Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

When the People’s Republic of China was founded, in 1949, it was explicitly a multinational state. Although Han Chinese make up more than 90 percent of the country’s population, China’s constitution and subsequent laws grant minority nationalities autonomy in specific regions and promise them collective agency as “masters of their own homes.” For decades, the party-state’s official bargain—honored unevenly and often violated—was that national unity would be best secured by recognizing difference and granting minorities limited territorial, linguistic, and political autonomy within China, rather than by forcing them to be absorbed into Han culture.As of July 1, however, national integration…

A concealed-carry pistol can look perfect on paper and still become the gun you leave at home. That’s the uncomfortable truth behind choosing one.A handgun that feels great at the range may be too bulky under a T-shirt, while an ultra-compact model can be wonderfully discreet but harder to shoot comfortably.That’s why finding the best Glocks for concealed carry isn’t simply a matter of picking the smallest model in the lineup.Glock offers several compact, subcompact, and slimline pistols that approach concealed carry from very different angles.The Glock 19, for example, gives you a compact platform with a substantial grip and…

Trending:Jon Jones respects Daniel Cormier for honest reason he won’t make amends: “He actually doesn’t hate me”Conor McGregor will drop the gloves and compete for the company he has an ownership stake in once his final contracted fight with the UFC happens, according to one of bare-knuckle’s most legendary fighters ever. Jimmy Sweeney is the combatant in question, and he is on the heels of notching his first BKFC win at BKFC 91 when he halted Nicholas Vescio in the second stanza of their July 18th contest. This expanded Sweeney’s record in gloveless combat to 30-6 overall, which is a…

After two weeks of high-end, tactical air and missile training, the U.S. Air Force’s COMBAT ARCHER UK ‘26 concluded July 24, 2026, with the combat certification of the USAF’s 492nd and 493rd Fighter Squadrons stationed at RAF Lakenheath, England. Led by U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa, alongside Royal Air Force F-35s, the exercise paired a Florida-based evaluation unit, the 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron, with active USAFE-AFAFRICA F-35 and F-15 units to certify fighter pilots and ground crews for combat operations. The fighter squadrons were supported by the 351st Aerial Refueling Squadron, from RAF Mildenhall and the…

Federal statistical agencies, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census Bureau, are facing deep staffing cuts and minimal hiring, raising alarms about their long-term ability to deliver objective datasets that drive policymaking and the economy. All 13 principal federal statistical agencies have seen staffing cuts since the start of the Trump administration. Six of them shed at least a third of their headcount, and two of them lost more than two-thirds of their employees.The American Statistical Association, in its midyear report, warns that these staffing cuts and persistent leadership vacancies “put the agencies in a weakened and vulnerable position to meet rigorous…

News July 29, 2026 Dan Taylor Technology Editor Military Embedded Systems Image via Velocity STERLING HEIGHTS, Michigan. Velocity is accepting applications from defense and dual-use technology startups for a pitch competition offering more than $30,000 in unrestricted cash prizes, the organization announced in a statement. The Velocity Emerging Defense Tech 5X5 Pitch Competition will take place August 13 from 11 a.m. until noon during the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering & Technology Symposium (GVSETS), the statement reads. Applications opened July 14 and will close August 3. Five selected companies will present their businesses before a panel of investors and defense-industry representatives. Judges…

The Royal Artillery operated 54 UAVs, which it named Watchkeeper.The British Army is replacing the Watchkeeper drone with the Tekever AR5, a fixed-wing tactical uncrewed aircraft that will be manufactured in the UK under a £400 million contract, with initial deliveries expected by the end of this year. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the selection on 25 July 2026, stating that up to £400 million will be invested over the next decade in acquiring an initial six air vehicles under Project Corvus, with up to 24 to be delivered by 2029. The system must be capable of conducting…

On June 22, the United States announced that it had signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. This type of agreement broadly authorizes trade in nuclear technology, equipment, and materials, but only if the agreement and the country in question meet defined nonproliferation requirements. They are called Section 123 agreements for the section of the 1957 U.S. Atomic Energy Act that lays out the specific conditions for them. But the legal terms of Section 123 are only the minimum requirements in law: On top of the legal standards are nonproliferation policies that have been held by the United States…

Bottom lines up front JAKARTA—Southeast Asia is rapidly learning that a neutral stance is no longer a shield against global economic warfare. At a recent high-level roundtable in Jakarta, policymakers from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states were joined by their counterparts from Japan, the United States, and Europe to grapple with a harsh new reality: The region’s deeply integrated “just-in-time” supply chains are fracturing under the weight of US tariffs, Western investment screening, and Chinese overcapacity. For a bloc of 700 million people historically dependent on open global markets, the era of passive hedging is over. To…

The Department of the Navy has appointed a new Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy for Intelligence and Security (DUSN I&S). Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao appointed John Cremins to the role, in which he will serve as the principal civilian advisor to the Under Secretary of the Navy for policy, oversight, and resourcing of intelligence and intelligence-related activities. The former Navy SEAL Officer, who has also held roles in the private sector in defense technology and national security, will also lead in the realm of special operations and irregular warfare, sensitive activities, and security. “Mr. Cremins’ extensive…