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The United States and China completed the first day of high-level trade talks in Madrid on Sunday, addressing strained economic ties and the looming deadline for TikTok’s Chinese parent to sell its US operations, Reuters reported.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and senior negotiator Li Chenggang at Spain’s Palacio de Santa Cruz.

While no major breakthroughs are expected, officials signaled the TikTok deadline, due September 17, may be extended. Broader issues such as tariffs, export controls, and agricultural trade are likely being saved for a potential Trump-Xi summit later this year.

At the same time, Washington is urging G7 allies to impose tariffs on China and India over their Russian oil purchases, aiming to curb Moscow’s revenues and push it toward peace talks on Ukraine, according to Reuters.

Talks will continue Monday, followed by joint press briefings.

Israel has intensified air strikes on Gaza City, flattening dozens of buildings and forcing thousands to flee. The push is aimed at seizing what Israel calls Hamas’s last stronghold, Reuters reported.

The escalation coincided with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s arrival in Israel, where he is pressing for the release of remaining hostages and discussing Gaza’s future reconstruction.

Tensions have deepened after Israel struck Hamas leaders in Doha, an attack that stalled ceasefire talks. Arab and Islamic leaders are set to meet in Qatar for an emergency summit on the crisis.

Five US F-35 fighter jets landed at the former Roosevelt Roads base in Puerto Rico, part of a military buildup ordered by President Donald Trump to support counter-drug operations in the Caribbean. The arrival follows visits by top Pentagon officials and comes alongside helicopters, Osprey aircraft, and transport planes, Reuters reported.

The move coincides with heightened friction with Venezuela. Washington recently sank a Venezuelan-flagged vessel it said was carrying narcotics, killing 11 people—a claim Caracas disputes. Venezuela also accused a US destroyer of illegally boarding a fishing boat.

While the Pentagon has not announced any shift in force posture, analysts see the F-35 deployment as both a counter-narcotics measure and a clear show of US resolve in the region, according to Reuters.

The UK and US are set to sign a multibillion-dollar technology pact during President Donald Trump’s state visit, strengthening cooperation in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, telecoms and quantum computing, Reuters reported.

The agreement will bring together senior US tech leaders, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, with British officials to boost investment, innovation and supply chain security.

As part of the deal, BlackRock will invest about $700m in UK data centres. UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall called the pact transformative, saying it will drive growth and ensure both nations stay at the forefront of emerging technologies.

According to Reuters, the partnership follows new AI strategies launched by both governments this year and reflects expanding US tech investment in Britain.