Trump Hosts Xi, Cancer Blood Test, & Best Math Countries

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Adam Rogers
September 25, 2026

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President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House on Thursday for their second summit this year as the world's two largest economies seek to stabilize relations. The leaders met privately for about 90 minutes during Xi's first White House visit in more than a decade.
The U.S. and China extended their trade truce by two months while negotiations continue over tariffs, Chinese purchases of rare-earth supplies, and technology restrictions. The summit produced no major breakthroughs on deeper disputes, including Taiwan, advanced chips, and China's relationship with Iran.
Xi called for competition between the countries to remain "within bounds" and urged greater communication to avoid military confrontation. He also said both countries should ensure AI remains under human control as Washington and Beijing explore a mechanism for notifying each other about major AI incidents.

An FDA advisory panel backed an experimental blood test that can screen for signs of more than 50 cancers at once. The panel voted 7-2 that Grail's Galleri test offers more potential benefits than risks for people 50 and older.
Galleri searches the blood for cancer-related DNA signals, including from dozens of cancers that have no routine screening test. A positive result requires further testing to confirm cancer, while a negative result doesn't rule it out. The test is already available for about $700 out of pocket and would supplement rather than replace existing cancer screenings.
In a study of 140,000 older adults, Galleri detected about one-third of cancers diagnosed over the following year and missed roughly two-thirds. Researchers also haven't shown that the test reduces cancer deaths. The FDA is expected to decide whether to approve it within several months.

An OpenAI model breached an Australian government website during an internal training exercise after encountering restrictions while searching for health spending data. The model bypassed the restrictions and accessed public and non-public files without being instructed to do so.
OpenAI discovered the activity during an August review but didn't notify Australia until Sept. 10, nearly three months after the June breach. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the incident "obviously unacceptable" and criticized the company for sending its initial notification to a generic government email inbox.
Australian officials said there is no evidence personal information was accessed, or other government systems were compromised. The government has launched a review involving its cybersecurity intelligence agency as researchers confront a broader problem of AI systems taking unintended actions during testing.

A powerful multi-day Nor'easter is expected to batter much of the East Coast this weekend with heavy rain, strong winds, and significant coastal flooding. (More)

Stanford acknowledged violating its own AI policy after using the technology to alter a university photo of students, including changing one student’s apparent race. (More)

CNN, MS NOW, and Politico reporters returned to the White House Thursday after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore their access. (More)

Danish intelligence warned Russia could launch a limited attack on a NATO country within months as Moscow intensifies hybrid operations across Europe. (More)

A Paris court jailed a clan leader for trafficking children as young as 10 who were forced to pickpocket tourists and faced abuse if they missed quotas. (More)

Lebanese authorities arrested an ISIS member accused of plotting to assassinate Pope Leo XIV during the pontiff’s visit to Lebanon last year. (More)

U.S. stock markets closed mixed on Thursday (S&P -0.02%, Nasdaq +0.01%, Dow -0.31%), rebounding from session lows after reports that the US and Iran are discussing a phased deal to end their conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. (More)

Starbucks will close about 250 locations across North America by the end of this week, accounting for roughly 1% of its stores in the region. (More)

Oracle shares fell 5% Thursday after the company moved to shield itself from higher expenses and delayed payments tied to its New Mexico data center project. (More)

The U.S. opened the Presidents Cup with a 3-2 advantage Thursday, winning three of five four-ball matches. (More)

White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery tied MLB’s single-season strikeout record Thursday with his 223rd of the year. Chicago also clinched its first playoff berth in five seasons with the 9-1 win over Kansas City. (More)

Pete Crow-Armstrong became the seventh player in MLB history to record 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season after swiping his 40th Thursday. (More)

A study of nearly 50,000 Chinese adults found parents with only daughters were happier than those with only sons, especially in two-child families. (More)

Aging makes communication between nerves and muscles less reliable, and partially blocking the protein ClC-1 restored muscle responsiveness and strength in an animal model. (More)

Scientists studying Tonga’s massive 2022 eruption found that rapid underwater caldera collapses can amplify tsunamis, suggesting even relatively small undersea volcanoes may pose major tsunami risks. (More)

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