Kevin Warsh as Fed chairman, replacing Jerome Powell

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Kevin Warsh as chairman of the Federal Reserve, one of the most powerful roles in the federal government and one with enormous influence on the economy.

The 54-45 Senate vote was split along party lines, except for Democrat John Fetterman, who voted with Republicans in the most split confirmation vote for the position in history.

Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate banking committee, said she nominated Warsh as a “sock puppet” to help Donald Trump control interest rates.

• Will Warsh bow to Trump’s pressure to lower interest rates even further? The central bank has faced huge pressure from the Trump administration to cut rates, which are currently at 3.75%, even as inflation rose to 3.8% in April and the war in the Middle East continues. Warsh reiterated Trump’s call to lower interest rates but needs to convince other members of the Fed’s voting panel.

In other news…

• A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked U.S. sanctions against Francesca Albanese, the U.N. expert on Palestinian territories. It found that the Trump administration likely violated freedom of expression rights by implementing these measures after criticizing Israel’s war in Gaza.

• On Wednesday, the Senate narrowly rejected Democrats’ seventh attempt to end terrorism by a 50-49 vote. US war against Iran, a third Republican voted in favor.

• Britain’s leader Nigel Farage The populist Reform party faces investigation after receiving a £5 million ($6.75 million) gift from a crypto billionaire. The parliamentary standards watchdog will investigate whether Farage should have declared this.

Status of the day: Outcry as Utah approves 40,000-acre data center more than twice the size of Manhattan

The approval of one of the world’s largest data centers in Utah, covering an area more than twice the size of Manhattan, has sparked public outcry over the center’s high energy and water demands. The footprint of the Stratos AI data center will cover more than 40,000 acres across three areas and require approximately 9 GW of energy; That’s more than the entire state of Utah currently consumes.

Filter: Is the AeroPress coffee maker worth it? We tested every model

For Filter US, Joe Ray tested every coffee maker model from AeroPress. “Any AeroPress is a tinkerer’s delight, giving you control over the major axes of coffee making: grind size and amount, water volume and temperature, and brew time,” he writes.

Don’t miss this: Olivia Colman opens up about regrets triggered by new film Jimpa

In the new Jimpa movie, John Lithgow plays the gay father of Olivia Colman’s character in an intergenerational tale of homosexuality. Colman tells the Guardian why his father, who passed away shortly before filming, “sat and cried the whole movie”.

Climate control: How hot will it be at the 2026 World Cup and will it be dangerous for players and fans?

With the National Weather Service suggesting that everywhere in the United States will see above-historical average temperatures in June and July, we examined the meteorological conditions players may face as the 48 men’s national soccer teams arrive in the United States, Canada and Mexico for the World Cup.

Last Thing: Neutralize Nutria, Pet rodent dies of cancer as family fights government to protect him

Condolences poured in following the death of Neuty the nutria, a semi-aquatic rodent found as a baby by a Louisiana couple on Christmas Eve in 2020. They fought wildlife officials to keep him as a pet and launched a “free Neuty” petition that garnered more than 17,000 signatures. His owners said he passed away peacefully “on one of his favorite rugs.”

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