President Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a summit heavy on ceremony and light on outcomes, concealing major disagreements on trade, technology and Beijing’s support for Iran (on.wsj.com)
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill has called for the resignation of Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell after an independent investigation found he repeatedly violated state policy (on.wsj.com)
The White House is pressing China about suspected nuclear tests in confidential talks, and GOP lawmakers squashed the latest measure to end the Iran War. Read more in today’s What’s News newsletter: (on.wsj.com)
The Trump administration has been quietly holding talks with China about its rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal amid doubts over Beijing’s compliance with a 30-year test ban, U.S. officials said (on.wsj.com)
A pro-Trump ad that said it was paid for by the U.S. government aired on Fox News in major TV markets. Ethics experts said it could violate federal law. (on.wsj.com)
The Predator Catcher Turns Predatory in “Primetime” - A dazzling, wolfish performance from Robert Pattinson anchors Lance Oppenheim’s period piece about the rise and fall of a reality-TV host. (www.newyorker.com)
The Sublime Somi Bridges African and Western Jazz - Also: David Greenspan and Lupita Nyong’o onstage, the found-object art of Narcissister, a Hong Kong-born filmmaker’s exploration of family history, and more. (www.newyorker.com)
“Resident Evil” Is Fun, but Soulless. What Else Could It Be? - Zach Cregger has made a great video-game movie, in part by leaving out the things that make a Zach Cregger movie great. (www.newyorker.com)
The Week Republicans Finally Panicked About Trump - The President’s party, facing a midterm reckoning, is begging for a way out of his Iran-war doom loop. (www.newyorker.com)
Gut Renos of Ionesco and Chekhov - In “Delirium” and “The Cherry Orchard,” experimental directors smash up and rebuild classic plays. (www.newyorker.com)
What Survival Stories Tell Us (and Should We Listen?) - Tales of human resilience in nature bring the thrill of the wild to the comfort of the couch. In our hyper-developed day and age, why do we return to stripped-down tales of survival? (www.newyorker.com)
There Is No A.I. “Race” - We’re constantly told that Chinese advances would have catastrophic consequences. But the first to innovate is rarely the one who wins. (www.newyorker.com)
How MAHA Tore One Family Apart - As measles cases reach a thirty-five-year high, disagreements over vaccines are putting new strains on families—and bringing the politics of MAHA into the home. (www.newyorker.com)
“NAZA” Puts Israel Face to Face with the War in Gaza - In this documentary, Israeli military and intelligence sources reveal systems, policies, and practices that have resulted in high numbers of civilian deaths and widespread destruction. (www.newyorker.com)
What China’s Vibe-Coding Capital Can Tell Us About the A.I. Boom - Tech workers have flocked to Liangzhu, a small town outside Hangzhou, looking to escape China’s corporate culture and build their future with A.I. (www.newyorker.com)
An OpenAI Engineer and His Friends Debate the Future - In Brent Katz’s short documentary “Josh’s Wedding,” a group of groomsmen reckon with a technology that one of them is building. (www.newyorker.com)
Kate Atkinson’s Obsession with History - “Our Noble Selves,” the author’s latest novel, is an object-obbsessed murder mystery, of a sort. (www.newyorker.com)
The Worlds That Donald Trump and Xi Jinping Want - As the President stages a gala welcome for the Chinese leader, it appears that, in curious ways, the two men mirror each other. (www.newyorker.com)
Is Trump’s Latest Press Attack Just Another Distraction? - After CNN, MS NOW, and Politico were barred from the White House, the entire TV press pool announced a boycott of the President. (www.newyorker.com)
Annie Dillard’s Subject Was the Whole World - We met decades after “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek” took her from the slush pile to literary celebrity, in a flash. (www.newyorker.com)
Even Ed Sheeran’s Apology Took Both Sides - After allowing Macklemore to be removed from his tour for pro-Palestinian remarks, the pop star took the stage in Philadelphia alone, said he was sorry, and then apologized for apologizing. (www.newyorker.com)
Some Ways A.I. Might Do It - A.I. tells fifty per cent of people that knee-high socks are in and the other fifty per cent that no-show socks are in, and everyone dies in the Sock Wars. (www.newyorker.com)
The Lost Descendants of Thomas Jefferson - Scientists have new proof that the President had children with his enslaved chambermaid Sally Hemings—and that their bloodline endures across the country. (www.newyorker.com)