Veterans and their supporters from across the United States gathered in Washington D.C. on Friday to voice their anger over the Trump administration's sweeping cuts to federal jobs, particularly within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The rally, held in front of the U.S. Capitol, drew nearly 1,000 demonstrators, many of whom had recently lost their jobs due to the federal layoff plan. Some had traveled for days from various states to make their voices heard.
Among the protesters are veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. They feel abandoned after being dismissed. Many condemned the government's move as a betrayal of both the U.S. constitution and the nation's servicemen and women.
"I'm here to support and defend the constitution of the United States of America. I was at the VA two days ago. [As for the Trump administration's policy], there's nothing based on fact," Mike, a recently laid-off veteran.
"It's absolutely awful. It's just unbelievable that we have somebody running this country [this way]," said Robert Goodwall, a U.S. Navy veteran.
Organized by veterans' advocacy groups, the rally is set to continue for three consecutive days in the nation's capital. Organizers are also calling on veterans across the country to hold similar demonstrations at state capitols to defend their rights.
The protest comes as Trump is carrying out major federal spending cuts, resulting in widespread job losses and the dismantling of government departments.
Under the direction of the White House's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the VA is planning an "aggressive" restructuring, with up to 80,000 employees facing layoffs, according to local media reports citing an internal memo. Veterans make up over a quarter of the agency's workforce, making the proposed cuts particularly controversial.
Veterans rally in Washington DC to protest federal job cuts
Veterans rally in Washington DC to protest federal job cuts
Veterans rally in Washington DC to protest federal job cuts
Tiangong Ultra, an upgraded version of the China-made "Tiangong" humanoid robot, is currently undergoing tests in preparation for a half-marathon next month in Beijing.
The race, set for April 13 in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area in the capital city's southeast, will feature both robotic and human athletes competing on the same route but on separate tracks to ensure safety for all participants.
The competition is open to global robot companies, research institutes, robot clubs and universities. So far, 23 organizations have signed up for the competition.
Developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, Tiangong Ultra has a bigger size, longer legs, and a stronger hip compared to its old version. In addition, unlike Tiangong, which has two iron sheets as feet, Tiangong Ultra wears a pair of "shoes" to minimize impact on its feet and ankle joints from running, according to engineers at the center.
"Aside from upgrades to Tiangong's body and structure, we have also greatly improved its motion algorithm, strengthening its capabilities for gait planning, body coordination, and motion control," said Wei Jiaxing, director of branding and public relations at the center.
In a race between Tiangong and Tiangong Ultra, the upgraded version demonstrated larger strides, a more stable running form, and a significantly higher speed.
"Its highest speed can reach 12 kilometers per hour. Considering the stability and endurance of the Tiangong robot when running outdoors, we may slightly reduce the speed. But we are still very confident that it can complete the half marathon," Wei said.
Bolstered by strong capital investment, China' robotics industry is growing rapidly, with versatile applications becoming increasingly prominent across a wide range of fields, including industrial automation, healthcare and service industries.
According to a report on the humanoid robot industry released at the 2024 World AI Conference in Shanghai, China's humanoid robot market scale was approximately 2.76 billion yuan (about 381.28 million U.S. dollars) last year.
By 2029, it is expected to expand to 75 billion yuan (about 10.36 billion U.S. dollars), which would account for 32.7 percent of the global market.
Humanoid robot set to run Beijing half-marathon
