Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 77

Sotheby's halts Buddha jewels auction after India threat

The auction house Sotheby's has postponed its sale in Hong Kong of hundreds of sacred jewels linked to the Buddha's remains, after a threat of legal action by the Indian government. The sale of the collection - described as one of the most astonishing archaeological finds of the modern era - had drawn criticism from Buddhist academics and monastic leaders. India had said it offended the global

Hong Kong pro-China informer: 'Why I've reported dozens of people to police'

From a woman waving a colonial-era flag in a shopping mall, to bakery staff selling cakes with protest symbols on them - dozens of Hongkongers have been reported to the police by one man for what he believes were national security violations."We're in every corner of society, watching, to see if there is anything suspicious which could infringe on the national security law," former banker Innes

Trump says the US needs to protect Greenland from China. Are his fears overblown?

Throughout his second term, US President Donald Trump has trained his focus on a sprawling but sparsely populated island that stretches into the Arctic circle. The United States needs that island – Greenland, a territory of US ally Denmark – “very badly,” Trump said in an NBC interview that aired on Sunday, echoing comments he’s made repeatedly in recent months.“Greenland is a very small amount

One trade ‘deal’ done, 199 to go

President Donald Trump has finally gotten his first trade deal doneWell, not quite a “deal,” perse. More like a concept of a plan: a framework for negotiations between the United States and the United Kingdom that will take place between the two countries over the next several months or years … to hammer out a potential future trade agreement … that may or may not ultimately prove more beneficial

US, China in for protracted trade talks, warn experts ahead of crucial Geneva meet

U.S. and Chinese officials will hold high-level talks in Switzerland this weekend, a first step toward easing trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies over tariffs but experts did not expect immediate breakthroughs. Analysts said Wednesday the talks were a necessary step towards de-escalating tensions amid the ongoing trade war, but negotiations to resolve differences between the

Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow as Putin’s ‘guest of honor’ ahead of Victory Day military parade

As Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares for his heavily choreographed May 9 “Victory Day” military parade, he’s been clear who’s at the top of his guest list: Xi Jinping. The Chinese leader arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for a four-day state visit, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported. Xi will deepen “mutual trust” with Putin, according to Beijing, and attend activities

'It felt like the sky turned red', says witness to India strike in Pakistan

On Wednesday morning, dozens of people gathered on the perimeter of a sprawling complex in the Pakistani city of Muridke to see the damage for themselves. Overnight, Indian missiles had pounded buildings at this site, which lies not far from the border with India in Pakistan's Punjab region, and just a short drive from the major city of Lahore. No one was being allowed into the complex - but even

India to stop water flowing across international borders, Modi says

India has announced that it will stop its water from flowing over international borders. "Now, India's water will flow for India's benefit, it will be conserved for India's benefit, and it will be used for India's progress", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday. While he did not mention Pakistan specifically, Modi's comments come about two weeks after India suspended a 65-year-old water

Trump’s team is finally meeting with China. The future of the global economy is riding on its success

US President Donald Trump’s top trade officials will meet with their Chinese counterparts this week to discuss a de-escalation of their increasingly ugly and damaging trade war. The future of the global economy is riding on their success.The trade talks, the first in-person meeting between Chinese and American officials since the tit-for-tat tariff escalation kicked off in earnest in March, are

China continues to be world’s top jailer of journalists, is among bottom three in press freedom

Press freedom is at its lowest ebb globally in more than two decades and China, which ranks among the least free, is the biggest jailer of journalists, according to the latest annual report of Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières or RSF) released May 2. China has dropped six places from the previous year to 178th in a worsening of an already dire picture. The Index