Trump’s fatal flaw is about to be exposed on the world stage

When Donald Trump touches down in Beijing on Thursday, for his long-delayed summit with China’s leader Xi Jinping, he will be hoping to project an aura of US power.

Accompanying the US President’s long motorcade will be military personnel and an entourage of corporate titans, including Elon Musk, Apple’s Tim Cook and Boeing’s Kelly Ortberg. But the optics of this state visit mask the major challenges awaiting the US delegation.

Trump arrives in a China that has spent years making itself more resilient to US influence and pressure, leaving Trump attempting to secure rapid, transactional victories with a weakened hand.

Shorts – Quick stories

Is napping an invaluable part of the day or an unproductive hour?

To find out how to feel better, brighter and bushy-tailed, we asked Russell Foster, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Oxford, everything you need to know about napping.

LABEL – CATEGORY

How long should we nap for?

For Professor Foster, the ideal length of a time for a nap is just 20 minutes and certainly no longer than 30. 

“You don’t want to do is fall into deeper sleep, because then recovery from that can leave you groggy,” he says.

Is there an optimum time of day to nap?

Napping too late in the day is warned against.

• An early-afternoon nap of around 20 minutes can improve your cognition during the second half of the day.
• If you have a nap later on, you can push back your sleep pressure, which means the longer you’ve been awake the greater need for sleep, at night.
• As long as you’re getting the sleep that you need to function optimally, that’s the main thing.

LOREM IPSUM

How much sleep does a person need?

Sleep is like a shoe: one size doesn’t fit all.

Oversleeping on days-off or sustaining your waking day with caffeine and other stimulants are signs of tiredness.

Not everybody needs eight hours of sleep; it’s variable, dynamic and individual. And will vary over a lifetime depending on the season.

Other things to know

It doesn’t matter where you physically nap as long as it feels right and you’re comfortable.

You can create the right environment by making it dark, calm or using a smell like lavender.

Generally speaking, napping is probably a metric that you’re not getting the sleep you need at night, says Professor Foster. “But don’t beat yourself up over it. A short nap, if it improves the second half of the day, is fine”.

How would Andy Burnham become prime minister?

Andy Burnham is one of the frontrunners to replace Sir Keir Starmer if he resigns as Prime Minister. The Manchester Mayor has previously indicated he would be willing to overthrow the current Labour leader.

First step – find a vacant seat

A vacant parliamentary seat would need to be available and finding one may not be easy.

There are two by-elections coming up in Scotland, but Burnham is unlikely to stand in these.

MPs have indicated in the past they would step aside for Burnham, including Clive Lewis, but these suggestions have since been quashed.

Step two – Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee

If a seat were to become vacant, Burnham would need to win over the National Executive Committee (NEC), who is responsible for choosing Labour’s candidates. In January, the NEC blocked Burnham from running in Gorton and Denton. A 10-strong group, including the PM, voted to deny Burnham permission.

Exclusive

3 min read

Step three – a leadership ballot

If Burnham were to be elected to Parliament, only then could he make a Labour leadership bid. According to the Labour Party rule book, candidates seeking to enter the ballot must be an MP.

This is because the Labour leader is the Prime Minister, therefore they would need to be a Member of Parliament. The current rules state a candidate must receive nominations from 20 per cent of their Labour colleagues in Parliament to be in the running.

A summary of necessary steps

What is standing in Burnham’s way?

• Vacant seat
• NEC permission
• Win election, become an MP
• Meet nominations threshold
• Win leadership competition, become Labour leader and prime minister

FOOD AND DRINK

Greggs to open international shop at Tenerife South airport

The British chain will bring its beloved range of baked goods to the Canary Islands.

Greggs last operated shops abroad in Belgium in 2008, but said Tenerife was “the ideal location to test spreading our wings in an overseas setting”.

What you need to know

• Greggs will open a branch in Tenerife South airport later this month.
• The usual range of sausage rolls, pasties and sweet treats will be on offer.
• A ‘Spanish omelette roll’ will also be on the menu.
• Around half of Tenerife’s 13 million visitors go to and from the UK each year.

OPINION

2 min read

What Greggs is saying

It’s an exciting milestone for Greggs as we bring a slice of home to the Canaries, and we’re confident our great-value offering will resonate just as well under the Spanish sun as it does on the UK high street.

Greggs chief executive Roisin Currie

GO DEEPER ON THIS TOPIC

Greggs has made me ashamed to be British

Emily Watkins

Freelance writer

Spain – a land of excellent food, rich cultural identity and a beautiful language.
Of course, if you’re a British tourist there, odds are you won’t have noticed.

Why do the British insist on exporting their culture when they travel?

Read more here.

Why driving test booking is set to
change for learners

Changes begin on 12 May to reduce wait times and prevent bots and touts from exploiting the system.

Driving test reforms

What you need to know

• Under new laws, it’ll be illegal for driving instructors or anyone else to book tests for pupils.
• They will not be able to change, swap or cancel a test for someone else either.
• Learners will still need a reference from their instructor.
• Only two changes to a booked slot are allowed; previously, it was up to six.
• From 9 June, tests can only be moved to three locations nearest to where the original test was booked.

Why are there changes?

A backlog of driving tests built up as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Instructors were being offered kickbacks of up to £250 to sell their login credentials to touts.

Slots were being bought up in bulk and offered via social media for up to £500.

The standard cost is £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings and weekends.

OPINION

2 min read

What is causing damp? And how to fix it

In addition to being generally unpleasant, living in a damp property can lead to structural and health issues if left unaddressed for long periods of time.

Read on to find out the industry expert advice on how to cut the risk of damp forming in your home…

Start with your windows

Don’t keep them closed.

Regularly opening windows – even on cold days – can improve the ventilation inside and decrease the humidity of the room.

Also wipe away the condensation that has formed overnight with a microfiber cloth to remove the dampness.

Big Read

8 min read

How to reduce the risk of damp

Dry clothes in the bathroom

Avoid drying clothes in bedrooms or living rooms without airflow.

Avoid curtains over radiators

It can trap heat behind the fabric, reduce room warmth and cause condensation on windows.

Nudge your furniture

Large furniture items placed tightly against cold walls can trap condensation, leading to mould over time.

It could be the age of your home

Close to 90 per cent of UK homes with solid external walls lack insulation, making them vulnerable.

The airtight design of some new builds helps with energy efficiency but can trap moisture if ventilation isn’t properly managed, says Chad Bragg, chief technical officer at insulation company SuperFOIL.

How to reduce the risk of damp

Clear clothes out

Clothing that is packed too tightly in a wardrobe traps humidity, especially if it is slightly damp.

Heat strategically

If the heating in your home is reduced in temperature by just two degrees, humidity levels will increase by 10 per cent.

Keep lids on pans

While cooking it avoids releasing moisture into the air. A good cooker hood is most effective.

Planning for an extension?

Pay attention to insulation

Poor insulation creates ‘thermal bridges,’ or cold spots, where the new structure joins the old house. These cold junctions act as magnets for condensation, causing localised mould, heat loss, and discomfort. 

LIFESTYLE

4 min read

How to fake your way to being organised

Do you have your life together? Is your home tidy and clutter-free; your diary neatly colour-coded; your to-do list full of satisfying ticks?

If these questions feel like a personal attack don’t worry. We asked the put-together experts for their secrets.

Get to know your brain

The real magic is rarely in the system but in how your brain likes to work.

• If you love analytical tasks, try making spreadsheets.
• Set reminders for the things you usually forget.
• Use the Notes app for the ideas you think of in the shower but never remember when you get to do it.
• But if you are more likely to structure your day around how you’re feeling, a calendar isn’t the best option.

How to fake your way to organisation

Make it easier

If you hate folding, change your storage style. If you’re always forgetting your keys, put a sign by your door.

Make a launch pad

Keep a small tray or basket in the hallway for your can’t-leave-home-without essentials.

Use technology

After meetings use an AI tool to note down what you have to remember as a brain dump.

Create new habits

The one-touch rule

If you put your shoes straight on the rack as you take them off, instead of kicking them onto the floor and moving them later, that’s one touch. If you hang things up rather than tossing them onto the ‘bedroom chair’ it’s another one-touch win.

Talk to yourself out loud

This verbal anchor helps you remember what you have decided to do and cuts down on mental drift.

The 300-second challenge

• Give yourself five minutes to deal with one overdue chore or task.
• Using seconds rather than minutes creates urgency and gives your brain a novelty hit.
• Try it when putting the laundry away, making a phone call or reading an overdue email.

LIFESTYLE

9 min read

Make it easier for yourself

Use completion cues

Drop a marble in a jar or move a sticky note across a board each time you complete a task.

Support your future

Write down where you left off and the next small task to tackle to strengthen your control over every day demands.

Ask for help

Consider seeking support from loved ones, neighbours, colleagues, community groups or professionals.

Eight tips for
combating loneliness

Ree Young, works for Mind mental health charity as a ‘befriender’ – this means working with people aged 50 and over in the city of Leeds – who may be struggling with social isolation or loneliness.

Young advises these people on how to get social, even when you don’t want to. Here are her tips.

How to combat loneliness

Social isolation affects us all

27%

of adults reported they felt lonely always, often or some of the time in data published by the Office for National Statistics in 2024.

7%

reported that they felt lonely always or often.

How to combat loneliness

Stay socially active

Check out what’s going on at your local community centre or learn something new to make connections.

Use technology

Look up old friends online, or use video-call features to connect with those who don’t live nearby.

Get creative

Why not learn how to crochet, write short stories, plant a herb garden or play the ukulele in a group? 

Adopt a pet

They can provide companionship, a listening ear and a structured routine. They can be good listeners and stroking them can make us feel calmer and more at ease. Even the smallest pets, like fish, can bring us joy and a sense of purpose.

REE YOUNG, BEFRIENDER

How to tackle loneliness

Join a death cafe

They are safe and inclusive spaces for people to be curious about death in a supportive environment. 

Try citizen science

It’s a great way to feel part of a community, while also contributing to worthwhile initiatives. 

Explore your faith

Try attending services if spiritual practices are important to you. They can offer strong support networks and open doors to new people.

Seek professional help

If you are unsure what support is available, speak to your GP. Research local charities and find out what services they have to offer, and try accessing local befriending, group or peer-support services.

There is nothing shameful about asking for help.

The six reasons your partner might cheat

Cheating is still the number one cause of divorce, and one in five Brits admit to doing it.

But what are the main drivers of infidelity?

Why your partner might cheat

They want a way out

Sex and relationship therapist Cate Campbell says exit affairs are one of the three “big reasons” she sees.

Fear of commitment

This often happens when a person doesn’t feel good about themselves, or have a fear of being found out.

A mid-life crisis

Transitions like moving house, new jobs or becoming parents makes cheating more common.

Why your partner might cheat

They’re getting too close to a colleague

This dynamic is usually an unhappy man who confides in a woman in a work context, and it switches from a supportive friendship into an affair.

They want something new in bed

Desires change – consiously or not and people may believe they want something different, or to experiment.

WHY YOUR PARTNER MAY CHEAT

They feel lonely

Nobody stays the same in a relationship – and if we’re not communicating that to each other, it can be disconnecting.

Susie Masterson, a relationship therapist, says when people feel undervalued, or stretched too thin in day-to-day life, they can look at their relationship and realise it isn’t filling the gaps.

How to recover from an affair

Infidelity doesn’t have to be the end of a relationship

• Psychotherapist Esther Perel says in her book The State of Affairs that affairs can actually save a relationship, by forcing us to address deep-rooted issues and come back stronger.
• Campbell says couples should be having conversations about infidelity and what it means to them.
•  “Often it’s not the affair that ends the relationship, but the fallout – and the way it’s managed. Which is why it’s useful to get some therapy if you can,” she adds.

One challenge for the White House is its diminishing economic leverage. For the past year, Trump’s administration has pushed its sweeping tariff measures, including global duties and triple-digit levies on Chinese goods. These were seen as the ultimate tool to force Beijing’s co-operation. Yet this strategy is unravelling at home.

A string of US court rulings, culminating on 7 May, has dismantled the legal architecture of Trump’s approach, striking down his unprecedented use of Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The US delegation arrives in Beijing with its primary economic weapon heavily restricted.

China, by contrast, has demonstrated its willingness to deploy its own economic arsenal, notably its near-monopoly on critical minerals. In response to US technology restrictions, Beijing has already squeezed the export of rare earth elements and permanent magnets.

This raises a critical question for Washington: who is hurting more? While China has undoubtedly felt the sting of restrictions placed on US semiconductor exports, America’s defence industry and technology sector are feeling the squeeze of China’s mineral chokehold. Those materials are critical to modern munitions and advanced manufacturing.

The make-up of Trump’s delegation illustrates the possible limits of this summit.

While the presence of executives like Musk, Cook and Ortberg suggests a desire to strike headline-grabbing deals – potentially large commercial aircraft orders or agricultural purchases to appease Trump’s rural voter base – the absences are equally telling.

Crucially, Jensen Huang, the Taiwanese-American chief executive of chipmaker Nvidia, is not part of the trip. As the head of the world’s most valuable company, and the lynchpin of the global chip and AI race, Huang was a key part of Trump’s recent entourages to the Middle East and the UK. His absence in Beijing highlights the reality of the ongoing US-China technology war.

Supply chains and the Taiwanese semiconductor industry sit at the heart of this contest.

However, perhaps the most visible challenge constraining Trump is the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. The war has dragged on far longer than the Trump White House anticipated, generating a global energy shock that has sent domestic US fuel prices soaring and has seen the President’s approval rating drop markedly.

With US naval forces tied down in Iran, Washington’s diplomatic and military bandwidth in the Indo-Pacific, where China is increasingly pushing its influence, is more and more stretched. The Iran crisis has also allowed Xi to project a calm and methodical leadership style that contrasts sharply with Trump’s own.

While US forces manage a Middle Eastern blockade, Beijing has exploited its non-aligned stance. China recently hosted Iran’s foreign minister, backed a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire, signed a new trade deal with Nato member Spain and secured 24 investment and trade agreements with the UAE.

The contrast in demeanour and strategy between Xi and Trump affects US structural power, which China has done its best to weaken. While the West cannot claim to be unaware of China’s domestic censorship and repression, Trump’s mercurial and transactional foreign policy style makes it easier for China’s leadership to make them look the other way.

Trump’s controversial moves since returning to office, including snatching the president of Venezuela in a military raid, threatening to annex Greenland from Denmark and persistent trade frictions with traditional allies like Canada and Europe, have often caught the US’s international partners off guard. Xi has capitalised on this by hosting multiple European leaders seeking economic stability, while dispatching his commerce minister to solidify trade ties with India, further insulating China’s supply chains from future US disruptions.

Nowhere is the danger of diminished US leverage more acute than across the Taiwan Strait. And sensing American distraction, Beijing is pressing its advantage.

During a recent meeting with Cheng Li-wun, Taiwan’s opposition leader, Xi explicitly weaponised the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, pointing to the fragility of distant maritime lifelines to imply that US security guarantees are an illusion.

Trump has, in the past, voiced ambivalence about defending Taiwan. The greatest risk of this summit in Beijing is that the US President, eager for a political win to reverse sagging poll numbers, might agree to alter Washington’s long-standing diplomatic language on Taiwan in exchange for superficial economic deals.

This week’s summit is about playing the long game, which isn’t Trump’s strength. Trump desires quick victories, ones that can be used to boost his domestic position, while Xi will look to secure control over the supply chains, minerals and diplomatic relationships that will define the mid-21st century.

If the White House trades long-term economic statecraft for short-term political gains, it will validate the exact narrative that China is attempting to project around the world: that US leverage is quietly but steadily waning, as its own grows.

James Rogers is a co-founder and director of research at the Council on Geostrategy