Beijing is holding up a proposed visit by the Pentagon’s top policy official as China pressures the Trump administration over a proposed $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan. The visit, originally planned as a diplomatic confidence-building measure, has been frozen indefinitely amid rising tensions over US arms sales to the island. China warned it would take “countermeasures” if the sale proceeds, raising fresh concerns about stability in the Taiwan Strait. The US has not publicly commented on the diplomatic snub. The arms package, one of the largest ever proposed, includes advanced fighter jets and air defense systems.
US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran, saying nuclear talks are in their “final stages” and that failure to reach a deal would trigger fresh American action. “Agree to a deal or face some nasty things,” Trump told reporters at the White House, as Tehran signaled it was preparing to enrich uranium at higher levels in retaliation for stalled negotiations. European mediators have been scrambling to keep both sides at the table. Iran’s foreign minister said any new US sanctions would be met with “proportional and targeted responses.” Talks are expected to resume in Geneva next week.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to chair a midterm review meeting of his NDA government on Wednesday, with all Union ministers expected to present report cards on their ministries’ performance. Sources say the review will focus on infrastructure spending, fiscal consolidation, and the government’s handling of global trade headwinds. The meeting comes as the BJP prepares for upcoming state elections and seeks to demonstrate delivery capability ahead of the 2026 midterm cycle. Ministries have been directed to submit performance data ahead of Wednesday’s session.
Congress is rejoining the Tamil Nadu Cabinet after a 59-year absence, with MLAs Rajesh Kumar and P Viswanathan set to take oath as ministers in the Vijay government on Thursday. The move marks a significant political realignment in the state, ending decades of rivalry between the Congress and the Dravidian parties. The decision followed months of closed-door negotiations and a series of seat-sharing compromises ahead of upcoming local elections. Party workers greeted the announcement with cautious optimism, while opposition parties condemned the alliance as a “betrayal of ideological principles.”
A court in Bhopal has rejected a request for a second autopsy in the Twisha Sharma death case, citing advanced decomposition of the body. Twisha was found dead at her matrimonial home in Katara Hills on May 12. The initial post-mortem was conducted on May 13, after which the body has remained in the mortuary under preservation. Her family had sought a second examination amid suspicions about the circumstances of her death. The court said the decomposition had progressed too far to yield reliable findings and instead directed police to broaden their investigation using other forensic evidence already collected.