Xi still won’t talk

China, the US, Ukraine, Russia, Iran, Israel, Palestine, and Haiti.

"This is Haiyan speaking", anonymous, c. 1974, poster, private collection, Florida.

The five things you need to know today:

• CHINA. UNITED STATES. Trump wants a deal, but won’t climb down.

• UKRAINE. RUSSIA. The White House boosts the Kremlin’s narrative.

• IRAN. RUSSIA. Putin offers to intercede on Washington’s behalf.

• ISRAEL. PALESTINE. Haredi parties threaten to trigger an election, again.

• HAITI. Port-au-Prince resorts to extreme measures.

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CHINA. UNITED STATES. Call pleas

Trump wants a deal, but won’t climb down.

US steel and aluminium tariffs of 50% began Wednesday as automakers warned of production halts due to China’s rare earth restrictions. Donald Trump posted that Xi Jinping was "very tough, and extremely hard to make a deal with."

INTELLIGENCE. Trump's post to Truth Social, made at 2 am and mostly in caps, was his latest attempt to engage with Xi. Yet amid other irritants, such as Marco Rubio's comments on Tiananmen and the latest salvo against Chinese students at Harvard (where Xi's daughter allegedly studied), China’s president won’t pick up the phone. Trump can’t back down either. Accusations that “Trump always chickens out” (i.e. TACO) are harming his credibility in other areas.

FOR BUSINESS. The so-called TACO trade is forcing Trump to act tougher than usual in budget negotiations with the Senate (made more difficult as former aide Elon Musk joins the opposition), and on trade with other countries, even if this is ultimately self-harming. Trade hawks like Howard Lutnick are taking advantage, telling Vietnam not to expect reprieves and demanding others make their final best offers. Canada said Wednesday it was preparing reprisals.

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UKRAINE. RUSSIA. Threat amplifier

The White House boosts the Kremlin’s narrative.

Donald Trump said he and Vladimir Putin "discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes" Wednesday and Russia "will have to respond". Trump adviser Keith Kellogg said Ukraine's operations against the assets "really concerned me."

INTELLIGENCE. The US embassy in Kyiv warned of "significant air attacks" Wednesday as the Kremlin urged the US