Livemint / May 21, 2026
China has blocked a scheduled visit by a Pentagon official to Beijing in retaliation for the United States’ $14 billion arms package for Taiwan, according to a LiveMint report. The move escalates already heightened US-China tensions over Taiwan’s defense capabilities. The blocked visit underscores how the arms deal — Washington’s largest Taiwan package in years — has become a flashpoint in Sino-US relations. Beijing summoned the US ambassador in protest and warned of “countermeasures.” Taiwan confirmed receipt of the first shipments under the deal, which includes advanced air defense systems and anti-ship missiles.
ABP Live / May 21, 2026
US President Donald Trump issued a sharp warning to Iran, saying nuclear negotiations are in their “final stages” and that Tehran must accept a deal or face “some nasty things.” The warning comes as Tehran has threatened retaliation for recent US sanctions and assassinations of Iranian officials. European diplomats are pressing for a last-minute compromise, but Iran has insisted on full sanctions relief before any agreement. The White House has refused to soften its demand that Iran permanently abandon uranium enrichment. A breakdown in talks could see Israeli military action, which US officials have declined to rule out.
ABP Live / May 21, 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the NDA government’s midterm review meeting on Wednesday, with all Union ministers required to present performance “report cards.” The meeting signals the beginning of campaign season ahead of key state elections. Senior BJP leaders signaled that ministers with poor execution scores would be dropped in the next cabinet reshuffle. The review covered infrastructure spending, rural development programs, and the handling of border security. Opposition parties called the exercise “theatrical,” claiming allocations for social welfare schemes fell short of targets.
ABP Live / May 21, 2026
Congress MLAs Rajesh Kumar and P Viswanathan are set to take ministerial oaths in Tamil Nadu, marking the party’s return to a state cabinet after 59 years. The decision follows months of seat-sharing negotiations with the DMK-led INDIA bloc. The two MLAs will oversee rural development and agriculture portfolios, respectively. The move is seen as a strategic consolidation ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, where the BJP and Congress are competing for a share of the anti-DMK vote. Political analysts call it a significant shift in the state’s coalition calculus.
Livemint / May 21, 2026
SpaceX has priced its long-anticipated Starship IPO at $35 per share, giving the company a valuation of approximately $250 billion, according to regulatory filings reviewed by Livemint. The offering, slated for later this month, is expected to be one of the largest in the aerospace sector’s history. Institutional investors including Fidelity and Baillie Gifford anchored the round. SpaceX reported $12 billion in revenue for 2025, driven primarily by commercial launch contracts and NASA’s Artemis lunar lander program. Shares are expected to trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker “SPHX.”