Politics News
Latest politics news and updates
Total: 107
China Begins Winter Push for Female Recruits as Conscription Window Closes
China has opened its 2026 first‑half recruitment window for female conscripts from 1 January to 10 February, targeting students and recent graduates with age‑based eligibility and a prioritisation system that uses gaokao relative scores. The process pairs online selection with local medical and political vetting, offers tuition‑repayment incentives for qualifying recruits, and forms part of a broader effort to professionalise and diversify the armed forces.
Two Dead in ICE Raids Ignite Nationwide Protests and a Federal-State Showdown
Two shootings by ICE agents in Minneapolis that killed U.S. citizens have produced heated national protests and a sharp federal-state confrontation. Conflicting official accounts and video footage have deepened public mistrust, prompted subpoenas and harsh rhetoric from both President Trump and senior Democrats, and risked a funding standoff over Homeland Security.
Gun-rights Groups Rebuke Administration’s Claim That an Armed Protester Justified Federal Shooting
After federal agents shot a man in Minneapolis, the Department of Homeland Security emphasised that he was armed and framed the shooting as defensive. Videos and police statements that emerged online cast doubt on that account, prompting the National Rifle Association and other gun-rights groups to demand a transparent investigation and to reject the notion that lawful carriage of a firearm alone permits officers to shoot.
Fatal ICE Shootings in Minneapolis Amplify Partisan Fight Over Funding — Could Washington Slip Back Into Shutdown?
Two recent fatal shootings by immigration-enforcement officers in Minneapolis have generated large protests and an unusual joint plea from more than 60 Minnesota corporations to de-escalate. With Senate Democrats vowing to block a funding bill that includes DHS appropriations, the episode raises the real prospect of another federal shutdown when stopgap funding expires on January 30.
Gun-Rights Groups Rebuke Trump Administration After Federal Agents Kill Armed Minneapolis Man
Federal agents in Minneapolis fatally shot a 37-year-old man; the Department of Homeland Security presented the shooting as justified because the man allegedly held a gun near officers. Bystander video and local authorities have cast doubt on that account, prompting criticism from major gun-rights groups that say lawful carriers should not be presumed culpable and that full investigations should precede public judgment.
Federal Agents Kill Minneapolis Man, Sparking Protests and a Clash Over Immigration Enforcement
Federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti in Minneapolis during a DHS operation, touching off protests and a high-profile clash between state and federal officials. Video footage that conflicts with the federal account, and the presence of thousands of federal personnel, have made the incident a flashpoint for debates over immigration enforcement, oversight and funding in Congress.
State TV Amplifies PLA Call for Long-Term, All-Fronts Crackdown on Military Corruption
China’s state television broadcast a PLA Daily editorial calling for an intensive, long-term and comprehensive anti-corruption campaign in the military. The prominence of the message signals Beijing’s intent to pair disciplinary purges with systemic reforms, reinforcing political control while aiming to improve operational effectiveness.
Markets Back BlackRock’s Rick Rieder as Surprise Front‑Runner for Fed Chair
Prediction markets now favor BlackRock’s Rick Rieder as the leading candidate to replace Jerome Powell, with traders pricing his probability around 60 percent. His Wall Street standing, openness to Fed reform and positive feedback from investors have put him ahead of other contenders, even as questions about central‑bank independence and policy direction persist.
Guangdong Consolidates Veterans and Civil Affairs: An Efficiency Drive, Not a Policy U‑Turn
Several Guangdong counties have merged their civil affairs and veterans affairs bureaus as part of a wider county‑level streamlining drive. The consolidations aim to cut costs and simplify services for veterans, though success depends on genuine integration of processes, data and oversight rather than symbolic rebranding.
China Opens 2026 Recruit Drive, Targeting University Students with Age Relaxations and Tuition Incentives
China has opened the first half of its 2026 conscription drive with a targeted focus on university students, loosening age limits for graduates and offering tuition reimbursement, loan repayment and preferential graduate-admission quotas. The measures aim to supply the PLA with technically skilled personnel amid demographic headwinds and intensifying competition for talent.
Guangdong’s County-Level Merger of Civil and Veterans Bureaus: Efficiency Drive or Administrative Experiment?
Guangdong has merged civil affairs and veterans affairs bureaus in multiple counties as part of a provincial push to streamline county government under the “hundreds-thousands-tens of thousands” reform. The aim is to reduce duplication, lower costs and simplify services for veterans, but success depends on deep integration of processes, personnel and oversight.
Taiwan Fury Over Defence Papers: Legislator Accused of Removing Secret Documents Amid Partisan Fight
A closed briefing on a NT$1.25 trillion special defence budget escalated into a legal and political controversy after legislator Huang Kuo-chang left the room with classified documents, which he says were returned within seconds. Prosecutors have received complaints alleging breaches of Taiwan’s secrets-protection law, a development that risks further polarising Taiwanese politics and complicating oversight of sensitive defence matters.