The talks took place over Saturday and Sunday, as the diplomats try to seek common ground over thorny issues such as Taiwan. The meeting may pave the way for Presidents Biden and Xi to meet in the near future.

Military officials are looking for the F-35B Lightning II jet after a "mishap" off South Carolina's coast. The pilot ejected safely.

Ovidio Guzman Lopez was recently extradited to the US by the Mexican government. Charges against him include drug trafficking and money laundering.

German police searched the homes of suspected extremists from Hammerskins Deutschland. It is the 20th far-right organization in Germany to have been banned to date.

This week, five US citizens freed from prison in Iran were able to embrace their loved ones back home. Under the deal brokered by Qatar, five Iranians detained in the United States were also released. The agreement included the unfreezing of nearly $6 billion in Iranian assets. So is the deal a sign of warming ties between Washington and Tehran? We put the question to David Smith, Washington bureau chief for the Guardian.

The United Auto Workers and the US's Big Three carmakers remain far apart in their negotiations as time is running out before the union plans to escalate its strike on Friday. Last week, workers walked off the job at three plants, each belonging to Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. Also in this edition, the US Federal Reserve leaves interest rates unchanged. Plus, Japanese conglomerate Toshiba could go private after being on the stock market for 74 years.

With Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington seeking more help to fend off Russia's forces, US President Joe Biden said he was confident Congress would continue supporting Kyiv.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Saturday.

US Vice President Kamala Harris will head the new federal office, as she and Biden gear up for the 2024 election. The White House efforts towards gun control are unlikely to be effective without the support of Congress.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the US takes "very, very seriously" incidents of "transnational repression," adding that he wants to ensure "accountability."

After beginning a strike one week ago, the United Auto Workers union has increased the number of plants affected by industrial action. Until now, workers have been striking at three sites, one each for Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. UAW leader Shawn Fain says that will be increased to 38 factories, all of them GM and Stellantis parts distribution centres. Ford has been spared of further disruption, with the union saying the company has made "important concessions".

The White House is warning of severe economic consequences if Congress fails to pass a funding bill by an October 1 deadline. Far-right House Republicans are demanding deep spending cuts that are almost certain to be rejected by the Democratic-controlled Senate. Also in this edition: France asks its energy firms to sell fuel at cost, and Germany looks to semiconductor production to revive its flagging industrial sector.