Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 55

Thailand-Cambodia border clashes: Cambodia’s economy has more to lose, analysts say

The escalating conflict between Thailand and Cambodia could have a negative impact on their tourism-dependent economies, but Cambodia’s is more vulnerable, analysts said. Both countries exchanged fire across the border in multiple areas on Thursday after weeks of simmering tensions, with least 11 civilian deaths. Tourism is a significant economic driver for both countries, contributing

Trump’s tariff deal offers scant relief for Japan automakers as bigger threat looms

Japanese automakers may have sidestepped crushing U.S. tariffs, but the reprieve is offering little comfort as Chinese automakers erode their long-held global edge, complicated by persistent structural challenges at home. On July 22, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that auto tariffs on Japan-made vehicle imports to the U.S. were lowered to 15% from the current 25%.However, the light

US-China talks to restart as hopes grow for trade war truce extension

The US and China are due to start a fresh round of talks on Monday as expectations grow that the world's two biggest economies could agree a 90-day extension to their trade war truce. The meetings in Sweden - led on Washington's side by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and for Beijing by Vice Premier He Lifeng - come hours after US President Donald Trump announced a framework tariffs deal

Head monk of Shaolin 'Kung Fu' temple faces criminal probe

Shi Yongxin, the abbot of the world-renowned Shaolin Temple, is being investigated by multiple agencies for embezzlement, "improper relationships with multiple women" and "fathering illegitimate children", the temple said on Sunday.The 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple, located in a mountain range in central China's Henan province, attracts thousands of disciples every year - some from across the

The rise of Japan's far right was supercharged by Trump - and tourists

Japanese politics is a usually steady ship, verging on the boring most of the time.Not anymore. Last Sunday, a once obscure far-right party, Sanseito, surged from one to 15 seats in the elections, making them a serious contender in Japan's political scene. With their "Japanese First" slogan, riffing off US President Donald Trump's "America First", they have truly ruffled the feathers of

US-EU tariff deal a big Trump win but not a total defeat for Brussels

After weeks of tense negotiations between their top trade officials, the European Union and US have finally struck a framework deal - and it comes on the eve of America's latest round of tariff talks with China. Ultimately it took leaders from Washington and Brussels to sit down face to face to reach Sunday's agreement.That's something we've also seen with the other deals that President

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that the United States and the European Union reached a framework for a trade deal

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that the United States and the European Union reached a framework for a trade deal, after talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Turnberry, Scotland. Trump announced a 15% across-the-board levy on imports from the 27-nation European Union, ending a monthslong saga with America’s largest trading partner as the EU sought to keep

EU and US agree trade deal, with 15% tariffs for European exports to America

The United States and European Union have reached a trade deal which will see a blanket tariff of 15% on all EU goods imported to the US. President Trump says the EU has promised hundreds of billions of dollars of investment and energy purchases. Trump and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen met for talks in Scotland on Sunday - she has called the agreement a "huge

China releases AI action plan days after the U.S. as global tech race heats up

The tech race between the world’s two largest economies just intensified. China on Saturday released a global action plan for artificial intelligence, calling for international cooperation on tech development and regulation. The news came as the annual state-organized World Artificial Intelligence Conference kicked off in Shanghai with an opening speech by Premier Li Qiang, who announced that the

THAILAND AND CAMBODIA: THE BATTLE FOR PREAH VIHEAR

Historical memory plays a profound role in shaping national identities and international relations. Leaders often invoke visions of a shared past to unify diverse populations under a common flag or to rally diverse countries toward a common regional purpose. However, historical memories can also be explosively divisive. This article briefly examines one such case: the case of Preah Vihear, an