Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 11

Trump considers massive bailout of at least $10 billion for American farmers hurt by his trade war

American farmers are having a tough year, in no small part because of President Donald Trump’s trade war. Now, the White House is gearing up to extend them a multi-billion-dollar bailout, sources tell CNN.Surging costs and foreign retaliation from tariffs have hurt the US agriculture industry — as have immigration-related labor shortages and plummeting commodity prices. Farm production expenses

Beijing’s anger at ‘extremely malicious’ US move to ramp up pressure on Chinese tech firms

The Trump Administration ramped up its pressure on Chinese tech firms on Monday by expanding restrictions imposed on certain companies to also cover their subsidiaries, a move that’s drawn the ire of Beijing as the two powers remain locked in a technology race.The US action aims to stop sanctioned companies – including technology champion Huawei, memory chip giant YMTC and drone maker DJI – from

ndia jailed him. Now Canada claims he’s orchestrating terror acts from prison

From his cell in a high-security Indian prison, Lawrence Bishnoi allegedly commands an empire.His throne room is a concrete box; his scepter a smartphone smuggled in to his confines. From there, the 32-year-old kingpin stands accused of threatening a Bollywood superstar, murdering a pop icon, and orchestrating a political assassination halfway across the world.Light-skinned with a thick mustache

World Bank raises China growth forecast to 4.8% despite U.S. trade tensions

The World Bank on Tuesday raised its 2025 growth forecast for China as part of an overall boost in projections for East Asia and the Pacific, after a summer that saw U.S. tariff-led uncertainty rock the global economy.The World Bank now projects China’s economy to expand by 4.8%, compared with 4% predicted in April. The new forecast is closer to China’s official target of around 5% growth in

HOW FAR DOES TRUMP’S IMMUNITY GO?

When vladimir putin met with Donald Trump in Alaska in August, one prominent strand of social-media commentary had nothing to do with the possibility of a deal to end Russia’s war against Ukraine (the meeting’s ostensible purpose). Rather, it turned on the question of whether Putin—who faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, stemming from Russia’s wartime actions—could

Can India's water-stressed cities sustain AI data centers?

India is rapidly positioning itself as a global AI hub. But data centers need lots of water for cooling, putting more strain on already over-stretched supplies.More

How China is Shaping Cambodia’s Economic Future Through Infrastructure Development

On September 10, Cambodia officially opened the Techo International Airport, located less than 25 kilometers south of the capital Phnom Penh. Built with Chinese investment, the airport will replace Phnom Penh International Airport. With an initial capacity of 13 million passengers and three runways, in comparison to the old airport’s 5 million passenger capacity and single runway, Techo

What Japan’s First Female Prime Minister Could Mean for the Country’s Gender Politics

Sanae Takaichi just broke Japan’s highest glass ceiling. The country’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Saturday voted Takaichi to be the party’s next leader, which is also effectively Japan’s next Prime Minister, setting her up to be the first woman to lead the country.According to public broadcaster NHK, Takaichi, 64, secured 185 of 341 votes cast from the party’s sitting parliamentarians and

Curtains for the US-Korea military alliance?

The US–Korea military alliance, forged in the crucible of the Cold War, has long been regarded as one of the most resilient and indispensable pillars of East Asian security. Since the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty in 1953, the alliance has not only deterred war on the Korean Peninsula but also anchored America’s strategic posture in Northeast Asia. Yet recent political developments in both

Lawyer and China hand Jerome A. Cohen: a remembrance

When I arrived in Beijing for United Press International in 1981 after two years in Hong Kong, it was a time of great hope for China and no one seemed to understand that better than Jerome (Jerry) Cohen.He was a lawyer and former professor at Harvard Law School. He and his wife, Joan, were a fixture on the diplomatic cocktail circuit and he developed relationships with many correspondents,