Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 47

North Korea reaffirms support for Russia's war in Ukraine

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offered Moscow his "unconditional support" on the war in Ukraine, according to state media reports. In talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in North Korea, Kim said that Pyongyang stood by "all the measures taken by the Russian leadership" to tackle the "root cause of the Ukrainian crisis".Western officials believe Pyongyang has sent an estimated

The deadly drug that’s complicating US-China trade

Since US President Donald Trump – just days into his second term – began imposing tariffs on China for its role in the flow of deadly opioids like fentanyl into the United States, Beijing’s message has been clear. The fentanyl crisis is the “US’s problem,” Chinese officials have repeatedly said, and China has already done “tremendous work” to address the issue.“We stand ready for practical

China Braces for Summer of Northern Floods and Southern Droughts

Amid mounting global climate pressures, Chinese authorities are warning of a more extreme year ahead, one likely to be marked by frequent and severe floods. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment reported in late June that 2024 was China’s warmest year in 64 years and saw the most major river floods since 1998. But 2025 could be more challenging, the report added. The Ministry of Water Resources

India and China strive to reset ties but with caution

After years of border tensions, India and China appear to be gradually moving towards resetting ties - but larger challenges and suspicions remain. The visit of two senior Indian officials to China late last month was seen as a sign of a thaw in bilateral relations.In June, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also made separate visits as part of the

The struggle for control of the Arctic is accelerating - and riskier than ever

Tensions are growing at the top of the world. US President Donald Trump wants Greenland, Russia is modernising its Arctic military bases, Chinese icebreakers are opening new routes and spies are being unmasked. But as the battle for one of the world’s coldest places heats up, an increasingly fragile security balance may be breaking down, leading to an escalating arms race.President Trump has

Trump wants to talk business with Africa in hopes of countering China. But a US summit excluded Africa’s big players

The White House hosted an “African leaders” summit of sorts this week. But only five countries from the continent of more than 50 nations were welcome to join. US President Donald Trump hosted a working lunch in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, bringing together the presidents of Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, and Gabon for a discussion focused on “commercial opportunities,” a White

Poisoned water and scarred hills: The price of the rare earth metals the world buys from China

When you stand on the edge of Bayan Obo, all you see is an expanse of scarred grey earth carved into the grasslands of Inner Mongolia in northern China. Dark dust clouds rise from deep craters where the earth’s crust has been sliced away over decades in search of a modern treasure. You may not have heard of this town - but life as we know it could grind to a halt without Bayan Obo. The town gets

China sidesteps question on TikTok after Trump says close to deal

China’s government on Monday sidestepped a question on US President Donald Trump’s recent claim that he “pretty much” has a deal with Beijing to bring TikTok into American ownership and that talks with China over the popular short-video app could begin early this week.TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance is under pressure to spin off the short-video app’s US operations by September 17 or

China Scolds Marco Rubio for Dalai Lama Comments

China scolded U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio after he extended birthday wishes to the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, and told Washington to "stop meddling".Read more

Urbanization Is Intensifying India’s Summer Heat and Rain

When 28-year-old Sonelal Prasad left home on the morning of June 16 for his job at a construction site in Mumbai—the financial capital of India—he didn’t know he’d be digging his own grave. As he worked in the foundation pit of an upcoming high-rise, one of the many in the city, an intense downpour triggered a soil collapse, burying him alive beneath the rain-soaked earth. Prasad’s death was the