While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Nov 25, 2025

China’s Xi tells Trump Taiwan’s ‘return’ key to post-war order

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Nov 24 held their first talks since agreeing to a tariff truce in October, discussing trade, Taiwan and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Mr Trump said the telephone call was “very good” and that the leaders spoke about purchases of soybeans and other farm products as well as curbing shipments of illegal fentanyl. The US president said he agreed to visit Beijing in April, and that he had invited Mr Xi for a state visit in 2026.

“Our relationship with China is extremely strong!” Mr Trump posted on social media. “There has been significant progress on both sides in keeping our agreements current and accurate. Now we can set our sights on the big picture.”

Mr Xi told Mr Trump that the return of Taiwan to China is a key part of the post-World War II international order, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement. The Chinese leader also said the two countries should keep the positive momentum generated during their meeting in October in South Korea and expand cooperation, the statement said.

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US and Kyiv discuss reworked plan to end war in Ukraine

US and Ukrainian officials sought on Nov 24 to narrow the gaps between them over a plan to end the war in Ukraine, after agreeing to modify a US proposal that Kyiv and its European allies saw as a Kremlin wish list.

In a joint statement, Washington and Kyiv said they had drafted a “refined peace framework” after talks in Geneva on Nov 23. Though there were no specifics, the dialogue received a cautious welcome from some of Ukraine’s allies.

Ukraine’s delegation to the talks with US officials in Switzerland was returning home on Nov 24 to report back, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

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US judge tosses criminal cases against ex-FBI chief, New York A-G

A federal judge on Nov 24 dismissed criminal charges against two perceived adversaries of President Donald Trump – FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney-General Letitia James – ruling that the US attorney he hand picked to prosecute them was unlawfully appointed.

The ruling throws out two cases Mr Trump had publicly called for as he pressured Justice Department leaders to move against high-profile figures who had criticised him and led investigations into his conduct.

Ms Lindsey Halligan, a former personal lawyer to Mr Trump, was named interim US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia in September to take over both investigations despite having no previous prosecutorial experience.

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US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to end operation

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US- and Israeli-backed private organisation that provided aid for Palestinians in Gaza but was criticised by the UN, said on Nov 24 it was ending its mission.

“The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) today announced the successful completion of its emergency mission in Gaza after delivering more than 187 million free meals directly to civilians living in Gaza,” the group said in a statement.

GHF was tasked with managing aid distribution points in the Gaza Strip in May, effectively supplanting the UN after Israel placed tight restrictions on international aid agencies.

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Amazon probed in Italy over alleged smuggling of Chinese goods

Italian police raided two Amazon sites on Nov 24 as part of a growing investigation into alleged customs and tax fraud involving Chinese imports, three sources with direct knowledge of the case said.

Prosecutors suspect the e-commerce giant acted like a “Trojan horse”, bringing Chinese goods into Italy without paying sales taxes or customs duties, according to a court document seen by Reuters.

The scheme could have cost the state hundreds of millions of euros and may extend across the European Union, sources said.

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