Wednesday Briefing: An Elections Test for Trump

Two state elections say a lot about Trump Two states held elections yesterday that will provide hints as to how Americans feel about President Trump after 10 weeks back in office. In Wisconsin, a race for a State Supreme Court seat has morphed into a referendum on Elon Musk’s role in politics. The billionaire, who … Read more

Immigration Officials Detain Former Taliban Ambassador to Spain

The Taliban’s former ambassador to Spain was detained by U.S. immigration officials while entering the United States on Saturday, and remained in custody after a federal judge declined to order his release on Monday. The former Afghan diplomat, Mohammad Rahim Wahidi, was detained at Washington Dulles International Airport under what his lawyer described as a … Read more

Chinese Auto Giants Dongfeng and Changan Are in Talks to Merge

Two of China’s biggest state-owned automakers are in advanced discussions to merge, in a deal that would create a formidable manufacturer of cars and military vehicles but could also create problems for their American and Japanese partners. Dongfeng Motor and Changan Automobile have conducted detailed talks on how to combine their operations and told their … Read more

China’s Military Drills Around Taiwan Are a Warning to Its President

China launched military exercises pressing in on Taiwan on Tuesday, in what Beijing said was a warning to the island-democracy’s president, Lai Ching-te, after he called China a “foreign hostile force.” Chinese land, navy, air and missile forces would “approach close” to Taiwan and practice “seizure of overall control, strikes on sea and land targets, … Read more