The U.S. and China cut tariffs. And, what's expected from Trump's Middle East trip

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Today's apical stories

The U.S. and China person reached an statement to importantly trim tariffs imposed connected each other's goods weeks earlier. This determination comes aft commercialized negotiators from some countries met successful Switzerland implicit the weekend. American tariffs connected Chinese goods volition alteration from a minimum of 145% to a basal complaint of 30% for an archetypal play of 90 days. Meanwhile, Chinese tariffs connected American goods volition driblet from a minimum of 125% to 10%.

A pistillate walks past Chinese and United States' nationalist flags connected show astatine a merchandise store successful Beijing. Andy Wong/AP hide caption

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Andy Wong/AP

This morning, President Trump leaves for a four-day travel to the Middle East, his archetypal large overseas sojourn of his 2nd term. His journey, which includes stops successful Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, is expected to beryllium little astir brokering bid and much astir making concern deals. Among those deals, the Trump medication is successful talks with the Qatari authorities astir accepting a luxury Boeing 747 airplane. The caller level could temporarily service arsenic Air Force One.

• 🎧 The travel is expected to person a batch of commerce and taste exchanges that are focused connected strengthening ties to the region, NPR's Franco Ordoñez tells Up First. The 3 countries are expected to effort to outdo themselves to invited the president, said Steven Cook with the Council connected Foreign Relations. The warfare successful Gaza is apt to beryllium a speech during the visit, but it is expected to hap down closed doors. Cook says the countries are showering Trump with lavish attraction to insulate themselves from other pressure the U.S. whitethorn enforce connected them to instrumentality enactment connected Gaza.

Today, Hamas is expected to merchandise a dual U.S.-Israeli national who has been held hostage successful Gaza. Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli soldier, was captured portion connected work during the Hamas onslaught connected Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023. He is the last remaining American citizen held by Hamas successful Gaza who is believed to inactive beryllium alive. His merchandise is the effect of concealed talks betwixt the U.S. and Hamas.

• 🎧 NPR's Daniel Estrin, who is presently successful downtown Tel Aviv, says Israelis are opening to stitchery successful what is known arsenic Hostage Square successful hopes of seeing Alexander's imminent release. Alexander's ma is flying into Israel with Trump's envoy, Adam Boehler, to greet her lad upon his release. A Hamas authoritative said the U.S. made promises successful exchange for Alexander's release, which could see freeing immoderate Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Israel says it's not expected to springiness thing for Alexander's return. In Israel, Estrin says galore are aggravated that Trump is achieving results portion their leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, is not.

Life Advice

Female manus holds a wireless microphone fhm/Getty Images hide caption

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fhm/Getty Images

Karaoke isn't astir being perfect. But you bash privation a opus you bask and cognize good capable to propulsion disconnected onstage. Life Kit heard from karaoke enthusiasts connected how to prime a banger that volition bring down the house.

• 🎤 Choose a mainstream opus that everyone knows. This volition let different radical to sing along, truthful you are not successful beforehand of a quiescent crowd.
• 🎤 Use assemblage language, from pumping your fist to shaking your hips, to amusement your emotion for the song.
• 🎤 You don't person to cognize each the words to the song; however, knowing the melody volition help. You request to cognize however the words you are singing acceptable the song.

For much guidance connected however to beryllium a prima connected the mic astatine karaoke, listen to this occurrence of NPR's Life Kit. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for adept proposal connected love, money, relationships and more.

Picture Show

A Dashchund reclines connected a miniature custom-made canine prima lounger beside the excavation astatine Vienna's Village luxury canine edifice and daycare successful Cape Town, South Africa. Despite wide poverty, galore chronic societal issues and 1 of the world's highest execution rates, the metropolis is location to a booming luxury favored edifice industry. Tommy Trenchard for NPR hide caption

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Tommy Trenchard for NPR

Luxury favored hotels person made their mode to South Africa, and they're thriving. However, portion pooches unrecorded lavishly astatine the accommodations, critics are sounding the alarm. According to the World Bank, South Africa remains the world's astir unequal country. Millions of radical unrecorded beneath the poorness line, and hold times for nationalist lodging tin beryllium decades long. Goats and Soda had a look wrong the Superwoof Dog Hotel successful Cape Town, wherever the guests' tails were wagging arsenic they splashed successful a shallow plunge excavation and chased aft balls. From the skydeck of the hotel, a nighttime structure for the stateless sits successful the foreground. Check retired what the squad saw and heard from radical successful the community.

3 things to cognize earlier you go

Linwood Riddick, who turns 80 connected Monday, accepts his bachelor's grade astatine South Carolina State University connected Friday May 9th. Sam Watson/South Carolina State University hide caption

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Sam Watson/South Carolina State University

1. Linwood Riddick, a Vietnam seasoned and erstwhile businessman, graduated from South Carolina State University successful Orangeburg, S.C., connected Friday, conscionable before his 80th birthday.
2. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first at-home alternative to the Pap smear successful the U.S. The device, developed by Teal Health, promises a "much preferred experience," according to the company.
3. Due to concerns astir a flesh-eating parasite called the New World screwworm, U.S. officials person suspended each imports of unrecorded cattle, horses, and bison crossed the Southern border.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.