Friday morning news: October 31, 2025

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Trump-Xi meeting » President Trump says the United States is making big progress with China on trade, after his face to face meeting on Thursday with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One:

TRUMP:  I thought it was an amazing meeting. He's a great leader and uh, it was an outstanding group of decisions. I think that was made. A lot of decisions were made.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called the progress—his words— “an opportunity to reset the relationship … in terms of mutual respect.”

 BESSENT: The mood in the room was one of great respect, but also, uh, between two men who knew each other quite well and knew what they were getting into.

The White House says China has agreed to hold off for one year on new controls on the export of rare earth minerals. And Washington is halting plans to double tariffs on Chinese goods.

What’s more, Trump says he has decided to lower his combined tariff rates on imports of Chinese goods from 57% to 47% and Beijing agrees to buy large quantities of US soybeans and to take steps to fight fentanyl trafficking.

Bessent said final signatures on those agreements could come as soon as next week.

Trump nuke testing » President Trump on Thursday said the Pentagon will restart nuclear weapons testing for the first time in decades.

Trump claims that countries like Russia and China are testing their nuclear stockpiles, so the United States needs to keep up.

TRUMP: We have more than anybody. When I see them testing, I say, well, they're going to test, I guess we have to test. I'd like to see a denuclearization.

The United States stopped testing nukes in 1992, after the end of the Cold War as part of a global push to curb the arms race and move toward a test-ban treaty.

The U.S., Russia, and China all paused nuclear tests but never fully committed to a treaty

Both Russia and China insist they haven't been testing nuclear weapons. And the Kremlin says if any country begins such testing, Russia will follow suit.

Israel latest » In Jerusalem:

SOUND: Israel protest

Tens of thousands of men flooded the streets Thursday to protest plans to draft them into the military.

For decades, the Heredi or "ultra-Orthodox" Jews who are full-time seminary students were exempt from the mandatory military service required of other Israeli citizens. But Israel's high court in 2017 struck down those exemptions as unconstitutional.

Israel's parliament is set to discuss legislation on the topic next week.

Baruch Debchic was one of the demonstrators:

DEBCHIC: We very much appreciate all the soldiers who do everything and risk their lives, and do everything else, even those who don't risk their lives, to do everything we need to protect the state. But there is a complete lack of appreciation of the creative community and what the Torah learners do.

But counter-protester David Sherez said it's time for the ultra-Orthodox to do their part:

SHEREZ: I'm here today on behalf of all the reservists, all the soldiers, all of the people who were injured in this war, all the families who lost their beloveds. To tell my brothers, the Haredim, join us.

He said there is no contradiction between serving in the Army and studying Torah.

The demonstration shut down major roads leading into Jerusalem, and dozens were injured in confrontations with police. 

Hurricane Melissa aftermath » Communities across the northern Caribbean are now coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

Officials report  catastrophic scenes all over Jamaica. The Montego Bay Airport is severely damaged. Many hillsides are bald after trees were ripped from the ground.

Dennis Zulu is the U.N.’s Resident Coordinator in Jamaica.

ZULU: It has been tremendous, unprecedented devastation of infrastructure, of property, roads, network connectivity, energy has been lost across its path.

Kingston Airport is beginning to reopen with emergency aid landing on the island.

The historic Category 5 storm killed at least 19 people and left many without homes, power or communication.

In Cuba, heavy equipment is clearing roads and the military is assisting isolated communities. However, no deaths have been reported there.

In Haiti, dozens were dead or missing after catastrophic flooding.

Teen wins religious liberty battle with Colorado school district » In Colorado, a high school student this week won her fight to include a Christian design in her painted parking spot. WORLD’s Benjamin Eicher reports.

BENJAMIN EICHER: Rampart High School in Colorado Springs lets seniors decorate their reserved parking spaces—but only with school approval.

And the school rejected Senior Sophia Shumaker’s artwork.

Inspired by Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep, it depicted a shepherd holding a staff, along with a Scripture reference to 1 Corinthians 13:4.

But the district has reversed its policy against religious symbolism after the nonprofit First Liberty Institute sent a legal demand letter arguing the ban violated Shumaker’s First Amendment rights.

Students are now allowed to include religious symbols or messages in their designs.

Shumaker calls the experience a lesson in standing up for what’s right.

For WORLD, I’m Benjamin Eicher.

Five more arrests in Louvre heist » In France, authorities have tightened the dragnet around the Louvre museum thieves, arresting five more people in connection with the recent crown-jewels heist.

Authorities have now arrested seven suspects in total, at least two of whom have reportedly admitted some involvement in the crime.

But the stolen loot, valued at more than $100 million dollars, remained missing as of last night.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Culture Friday with John Stonestreet. Plus, your listener feedback for the month of October.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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