Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 60

Why has Japan set up a task force to deal with foreigners?

Japan has worked hard to attract foreigners to boost its sluggish economy but now the perception there are too many has prompted the creation of a new task force, as competition for votes heats up ahead of Sunday’s national election. The issue is on the political agenda ahead of the upper house election, in part because of a fringe party promoting “Japanese first” policies, in a nod to the

China was on the sidelines of the Iran-Israel war. That’s just where it wanted to be

Weeks after his country was battered by waves of Israeli strikes and the US bombed three of its prized nuclear facilities, Iran’s foreign minister came to a gathering of regional diplomats in China this week with a simple ask. Their group, the Beijing and Moscow-backed Shanghai Cooperation Organization, should have a way to coordinate response to military aggression and play a “central role”

A furious Chinese internet takes on privilege

This was supposed to be a breakout year for Chinese actress Nashi, with major roles in two blockbuster films and a highly anticipated TV drama. But then in June, the 35-year-old's star crashed as a furore over her exam scores from more than a decade ago sparked a backlash online – and eventually an official investigation into her academic record.The fallout was immediate. Her name was

Ninth day of Han Kuang focuses on ‘hot refueling’

Taiwanese armed forces yesterday simulated an enemy advance into the Taipei area after a successful landing, while defending units practiced “hot refueling” helicopters on the ninth day of the Han Kuang exercises. Most of yesterday’s training units were concentrated in northern Taiwan, with exercises testing combat troops in defending against an invading force while also repairing damaged

Manila enhancing defense cooperation with Taiwan: report

The Philippines is working behind the scenes to enhance its defensive cooperation with Taiwan, the Washington Post said in a report published on Monday. “It would be hiding from the obvious to say that Taiwan’s security will not affect us,” Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro Jr told the paper in an interview on Thursday last week.Although there has been no formal change

China Flexes Island-Seizing Capability in Contested Waters

China demonstrated its island-seizing capabilities by deploying air-cushioned landing craft in the South China Sea, where it is engaged in territorial disputes with neighboring countries. In contrast to more-conventional landing boats, air-cushioned landing craft—also known as Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC)—are capable of rapidly reaching landing sites that are difficult to access due to

US Military Trains To Defend Panama Canal From China Threat

The United States has trained for the defense of the Panama Canal during a joint exercise with the Central American country amid concerns over China's growing presence in the region. The exercise, code-named PANAMAX-Alpha Phase I and scheduled from July 13 to 18, was designed to "reinforce preparation for threats to the security of the Panama Canal and other strategic infrastructure,"

Japan and India To Unveil New Bullet Train in High-Speed Rail Collaboration

India's Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor will become the launch site for Japan's next-generation E10 Shinkansen bullet trains. The Indian Ministry of Railways announced on Monday that the E10 trains, the successor to Japan's current generation of E5 Shinkansen, would make their debut in both countries simultaneously.Newsweek contacted the Ministry of Railways and the Japanese

Asians are avoiding trips to the U.S. this year — for a variety of reasons

Tough talk on tariffs, reports of border detentions and unfavorable exchange rates are putting some travelers, especially Canadians, off trips to the United States this year. But those in Asia say they’re avoiding trips to the U.S. for different reasons.Nearly 80% of Southeast Asian travelers said the United States is losing appeal as a travel destination, according to a CNBC Travel survey.&

Jensen Huang lauds China’s AI models as Nvidia gears up to resume chip exports

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang praised China’s generative artificial intelligence models, a day after the U.S. chipmaker said it expected to resume sales of a key AI chip to the country soon.“Models like DeepSeek, Alibaba, Tencent, MiniMax, and BaiduErnie bot are world class, developed here and shared openly [and] have spurred AI developments worldwide,” Huang said. He was speaking Wednesday at the