Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 26

Trump says many people might want a dictator. Yes, many of his people.

President Donald Trump on Monday denied that he aspires to be a dictator.But at the same time, he decided to make a related point: that lots of people actually seem to want a dictator.“And they say … ‘He’s a dictator. He’s a dictator,’” the president said of his critics. “A lot of people are saying, ‘Maybe we’d like a dictator.’ I don’t like a dictator. I’m not a dictator.”Why did Trump add this

One million stray dogs in India’s capital regain the right to roam after legal battle with nation’s top court

One by one, they emerge from their slumber: Dholu, an energetic young male with a noticeable limp; Oldie, the greying elder who loves a belly rub; and Snoopy, a golden-eyed boy who patiently waits his turn.They’re not summoned by a whistle but the familiar smell of khichdi, a traditional dish of rice and lentils. Himanshi Varma carries two large bags through this New Delhi neighborhood, where in

Maduro calls on China as US mounts pressure on Venezuela. Will it answer?

Amid the sharp escalation in tensions between the United States and Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro mentioned China, the United States’ biggest economic rival, during a speech about education in the country.While speaking about tutorials to learn how to do new things during the closing of the “First Pedagogical Congress of Bolivarian Teachers,” Maduro paused to present his new cell phone,

My trip to North Korea's 'Benidorm' - flanked by guards and full of rules

It was the security guards accompanying Anastasia Samsonova's group that suggested this wasn't a typical beach holiday. In July, the 33-year-old human resources worker was one of the first tourists to stay at a new holiday resort in North Korea, a country largely closed to the outside world.Set in an exclusive area on the east coast where leader Kim Jong Un spent much of his youth, the Wonsan

Chinese property giant Evergrande delisted after spectacular fall

Chinese property giant Evergrande's shares were taken off the Hong Kong stock market on Monday after more than a decade and a half of trading.It marks a grim milestone for what was once China's biggest real estate firm, with a stock market valuation of more than $50bn (£37.1bn). That was before its spectacular collapse under the weight of the huge debts that had powered its meteoric rise.Experts

A man, a plan, an electoral sham in Myanmar

A new name, fresh appointments and a minor reshuffle at the top — it’s all part of the Myanmar junta’s bid to prepare the nation and sell the outside world on its controversial general election plan for December. The generals in Naypyitaw are counting on the election to confer the legitimacy they’ve lacked since seizing power in a February 2021 coup that ousted an elected government.Critics have

When the world converges against Trump

India could become a significant and unexpected complication in US President Donald Trump’s efforts to secure a peace deal on Ukraine. The meeting at the end of August in Beijing between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping – with Russia’s blessing – could provide Moscow with precious wiggle room to stall or delay any ceasefire with Kyiv.A closer Russia-India-China

Philippine defense chief condemns Chinese activity near Second Thomas Shoal

China has deployed an array of armed coast guard forces near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea — one in a series of Chinese actions that the Philippines’ defense chief on Friday called “a matter not only of concern but of condemnation.”Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro spoke Friday during a joint press conference with Richard Marles, the defense chief for

China’s lithium mining faces strict new regulatory era

China has recently shifted from permissive oversight to a much stricter regulatory framework for mining—especially lithium. In 2023, authorities launched a policy to “clean up” productive capacity, removing unlicensed operators and forcing those remaining to comply with tighter standards.In July 2025, a revised Mineral Resources Law came into force that, for the first time, designates lithium as

Torbjørn Færøvik: October 10 Will Be Trump’s Day of Disappointment

October 10 is shaping up to be a day of bitter disappointment for Donald Trump. On that date, the chair of the Nobel Committee will announce this year’s Peace Prize laureate — and it will not be Trump. The Oval Office is bracing for a volcanic reaction, and Washington’s crisis managers would do well to prepare.“We have a great relationship with Norway. Great leader, great people,” Trump gushed in