Author: Andrew Rogers

Wang Jian, once a leading journalist in Hong Kong, has become a notable voice on YouTube, dissecting US politics and China-US relations. Broadcasting from his home near Boston, Wang reaches an audience of over 800,000 subscribers, offering insight often unavailable in mainland China. On a rainy May evening, Wang prepared for his second broadcast of the day. Eating dinner in his garage apartment, he spoke in Mandarin about former President Donald Trump. “Trump combines populism, small-town savvy, and wealth,” he said. “It is reminiscent of Mao Zedong’s style.” By 11 p.m., Wang was live, his ring lights on, guiding viewers…

One of Europe’s largest farm machinery companies, Krone, has paused exports of its equipment to the United States due to unexpected tariffs affecting hundreds of products. The measures, described as “alarming,” target items ranging from knitting needles and hair dryers to combine harvesters. The US has imposed new levies on 407 products made from steel derivatives. This includes appliances, agricultural machinery, construction equipment, wind turbines, elevators, and bridge components. The list requires exporters to provide unprecedented levels of detail on the origin, weight, and value of every steel component, down to nuts and bolts. Oliver Richtberg, head of foreign trade…

The Israeli military has confirmed that a second group of 13 living hostages has been safely handed over to the Red Cross. The hostages are now on their way to the IDF and Shin Bet forces in the Gaza Strip area. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shared the update on X, stating that the Red Cross has taken custody of the hostages. The transfer marks the latest effort to secure the safe return of Israelis held captive. According to Israeli media, the hostages include Elkana Bohbot, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana, Evyatar David, Rom Braslavski, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin,…

Heavy clashes erupted along the Pakistan Afghanistan border on Saturday night after Taliban forces attacked Pakistani military posts, escalating tensions in the region. This violence follows a Pakistani airstrike in Kabul earlier this week, according to security officials from both countries. Taliban fighters claimed they captured two Pakistani border posts in Helmand province in retaliation for airstrikes on Afghan territory. Pakistani officials confirmed that clashes occurred at multiple border locations and said their forces responded with heavy artillery, tanks, and light and heavy weaponry. “Tonight, Taliban forces began firing at several border points. We retaliated with artillery at four locations…

Thousands of federal workers remain in limbo as the US government shutdown continues, with an estimated 750,000 employees furloughed and hundreds of thousands more working without pay. Union leaders say workers are being “held hostage by a political dispute” as lawmakers remain deadlocked over funding. President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that furloughed employees might not automatically receive back pay, despite legal guarantees. He said, “There are some people that don’t deserve to be taken care of, and we’ll take care of them in a different way,” fueling unease across federal offices. The administration has also warned of mass firings…

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has publicly confirmed she faces a complaint at the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing her of “complicity in genocide” due to Italy’s weapons support to Israel amid the war on Gaza. The complaint also names Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, and Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani. The October 1 filing, signed by about 50 law experts and public figures, argues that Italy’s supply of lethal arms makes the government complicit in alleged war crimes and genocide against Palestinians. This comes after a UN Independent Inquiry declared Israel’s Gaza campaign a genocide, echoing assessments…

Facing rejection is never easy, especially when it happens repeatedly. For Bob Brody, a writer with five decades of experience, it has been a constant companion. Over his career, Brody has had novels, nonfiction proposals, essays, and article pitches turned down thousands of times. At times, he received multiple rejections in a single week. Yet, he has learned to accept rejection and use it as a tool for growth. Early in his career, each “no” stung personally. Brody describes navigating what he calls the “seven stages of rejection”: shock, denial, dismissal, anger, bargaining, depression, and, finally, acceptance. In his 20s,…

The White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has said federal workers furloughed during the ongoing government shutdown are not automatically entitled to back pay. In a draft memo obtained by Axios, OMB’s general counsel, Mark Paoletta, wrote to White House budget director Russell Vought that an amendment to the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act (GEFTA) of 2019 does not guarantee payments. He added that back pay requires explicit appropriations from Congress. “The legislation that ends the current lapse in appropriations must include express language appropriating funds for back pay for furloughed employees, or such payments cannot be made,”…

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon, on Tuesday, accompanied by several conservative social media influencers. The visit sparked controversy after state officials accused ICE officers of provoking protesters and using excessive force. Noem arrived in Portland with conservative influencers Benny Johnson, Nick Sortor, and David Media, who joined her motorcade from the airport. The trio filmed and shared the visit online, posting clips of Noem praying with officers and giving a pep talk inside the facility. Outside, Portland police blocked nearby streets before the secretary’s arrival, keeping a small group…

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani attended a peace vigil on Tuesday evening organized by Israelis for Peace, a group calling for an end to Israel’s occupation and violence. The event, held in Union Square, marked the two-year anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel. Mamdani sat alongside New York City comptroller Brad Lander, his former rival for the Democratic nomination and now one of his strongest supporters. Together, they listened as speakers called for justice, peace, and equal rights for both Israelis and Palestinians. The vigil came hours after Mamdani’s public statement on the anniversary drew…