Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 38

North Korea sent me abroad to be a secret IT worker. My wages funded the regime

Jin-su says over the years he used hundreds of fake IDs to apply for remote IT work with Western companies. It was part of a vast undercover scheme to raise funds for North Korea. Juggling multiple jobs across the US and Europe would make him at least $5,000 (£3,750) a month, he told the BBC in a rare interview. Some colleagues, he said, would earn much more.Before he defected, Jin-su - whose

The US is sitting out the most consequential climate summit in a decade. It may offer a victory to China

The Trump administration fired the last of the US climate negotiators earlier this month, helping cement America’s withdrawal from international climate diplomacy. It may also have handed a huge victory to China. The elimination of the State Department’s Office of Global Change — which represents the United States in climate change negotiations between countries — leaves the world’s largest

As AI Booms, China Proposes Global Governance Body for Ethical Oversight

At this year’s World AI Conference (WAIC), which concluded in Shanghai Monday, artificial intelligence companies showed growing alignment behind the U.N.-backed “AI for Good” initiative — a commitment that industry leaders say has shifted from idealism to an urgent reality.Reflecting this shift, the event showcased everything from AI-powered video generators to humanoid robots, demonstrating how

Shaolin Temple’s ‘CEO Monk’ Probed Over Finances, Misconduct

Shi Yongxin, abbot of China’s iconic Shaolin Temple, is under criminal investigation for alleged embezzlement, misappropriation of temple assets, and serious violations of Buddhist precepts, the temple said in a July 27 announcement. Shi, who has led the 1,500-year-old monastery in central China’s Henan province since 1999, is also accused of maintaining long-term relationships with multiple

To Ease Costs, China Launches First Nationwide Childcare Subsidy

China has implemented a nationwide childcare subsidy program that provides guardians direct cash transfers of 3,600 yuan ($503) annually per child until the age of 3, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported Monday.The policy, effective as of Jan. 1, 2025, also includes prorated payments for children aged 3 and under born before this year, with subsidies calculated proportionally based on the

China’s July manufacturing activity contracts more than expected — declines for fourth-straight month

China’s official gauge for manufacturing activity on Thursday pointed to a worse-than-expected contraction in July amid slower economic growth and ongoing U.S. trade tensions. The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index for July was 49.3, missing expectations for 49.7 according to a Reuters poll. China’s official manufacturing PMI has been below the 50 mark, reflecting contraction

U.S. and South Korea strike a trade deal with tariffs on Seoul set at 15%

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that Washington had reached a “Full and Complete” trade deal with Seoul, setting blanket tariffs on the country’s exports to U.S. at 15%. This deal means that duties will be lowered from the 25% that Trump had threatened in his “tariff letter” to Seoul earlier this month. Tariffs on the country’s auto exports set at 25% will also be cut to

Trump has slapped steep tariffs on India. Here’s why New Delhi did not rush into a deal with Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced 25% duties on imports from India and an unspecified “penalty,” but the country has so far appeared unfazed by tariff threats. Even as the U.S. announced deals with other countries, such as with Japan that addressed sticking points on greater market access for American autos and agricultural products, India did not rush into an agreement.The

Nvidia’s China-bound H20 AI chips face Beijing scrutiny over ‘tracking’ and security concerns

According to China’s Cyberspace Administration, Nvidia met with Beijing officials on Thursday regarding potential national security risks posed by its H20 graphics processing units. Washington this month allowed Nvidia to resume sales of its H20 AI chips to China, reversing an effective ban imposed in April. While Nvidia has been given assurances by Washington that it will be allowed to

Kerry Brown: How China Could Take Taiwan, Without Firing a Shot

In the past few years, a series of high ranking officials have said that China will invade Taiwan by 2027. U.S. Secretary of State Pete Hegseth offered that view in May, as did the then Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu two years ago and the then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley another two years earlier.In the face of such pronouncements, it would be tempting to see that date