While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Sept 16, 2025
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US President Donald Trump is expected to speak with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Sept 19.
PHOTOS: KENNY HOLSTON/NYTIMES, REUTERS
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Trump to speak to Xi on Sept 19 with TikTok framework reached
US President Donald Trump said he would speak on Sept 19 with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, following talks between negotiators from the world’s two largest economies in recent days that resulted in a framework deal to keep ByteDance’s TikTok app running in the US.
“I will be speaking to President Xi on Friday. The relationship remains a very strong one!!!,” Mr Trump said in a post on social media on Sept 15.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters after Mr Trump’s post – as discussions in Madrid wrapped up – that a framework to keep the TikTok app running in the US had been reached and that Mr Trump and Mr Xi would speak to complete the deal. The terms of the blueprint remain unclear.
“President Trump and party Chair Xi (Jinping) will speak on Friday to complete the deal, but we do have a framework for the deal with TikTok,” Mr Bessent said. “I think the framework is for it to switch to US-controlled ownership.”
China’s former climate envoy to meet with EU to revive flailing UN pact
PHOTO: REUTERS
China's former veteran climate envoy, who previously secured two pivotal climate agreements with the United States, will meet with the EU's top green transition official on Sept 16 to resuscitate flailing international climate negotiations ahead of the COP30 summit in Brazil, three sources told Reuters.
Mr Xie Zhenhua, who retired at the end of COP28 climate talks in Dubai in late 2023, will visit Brussels on Sept 16 to meet with Ms Teresa Ribera, executive vice-president of the European Commission for a Clean, Just, and Competitive Transition.
He will urge the EU to announce more ambitious climate goals and coordinate joint diplomatic efforts ahead of a preliminary climate meeting at UN headquarters on Sept 24.
Trump and J.D. Vance vow to probe groups on the left after Charlie Kirk’s death
Vice-President J.D. Vance pledged to investigate left-leaning organisations following the killing of Charlie Kirk, amplifying efforts to memorialise the conservative activist and laying the groundwork for federally scrutinising political opponents that some administration officials and supporters have blamed in part for his death.
Mr Vance took the helm of Mr Kirk’s show on Sept 15 to host a two-hour broadcast from the vice-president’s office in Washington, mixing tributes to the late activist and accusations that the death stemmed from the rhetoric of left-leaning and progressive groups.
“We have to talk about this incredibly destructive movement of left-wing extremism that has grown up over the last few years and I believe is part of the reason why Charlie was killed by an assassin’s bullet. We’re going to talk about how to dismantle that,” Mr Vance said on the show.
Spain’s PM calls for Israel to be barred from international sport over Gaza
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Sept 15 called for Israel to be barred from international sport over the Gaza war, as it emerged his government had also cancelled an US$825 million (S$1 billion) military contract with the country.
Mr Sanchez expressed “deep admiration” for thousands of protesters who forced the halt of the final stage of the Vuelta a Espana, one of the world’s biggest cycling races, in Spain on Sept 14.
He said Israel should be penalised just as Russia was over its invasion of Ukraine – angering Israel, which had a team in the race, as well as Spanish conservatives.
Swede Armand Duplantis sets pole vault record as he retains world title
PHOTO: EPA
The World Athletics Championships were, not for the first time, the Armand “Mondo” Duplantis show on Sept 15 as the Swede set a world record of 6.30 metres to retain his world title in Tokyo.
He kept the drama going to the end at the Japan National Stadium – after the 25-year-old retained his crown, he went on to break the world record for the 14th time, on his third and final attempt.
The 53,000-strong crowd had stayed rooted to their seats even though the action on the track had ended long before.
