World in Brief — May 21, 2026
China Cancels Pentagon Visit Over $14B Taiwan Arms Deal
Beijing has blocked a planned visit by the Pentagon’s top policy official in retaliation for a proposed $14 billion US weapons package for Taiwan. Chinese officials halted the trip as tensions between the two superpowers escalate over US arms sales to the island. The move signals a further deterioration in US-China military-to-military relations at a time when both sides are attempting to manage competing pressures across the Indo-Pacific. Talks have been suspended indefinitely pending a de-escalation of the arms dispute.
Source: Mint / AFP
Trump Warns Iran: ‘Agree to a Deal or Face Some Nasty Things’
US President Donald Trump has warned Iran to accept a nuclear deal or face fresh American military action, describing negotiations as being in their “final stages.” The warning comes as Tehran has threatened retaliatory measures against US sanctions. European mediators have been working to broker a last-minute agreement before a self-imposed deadline expires at the end of the month. Israeli officials have privately expressed frustration with the pace of talks, urging Washington to take a harder line.
Source: ABP News / Reuters
Cong Returns to Tamil Nadu Cabinet After 59-Year Gap
Congress is set to rejoin Tamil Nadu’s state cabinet for the first time in 59 years, with MLAs Rajesh Kumar and P Viswanathan expected to take oath as ministers on Thursday in the Vijay government. The decision ends six decades of political estrangement between the Congress party and the Dravidian movement in the southern state. The move is seen as part of a broader realignment ahead of the 2026 state assembly elections, with the BJP attempting to expand its alliance footprint in the south through strategic seat-sharing with regional partners.
Source: ABP News Bureau
PM Modi Chairs NDA Midterm Review as Ministries Face Report Cards
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing a midterm review meeting of his NDA government on May 21, with all Union ministers ordered to present performance report cards. The review, the first since the coalition’s second term began, is expected to assess progress on infrastructure spending, economic growth targets, and social welfare delivery against the 100-day mandate set when the government took office. Senior officials said the meeting is also intended to identify ministries lagging behind benchmark targets ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament.
Source: ABP News / PTI
Bhopal Court Refuses Second Autopsy in Twisha Sharma Case
A Bhopal court 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 on May 12, and her family has demanded a fresh examination amid suspicion about the circumstances of her death. The court upheld the forensic team’s position that a second autopsy would be medically inconclusive and potentially compromise the integrity of existing evidence. Police have registered a case and are awaiting the original post-mortem report to determine next steps in the investigation.
Source: ABP News Bureau
