Friday morning news: May 15, 2026

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Trump China » Air Force One is heading home to Washington this morning, President Trump wrapping up two days of meetings in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

The tone was decidedly warm, with Trump receiving a grand red carpet welcome, for which Trump thanked Xi and offered this toast at a state banquet:

TRUMP: I'd now like to raise a glass and propose a toast to the rich and enduring ties between the American and Chinese people. It's a very special relationship, and I want to thank you again. This has been an amazing period of time. Thank you, President Xi.

But behind the smiles and handshakes, tensions remained.

Xi Jinping warned President Trump that the U.S. and China could clash over Taiwan—saying that the relationship hangs on how it's handled. Beijing claims the self-ruled island is Chinese property.

On Iran, Trump says the Chinese leader pledged that his country won't arm Tehran. And the White House says both leaders also agreed Iran can never have a nuclear weapon—and that the Strait of Hormuz must stay open.

And Trump told Fox News:

TRUMP: He did offer, he said, "If I can be of any help at all, I would like to be of help." / He did say that. / Yeah, he did say that. And look, anybody that buys that much oil has obviously got some kind of a relationship with him.

But Beijing offered no specifics on pressuring Iran. China is Tehran's biggest oil customer.

On trade, Trump says China agreed to buy 200 Boeing jets—plus more American soybeans, oil, and gas.

Trump also invited Xi to visit the White House in September.

Strait of Hormuz latest » Meantime in the Strait of Hormuz, hijackers seized a tanker off the cost of the United Arab Emirates Thursday, and steered it toward Iran. 

WORLD’s Benjamin Eicher has more.

BENJAMIN EICHER: It's the latest flashpoint in the strait, which Iran has kept effectively closed for nearly three months.

A day earlier, an Indian-flagged cargo ship sank off of Oman's coast after an attack set it ablaze. Oman's coast guard rescued all 14 crew members.

Iran has not claimed either incident, but Iranian Vice President Mohammadreza Aref said Thursday, the strait belongs to Iran and Tehran will not give it up "at any price."

Iran's judiciary asserted Thursday that Tehran has the legal right to seize any tanker tied to the U.S.

For WORLD, I’m Benjamin Eicher.

Senate Centcom hearing » And in Washington, America's top Middle East commander pushed back Thursday on reports that Iran's missile force is still mostly intact.

Admiral Brad Cooper—head of U.S. Central Command—testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

A recent New York Times report cited U.S. intelligence, saying Tehran held onto about 70 percent of its missiles and mobile launchers from before the war.

COOPER: The numbers that I've seen in open source are not accurate. I think what also, uh, is not taken into consideration, it's more than just the numbers. It's the command and control that's been shattered.

Cooper said U.S. and Israeli strikes destroyed 90 percent of Iran's defense industrial base, and that Tehran will not be able to rebuild what's been lost for years to come.

COOPER: Most notably, we degraded Iran's ability to project power outside its borders and threaten the region and threaten our interests.

And Cooper added that Iran's terror proxies—Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis—no longer get weapons or support from Tehran.

Ukraine latest » In Ukraine:

SOUND: [Overnight attack]

Explosions heard overnight Thursday, as officials say Russia hammered Ukraine for a third straight day with drone and missile attacks.

Authorities say at least nine people were killed with dozens injured after Russian attacks demolished an apartment building in Kyiv.

SOUND: [Rescue crews]

By morning, rescuers were removing bodies from the rubble.

ZELENSKYY: [Speaking Ukrainian]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the weapon used in that attack was a KH-101 missile which was manufactured in the second quarter of this year. He accused Russia of circumventing global sanctions in order to make the missile.

SCOTUS abortion drugs » The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday evening kept in place an order that allows companies to continue mailing abortion drugs to women across the country. 

WORLD’s Lauren Canterberry has more.

LAUREN CANTERBERRY: The Supreme Court voted Thursday to keep mail-order mifepristone in place. The decision came after nearly two weeks of deliberation.

On May 1st, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled that the FDA's mail-order policy was harming the state of Louisiana and plaintiff Rosalie Markezich, whose ex-boyfriend used the mail to coerce her into an abortion.

Plaintiffs say the policy is a loophole for abusive partners and blocks states from enforcing pro-life laws.

Sarah Zagorski of Americans United for Life:

ZAGORSKI: What's at stake here is a scheme to undermine the Dobbs decision.

CANTERBERRY: Mifepristone makers Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro had asked the high court to block the 5th Circuit's order.

But Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented, saying the drug companies thrived before mail-order pills and are now breaking federal law by shipping them directly to women.

The case now heads back to the 5th Circuit, while women and babies remain unprotected.

Reporting for WORLD, I'm Lauren Canterberry.

And I'm Kent Covington.

Coming up, more on that Supreme Court ruling allowing distribution of mail-order abortion drugs. Plus, a cultural phenomenon returns to theaters 40 years later.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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