Delighted to feature on this week’s @TheSpectator @spectator Americano podcast with @Freddygray31 discussing all things China, US, and China’s relations with North Korea. Watch here: piped.video/watch?v=dD8fd8… Listen here: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcas…

First readout from China on Trump-Xi summit. English translation first then Chinese. WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump held talks at the White House on the morning of Sept. 24 local time. Xi Jinping pointed out that the reciprocal visits between the two heads of state in less than six months are unprecedented in the history of China-U.S. relations. President Trump and I have maintained communication through various means, jointly steering the ship of China-U.S. relations. In May of this year, President Trump and I unanimously decided to build a constructive strategic and stable relationship between China and the United States. This new positioning reflects the reality of China-U.S. relations and embodies expectations for the future, representing an important step towards a correct path for the two countries to coexist. We must translate this vision into action, striving towards a direction of cooperation as the mainstay, competition with moderation, controllable differences, and a promising future, forging a correct path for the two major powers to coexist. China and the United States should and can fully achieve mutual benefit and win-win results through pragmatic cooperation, achieve mutual success through healthy competition, properly handle differences while seeking common ground and reserving differences, and build peace by accumulating mutual trust, so that a constructive strategic and stable relationship between China and the United States can better benefit the people of both countries and the people of the world. Xi Jinping emphasized that the new round of consultations between the two sides' economic and trade teams resulted in a new joint arrangement, which is good news for industries, people, and the global economy of both countries. Cooperation is a two-way street; the stability of China-US economic and trade relations requires both extending the list of cooperation areas and narrowing the list of issues. As long as we uphold the spirit of equality, respect, and mutual benefit, we can find a way to resolve problems. He hoped that both sides would meet each other halfway, adhere to a win-win approach, and promote the continued stable and positive development of China-US economic and trade relations. Xi Jinping pointed out that both China and the US are major powers in artificial intelligence. While there is competition, there is also the potential for cooperation. Both sides should leverage their respective strengths rather than be defensive towards each other. The two sides can continue to conduct dialogues on artificial intelligence, exchange views on its risks and benefits, and jointly prevent the misuse and abuse of artificial intelligence. We must maintain human control over artificial intelligence technology, uphold a people-centered and benevolent approach, and ensure that artificial intelligence serves human progress. Xi Jinping stressed that China's position on safeguarding national unity and territorial integrity is very clear. He hoped that the US would adhere to its correct position against "Taiwan independence," handle the Taiwan issue prudently, and lay a solid foundation for China-US strategic cooperation and the development of bilateral relations. President Trump stated that President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States was a great visit. Both the US and China are major powers, and President Xi and I are good friends, maintaining in-depth and close communication. Under our leadership, US-China relations will certainly improve. The two countries' economic and trade teams achieved new results in a new round of consultations, and both sides should continue dialogue to reach better agreements. Artificial intelligence concerns the future of humanity, and the US and China should maintain dialogue and strengthen cooperation on this issue. The two heads of state also exchanged views on major international and regional issues such as the situation in the Middle East, the Ukraine crisis, and the Korean Peninsula. The two heads of state confirmed their mutual support for successfully hosting the 2026 APEC Leaders' Informal Meeting and the G20 Leaders' Summit. Cai Qi, Wang Yi, He Lifeng, and others participated.

Exclusive with @EllenAMilligan UK officials say it is unclear how the Chagos Islands deal can be reworked despite Andy Burnham saying he’s reviewing it and Wes Streeting saying it isn’t good enough Burnham and his team do not know how or even if they can reconfigure the agreement, the officials said That means despite the ‘review’ announced at UNGA, in reality there is currently no prospect of a deal proceeding under Trump, as Ellen reported earlier this week A senior British official warns it would not be in the UK’s long-term national interest to drop the deal. They caution ministers against publicly criticising the agreement, as Streeting did earlier, because the UK would likely pursue it again in future So where does that leave Chagos and Burnham’s ‘review’ of the deal after Trump called it “terrible”? It appears the PM has in reality kicked it into the long grass until there is a new president That leaves the vitally important base in legal limbo for years bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

‘It is a terrible deal.’ President Donald Trump blasts the Chagos Islands deal, in his first meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham has reassured Mauritius that the UK is still committed to the Chagos Islands deal It comes after Mauritius threatened to sue the Government over the delay

🚨 BREAKING: Andy Burnham suggests he won't cut benefits to pay for defence spending "National security cannot come at the expense of social security" #PMQs

MAHIYA NAMAN KAYO | Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. responded to a note from the Chinese side during the Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD) 2026 in Seoul, Republic of Korea. #DNDPHL #DiKaPasisiil #SDD2026

The UK will stand up for what is right.

But look, all those of you who are so incensed that St Paul's Cathedral should be used for reasons other than worship: by all means argue that it should forgo the huge tourist revenue it receives every year. What after all is Christian about that?

Union chief Jo Grady warns Labour against focusing on defence spending, telling @skynews dealing with climate change is more important: 'Real security is not going to be delivered by investing more money in Nato...'

Fabric. St Paul’s Cathedral. Name a more iconic duo. Bringing together these two institutions will create a one-of-a-kind experience, pairing world-class music with one of our most special landmarks. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy8z…

Question: how much media coverage will be consecrated to examining “ theologian and philosopher” James Orr’s position at Cambridge compared to Jason Arday’s? A pile-on of similar scale?

Jason Arday’s death is very sad. However by far the main issue here, in fact all the main issues, are - 100% predictably - being left largely unaddressed by this inquiry. Namely, the virtually all-dominant nature of intellectually bankrupt, activist-style, cultish progressive dogma within the most elite universities in the world. Everything else - the DEI hiring, the ridiculous promotion of people who are patently wildly unqualified to the most eminent positions imaginable, the lack of scrutiny or critical analysis of those people’s output - and so on, flows directly from that ideological capture. These institutions are absolutely incapable of understanding this fact, because they are largely made up of people who build entire careers by peddling the very dogma I’m describing. So instead they react as they always have and always will, by creating a victim narrative in which the ‘real problem’ is them and their staff being oppressed by everyone else. And in which they bow to the perma-outraged woke-activist sections of their own staff and student body. I am a former Cambridge student, and am speaking to *many* academics who are sick of what’s going on. Follow on here for updates.