Why Trump Rolled Out the Red Carpet for Xi on 10 January

Donald Trump met him in a very unusual way.

At the plane, not at the White House?

Yes, exactly. Trump went to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

He greeted Xi on the tarmac.

That is not the normal way for a U.S. president to meet a foreign leader.

So this was a big show of respect.

It was.

The arrival looked very formal.

There was a long red carpet.

Service members were standing by.

There was also a flyover by two B-1 bombers.

That sounds very carefully planned. Why did they do it this way?

The visit comes with tension between the two countries.

It also comes with diplomacy and trade talks.

Trump is giving Xi a state visit.

So the welcome was meant to look grand.

And the meeting is not just about ceremony, right?

No, not at all.

The two sides are also dealing with a temporary trade truce.

A U.S. Treasury official said the agreement would be extended until 10 January.

That is a clear change.

So the trade break is staying in place for now.

Yes, and that matters because the countries are still in a wider trade fight.

The visit is also expected to include talks about artificial intelligence, climate, and Taiwan.

So there is ceremony, but also a lot of real business behind it.

Exactly.

The visit is only two days.

But the issues are big.

Later, the White House plans more official events.

These include a state dinner and a tour of the National Archives.

Thanks, Mia.

Our second story is about a new age-check investigation in the UK.

Now we go to Noah, our LinguaWire correspondent for technology.

Thanks, Daniel. The UK regulator Ofcom has started an investigation into Pornhub owner Aylo.

What is the regulator looking at?

It is looking at whether the site’s new age checks are good enough.

They should stop children from seeing adult content.

Ofcom says the checks may not be highly effective.

This is about how the site checks people’s age, not one video.

That’s right.

The system uses a third party from Apple for some users.

Ofcom says it wants to know whether Aylo did enough testing.

That was before using that system.

That sounds like a basic question, but a very serious one.

It is serious.

The law says porn sites must use highly effective age assurance.

That means they must try to make sure users are over 18.

And the company does not agree with the regulator?

No. Aylo strongly defends the system.

It says it will work with the investigation.

The company also says Apple’s method is stronger.

It is stronger than other age-check methods in the UK market.

So both sides are making different claims.

Yes, and Ofcom is not investigating how Apple runs its own checks.

It is focusing on how Aylo uses the system on its site.

What could happen next?

Ofcom may decide whether the process was strong enough under the Online Safety Act.

For now, the investigation is open.

That leaves some uncertainty for the company and for users.

Thanks, Noah.

Let’s look at three useful words from the second story.

investigation

This means an official look into a problem. In the story: “Ofcom has started an investigation into Pornhub owner Aylo.”

Example: The school opened an investigation after the complaint.

checks

This means small tests or controls. In the story: “the site’s new age checks are good enough.”

Example: The guard did quick checks at the door.

system

This means connected parts that work together. In the story: “The system uses a third party from Apple.”

Example: Our train system is very busy in the morning.

The system uses

We use the present simple with he, she, and it. Add -s to most verbs.

uses, wants, says

"The system uses a third party from Apple."

"The company says it works with the investigation."

Repeat after me: the system uses