New details indicate Elon Musk has been in regular communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin since late 2022, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Journal reports that Musk’s conversations with Putin have included personal, business and geopolitical topics. Those conversations raised questions about national security due to Musk’s role in U.S. space operations and…

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged more than $50 billion in financial support to Africa over the next three years, aiming to expand China’s economic influence and strengthen development partnerships across the continent. The announcement was made during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Beijing on Thursday, Sept. 5, where leaders from more than…

China is set to impose stricter regulations on producing the chemicals that make up fentanyl, according to the White House, which called the move a “valuable step forward.” For years, the U.S. government has put pressure on Beijing to counter the fentanyl crisis. The drug chemicals are produced in China, then sold to Mexican cartels…

A newly released video, leaked by The Daily Beast, shows former President Donald Trump in a golf cart discussing U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In the video, Trump suggested that Biden would likely drop out of the presidential race. Trump said he will likely face Harris in…

Xi Jinping accused the U.S. of provoking Chinese military into attacking Taiwan. A report by Financial Times said that statement is Xi’s first known statement to a foreign leader about the U.S. trying to provoke Beijing into invading Taiwan. The report said Xi shared his thoughts on the issue with European Commission President Ursula von…

Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to China as he looks to strengthen ties between the two countries, and Slovakia’s prime minister is seriously wounded during an assassination attempt. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, May 16, 2024. Putin meets with Xi in China as two countries look to strengthen ties Russian…

Apple’s iPhone sales are getting crushed in China. Sales of the smartphone dropped 19% in the first three months of 2024, the worst showing since COVID-19 hit. Meanwhile, sales from the Chinese smartphone maker Huawei surged nearly 70%, according to Counterpoint research.  China remains one of the biggest markets for Apple but the company has…

San Francisco Mayor London Breed, D, announced on Friday, April 19, that San Francisco is getting two giant pandas from China. Currently, there are only four Chinese panda bears in the U.S. Each panda is currently located at Atlanta’s zoo but they are set to return to China later this year. “San Francisco is absolutely…

On March 5, China’s National People’s Congress, the nation’s highest legislative body, commenced a week of meetings aimed at providing insights into the government’s plans for the upcoming year. In addressing Taiwan, a self-ruling island democracy that China claims as its territory, Chinese Premier Li Qiang reiterated the official stance on “reunification” as part of…

Just months after some of the few remaining pandas in U.S. zoos were sent back to China with tensions between the two nations mounting, panda diplomacy is returning. The China Wildlife Conservation Association signed an agreement to send two giant pandas, a male and a female, to the San Diego Zoo. The announcement came months…