Current Affairs

On February 26, 2026, the renowned jurist Gao Mingxuan, often called a grand master of Chinese criminal law, died of illness at the age of ninety-eight. As one of the first generation of legal scholars trained after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Gao’s life was almost a living history of Chinese criminal law. He was the only scholar who participated throughout the drafting of the PRC’s first Criminal Law. He was China’s first doctoral supervisor in criminal law. He wrote the first legal monograph published after reform and opening up, and co-edited the first nationally unified criminal law textbook. ...

On January 30, 2026, after months of speculation and both public and backroom political fighting, Donald Trump dropped a bombshell on Truth Social: he formally nominated Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the Federal Reserve. The language was unmistakably Trumpian. He called Warsh a “central casting” choice and predicted that the former Fed governor would become a “great, maybe even the greatest” Fed chair in history. The nomination marks the end of the Jerome Powell era. It also suggests that the century-old Federal Reserve is about to enter a period of sharp regime change. But this is not a calm handoff surrounded by flowers and applause. At the very moment the nomination was announced, the Fed’s headquarters on Constitution Avenue was sitting at the center of an unprecedented legal storm. The Justice Department’s criminal investigation into Powell was still underway, and allegations of cost overruns in the building renovation hung over Fed officials like a blade. ...

On February 28, 2025, the meeting between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office of the White House turned into an unprecedented public conflict. This high-level meeting, which was originally intended to sign an important mining agreement, turned into a fierce quarrel due to differences between the two sides on the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. US Vice President Vance even accused Zelensky of not being grateful enough for US assistance. The diplomatic conflict, which occurred on live television, sharply deteriorated relations between the two countries. Trump eventually canceled the joint press conference and asked Zelensky to leave the White House, using social media to express that “he disrespected the sacred Oval Office of the United States.” This incident demonstrated the extreme manifestation of the Trump administration’s “America First” foreign policy and had a serious impact on the future destiny of Ukraine and the unity of the Western alliance. It also highlighted the fundamental change in Trump’s attitude towards Putin. ...

The French Quarter of New Orleans is world-famous for its unique culture and lively nightlife. 1 Bourbon Street, this ancient street, is the heart of the French Quarter and a must-stop for tourists to experience the charm of New Orleans. It is dotted with bars, restaurants and various entertainment venues, with flashing neon lights and deafening music. Whenever night falls, Bourbon Street transforms into a sea of ​​joy, where tourists sip cocktails, enjoy jazz, and feel the energy and passion of the city. Bourbon Street is even more lively on New Year’s Eve, with people from all over the world gathering here to welcome the new year. However, the New Year of 2025 is destined to be a sleepless night for New Orleans. The midnight carnival had not yet ended. At 3:15 in the morning, a white pickup truck suddenly rushed into the crowded crowd on Bourbon Street. Screams and gunshots instantly tore apart the hustle and bustle of holiday joy… The carnival city of Sugar Bowl instantly turned into a purgatory on earth. 14 people died and 35 people were injured. Behind these cold numbers are the brokenness of 14 families and the heavy damage to 35 lives. ...

At 9:25 am on December 25, 2024, a plane carrying 67 people crashed near Aktau International Airport in Kazakhstan. The accident killed 38 people and shocked the world. Until now, the truth behind the accident has not been fully revealed. Shrouded in fog, the cause, impact and follow-up of the accident are attracting the attention of the world. Accident background The incident took place in Aktau, located in western Kazakhstan and on the coast of the Caspian Sea. The city’s name means “white mountains” in Kazakh because Aktau’s landscape and cityscape appear pale in hue when viewed from the Caspian Sea. According to 2019 statistics, Aktau has a permanent population of only 180,000 people. Initially, this area developed due to oil exploration, and even today, it still has a strong industrial atmosphere. However, it was in this small lakeside town that a sudden disaster broke the tranquility. ...