While Donald Trump rages against Iran’s defiant ayatollahs, North Korea’s Kim Jong-un is laughing louder than ever. And why not? North Korea has long since become a nuclear power, and Trump – supposedly the greatest man under heaven – has no choice but to accept it.
Earlier this week, “the Supreme Leader” sent yet another long-range missile into the sky. According to North Korean media, the test launch was “highly successful.” “With a deafening roar and a raging tail of fire, the missile announced that North Korea will not be subdued,” reports from the capital Pyongyang declared. Kim watched the event from a control room together with his daughter, Kim Ju Ae. It is being speculated that the 13-year-old girl has been designated as her father’s successor.
That the test launch took place while the United States is trying to bomb Iran into capitulation was hardly a coincidence. Kim Jong-un wants to tell the world that he himself feels secure, and that no power, not even the United States, will be able to force him to his knees.
And that is not all: North Korea’s missile program has become so advanced that the country’s intercontinental missiles can strike targets in the United States. Designed to fly up to 15,000 kilometers, they could in the worst case destroy several of America’s largest cities, even Washington, D.C. How precise and reliable the missiles would be in wartime is uncertain, but the program has clearly progressed far enough for North Korea to feel safer than ever.
fredag 13. mars 2026
Has Cambodia really cut cybercrime by half?
Cambodian authorities said last week that they had cut activity in scam compounds by half since the start of this year, as the government in Phnom Penh responds to international pressure to clamp down on digital criminal networks.
The Southeast Asian country has grown into a global hub for digital scammers in recent years. Experts estimate the criminals' profits to be in billions of dollars, with the industry targeting victims all over the world. Hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked into scam centers under false pretenses, according to the UN. The victims are then kept in slave-like conditions and forced to work for the organized criminal networks.
The Southeast Asian country has grown into a global hub for digital scammers in recent years. Experts estimate the criminals' profits to be in billions of dollars, with the industry targeting victims all over the world. Hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked into scam centers under false pretenses, according to the UN. The victims are then kept in slave-like conditions and forced to work for the organized criminal networks.
China passes controversial 'ethnic unity' law
China's National People's Congress approved legislation promoting what it calls the "ethnic unity" law, which human rights groups say could further marginalize minority groups. The law formalizes policies in order to promote Mandarin as the "national common language" for official purposes such as education and public affairs.
As part of the law, educational institutions will now be obliged to teach in Mandarin, with teenagers required to have a "basic grasp" of Mandarin when finishing their compulsory education. It also states that the law can be applied outside China's borders, meaning people outside China who "engage in activities that undermine ethnic unity" or incite "ethnic separatism" can be held legally liable.
The Chinese government has for decades faced allegations of trying to force assimilation of minorities into the Han majority. China acknowledges 55 official ethnic minorities within its territory that speak hundreds of languages and dialects. While no minority languages are specifically mentioned in the law, it is likely to affect Uyghur, Mongolian and Tibetan speakers.
The Chinese government has for decades faced allegations of trying to force assimilation of minorities into the Han majority. China acknowledges 55 official ethnic minorities within its territory that speak hundreds of languages and dialects. While no minority languages are specifically mentioned in the law, it is likely to affect Uyghur, Mongolian and Tibetan speakers.
Taiwan parliament approves major arms deal with US
Taiwan's parliament on Friday approved four weapons deals with the US, giving the government the green light to approve the deal worth roughly $9 billion (roughly €7.86 billion). The arms packages are part of an $11 billion arms deal announced by Washington in December.
Taiwan's reluctance to increase defense spending has raised concerns in Washington. The US remains the Chinese-claimed island's most important international backer and arms supplier. The weapons include TOW anti-tank missiles, M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, Lockheed Martin-made Javelin missiles and
HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems.
"This body upholds the principle of placing national security first and firmly defending territorial integrity," parliament speaker Han Kuo-yu said, reading the resolution, which passed unanimously.
Taiwan's reluctance to increase defense spending has raised concerns in Washington. The US remains the Chinese-claimed island's most important international backer and arms supplier. The weapons include TOW anti-tank missiles, M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, Lockheed Martin-made Javelin missiles and
HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems.
"This body upholds the principle of placing national security first and firmly defending territorial integrity," parliament speaker Han Kuo-yu said, reading the resolution, which passed unanimously.
Trump wanted India off Russian oil. His war with Iran is now undermining that goal
For much of last year, Washington sought to starve Moscow’s war machine of cash, in part by removing one of its most loyal customers: India. Under President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign, the White House slapped high tariffs on many of New Delhi’s exports and sanctioned two of the Kremlin’s largest oil firms.
The strategy appeared to be working. While India didn’t quit its Russian oil habit entirely, it sharply reduced its purchases in favor of supplies from the Middle East.
But last week’s joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which almost all Middle Eastern oil flows. Iran has also threatened to attack energy infrastructure in neighboring countries in retaliation for airstrikes that hit major energy storage sites in Tehran.
The strategy appeared to be working. While India didn’t quit its Russian oil habit entirely, it sharply reduced its purchases in favor of supplies from the Middle East.
But last week’s joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which almost all Middle Eastern oil flows. Iran has also threatened to attack energy infrastructure in neighboring countries in retaliation for airstrikes that hit major energy storage sites in Tehran.
For nearly two weeks, Chinese fighter jets stopped buzzing Taiwan. No one seems to know why.
Taiwan’s military has grown used to the daily task of tracking Chinese warplanes flying near the island. Some days there are a handful. On others, many more. But they are a near-constant presence. So when the aircraft suddenly stopped coming for nearly two weeks, the silence was both striking and deeply puzzling.
That spell was broken on Thursday with five People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft operating around the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours, according to Taiwan’s military, with several flying near the median line that divides the waterway. Analysts say it was the longest pause in Chinese air activity since Taiwan began publicly releasing daily military data.
That spell was broken on Thursday with five People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft operating around the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours, according to Taiwan’s military, with several flying near the median line that divides the waterway. Analysts say it was the longest pause in Chinese air activity since Taiwan began publicly releasing daily military data.
What to know about the falloff in China’s military flights around Taiwan
Over the years, a regular Chinese campaign of sending warplanes flying toward Taiwan — the self-governing island it claims as its territory — has raised alarm from Taipei to Washington. Now, a sharp drop in the number of flights in the past two weeks has analysts scratching their heads about what China’s military may be up to. And that mystery carries risks, former U.S. defense official Drew Thompson said.
“There are so many theories and the lack of understanding of China’s intentions is what’s disconcerting,” said Thompson, now a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. “You fill the void with uncertainty, and uncertainty increases risk.”
“There are so many theories and the lack of understanding of China’s intentions is what’s disconcerting,” said Thompson, now a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. “You fill the void with uncertainty, and uncertainty increases risk.”
Torbjørn Færøvik: Men Nord-Korea får være i fred
Mens Donald Trump raser mot Irans gjenstridige ayatollaher, ler Nord-Koreas Kim Jong-un høyere enn noensinne. Og hvorfor ikke? Nord-Korea er for lengst blitt en atommakt, og Trump – visstnok det største menneske under himmelen – kan ikke annet enn akseptere det.
Tidligere i denne uken sendte «Den øverste leder» nok en langdistanserakett til værs. Prøveoppskytingen skal ifølge nord-koreanske medier ha vært «svært vellykket». «Med et øredøvende brøl og en frådende ildhale kunngjorde raketten at Nord-Korea ikke lar seg kue», het det i meldingene fra hovedstaden Pyongyang. Kim fulgte begivenheten fra et kontrollrom sammen med datteren Kim Ju Ae. Det spekuleres på om den 13 år gamle jenta er utsett til sin fars etterfølger.
At prøveoppskytingen fant sted mens USA forsøker å bombe Iran til kapitulasjon, var neppe tilfeldig. Kim Jong-un vil fortelle verden at han selv føler seg trygg, og at ingen makt, ikke engang USA, skal kunne tvinge ham i kne.
Og ikke nok med det: Nord-Koreas rakettprogram er blitt så avansert at landets interkontinentale raketter kan ramme mål i USA. Siden de er laget for å fly opptil 15 000 kilometer, kan de i verste fall utslette flere av USAs største byer, selv Washington D.C. Hvor presise og pålitelige rakettene er i krig, er usikkert, men programmet er åpenbart kommet langt nok til at Nord-Korea føler seg tryggere enn noensinne.
Tidligere i denne uken sendte «Den øverste leder» nok en langdistanserakett til værs. Prøveoppskytingen skal ifølge nord-koreanske medier ha vært «svært vellykket». «Med et øredøvende brøl og en frådende ildhale kunngjorde raketten at Nord-Korea ikke lar seg kue», het det i meldingene fra hovedstaden Pyongyang. Kim fulgte begivenheten fra et kontrollrom sammen med datteren Kim Ju Ae. Det spekuleres på om den 13 år gamle jenta er utsett til sin fars etterfølger.
At prøveoppskytingen fant sted mens USA forsøker å bombe Iran til kapitulasjon, var neppe tilfeldig. Kim Jong-un vil fortelle verden at han selv føler seg trygg, og at ingen makt, ikke engang USA, skal kunne tvinge ham i kne.
Og ikke nok med det: Nord-Koreas rakettprogram er blitt så avansert at landets interkontinentale raketter kan ramme mål i USA. Siden de er laget for å fly opptil 15 000 kilometer, kan de i verste fall utslette flere av USAs største byer, selv Washington D.C. Hvor presise og pålitelige rakettene er i krig, er usikkert, men programmet er åpenbart kommet langt nok til at Nord-Korea føler seg tryggere enn noensinne.
onsdag 11. mars 2026
Torbjørn Færøvik: The Empress in Exile. Will Farah Pahlavi Ever See Iran Again?
She has lived in exile for nearly half a century. Will she ever see Iran again?
She was the beauty who for years adorned magazine covers around the world. Farah Diba, born in Tehran in 1938, later Queen of Iran under the name Farah Pahlavi. She is now 87. From her exile in the United States, she follows the drama unfolding in her homeland hour by hour.
It is said that she lives a quiet life, dividing her time between properties in Paris and Washington, D.C. Yet she still attends cultural events for Iranian exiles and until recently has appeared together with her eldest son, Reza Pahlavi.
Farah Pahlavi has never returned to Iran since she and the Shah left the country in 1979. In interviews she says that her longing for her homeland remains strong. One of her most frequently quoted remarks is: “I live in exile, but Iran always lives in my heart.”Many years ago, in 2004, she published the book An Enduring Love: My Life With the Shah. It is both a personal memoir and a defense of her husband, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, and of the monarchy that collapsed in 1979. She recounts that she grew up in a fairly well-to-do family and, as a young woman, had the opportunity to study architecture in Paris.
She was the beauty who for years adorned magazine covers around the world. Farah Diba, born in Tehran in 1938, later Queen of Iran under the name Farah Pahlavi. She is now 87. From her exile in the United States, she follows the drama unfolding in her homeland hour by hour.
It is said that she lives a quiet life, dividing her time between properties in Paris and Washington, D.C. Yet she still attends cultural events for Iranian exiles and until recently has appeared together with her eldest son, Reza Pahlavi.
Farah Pahlavi has never returned to Iran since she and the Shah left the country in 1979. In interviews she says that her longing for her homeland remains strong. One of her most frequently quoted remarks is: “I live in exile, but Iran always lives in my heart.”Many years ago, in 2004, she published the book An Enduring Love: My Life With the Shah. It is both a personal memoir and a defense of her husband, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, and of the monarchy that collapsed in 1979. She recounts that she grew up in a fairly well-to-do family and, as a young woman, had the opportunity to study architecture in Paris.
China’s exports surge in Jan-Feb despite waning trade with the US
China’s exports jumped nearly 22% in the first two months of the year from a year earlier, powered by a surge in shipments of computer chips, autos and electronics. The export figures released by China’s customs agency on Tuesday were much better than economists had forecast. They far exceeded the 6.6% annual pace of growthrecorded in December.
Shipments to the U.S. fell 11% in January and February, narrowing from a 30% drop in December. Exports to the European Union increased almost 28% while those to Latin America climbed 16%.
Exports to the rest of Asia, including Japan and India, also were sharply higher.
China’s exports have been a bright spot for its economy despite tensions with the U.S. Chinese exports climbed 5.5% for 2025 as its trade surplus surged to a record of nearly $1.2 trillion. Higher shipments to other regions have helped offset weaker exports to the U.S. after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a variety of higher tariffs on imports from many countries.
Shipments to the U.S. fell 11% in January and February, narrowing from a 30% drop in December. Exports to the European Union increased almost 28% while those to Latin America climbed 16%.
Exports to the rest of Asia, including Japan and India, also were sharply higher.
China’s exports have been a bright spot for its economy despite tensions with the U.S. Chinese exports climbed 5.5% for 2025 as its trade surplus surged to a record of nearly $1.2 trillion. Higher shipments to other regions have helped offset weaker exports to the U.S. after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a variety of higher tariffs on imports from many countries.
Japan prepares for deployment of its first home-developed long-range missile
Japan is preparing to deploy its first batch of domestically developed long-range missiles, with their launchers arriving at an army camp Monday as the country accelerates its offensive capability in response to rising challenges in the region.
The upgraded Type-12 land-to-ship missiles will be deployed at Camp Kengun in Japan’s southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto by the end of March, completing the process of deployment, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said without giving details.
Army vehicles carrying the launchers and other equipment arrived past midnight in a highly secretive mission criticized by residents. Dozens of people stood outside of the camp, shouting “Stop long-range missile deployment!” and holding banners carrying messages of protest.
The upgraded Type-12 land-to-ship missiles will be deployed at Camp Kengun in Japan’s southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto by the end of March, completing the process of deployment, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said without giving details.
Army vehicles carrying the launchers and other equipment arrived past midnight in a highly secretive mission criticized by residents. Dozens of people stood outside of the camp, shouting “Stop long-range missile deployment!” and holding banners carrying messages of protest.
North Korean leader Kim watches cruise missile tests with his daughter
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter observed tests of strategic cruise missiles fired from a warship, state media reported Wednesday, as North Korea threatened responses to U.S.-South Korean military drills.
Images sent by the Korean Central News Agency showed the two in a conference room looking at a screen showing weapons being fired from the Choe Hyon, a year-old naval destroyer. Kim Jong Un watched the missiles launches via video on Tuesday and underscored the need to maintain “a powerful and reliable nuclear war deterrent,” KCNA reported in a dispatch that did not mention his daughter.
The girl, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and about 13, has accompanied her father at numerous prominent events including military parades and weapons launches since late 2022. South Korea’s spy agency assessed last month Kim Jong Un was close to designating her as his heir.
Images sent by the Korean Central News Agency showed the two in a conference room looking at a screen showing weapons being fired from the Choe Hyon, a year-old naval destroyer. Kim Jong Un watched the missiles launches via video on Tuesday and underscored the need to maintain “a powerful and reliable nuclear war deterrent,” KCNA reported in a dispatch that did not mention his daughter.
The girl, reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and about 13, has accompanied her father at numerous prominent events including military parades and weapons launches since late 2022. South Korea’s spy agency assessed last month Kim Jong Un was close to designating her as his heir.
China Tensions Drive Up Arms Sales in Asia
Asia and Oceania was the second-largest destination for arms imports over the past five years, on the back of China's military buildup and growing assertiveness in the region, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The analysis, released Monday, shows how the contours of global arms salesare shaped by ongoing conflicts and by governments preparing for potential ones.The report comes after China announced its largest-yet defense budget. Beijing’s rapid military buildup has raised concerns in Washington and allied Pacific governments that China seeks dominance over the region.
The analysis, released Monday, shows how the contours of global arms salesare shaped by ongoing conflicts and by governments preparing for potential ones.The report comes after China announced its largest-yet defense budget. Beijing’s rapid military buildup has raised concerns in Washington and allied Pacific governments that China seeks dominance over the region.
Trump ‘Death and Fury’ Threat a ‘Gift to China’
President Donald Trump has threatened to ramp up attacks on Iran twentyfold if the country obstructs oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming this would be a "gift" for China and other countries that rely on the waterway for energy imports.
"Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again," he wrote on Truth Social Friday evening local time. "Death, Fire, and Fury will [rain] upon them. But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen!"
The U.S. and Israel's war against Iran, which has led to the deaths of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior officials, prompted the Islamic Republic to retaliate with missile and drone strikes across the region, including on oil infrastructure in neighboring Gulf states. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps on Tuesday renewed its pledge not to let "one liter of oil" leave the region as long as the American and Israeli attacks continue.
"Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again," he wrote on Truth Social Friday evening local time. "Death, Fire, and Fury will [rain] upon them. But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen!"
The U.S. and Israel's war against Iran, which has led to the deaths of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior officials, prompted the Islamic Republic to retaliate with missile and drone strikes across the region, including on oil infrastructure in neighboring Gulf states. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps on Tuesday renewed its pledge not to let "one liter of oil" leave the region as long as the American and Israeli attacks continue.
China bets on new tech, domestic demand at 'Two Sessions'
Beijing is doubling down on advanced technology and boosting domestic demand amid economic slowdown, according to signals coming from the annual "Two Sessions" meetings set to conclude this Thursday.
Thousands of delegates are attending the annual meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC) — the Chinese legislative assembly — and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a top level advisory body, in Beijing. Together, the two conferences offer early signals about potential shifts in China's policy — particularly on the economy, security and foreign affairs. This year's "Two Sessions" also coincide with the launch of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, the country's economic and political road map for 2026–2030.
Premier Li Qiang set a GDP growth target of around 4.5–5% for 2026, the lowest official goal since 1991. The figure marks a notable shift after decades in which China maintained rapid expansion, positioning itself as a key driver of global economic growth.
Thousands of delegates are attending the annual meetings of the National People's Congress (NPC) — the Chinese legislative assembly — and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a top level advisory body, in Beijing. Together, the two conferences offer early signals about potential shifts in China's policy — particularly on the economy, security and foreign affairs. This year's "Two Sessions" also coincide with the launch of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, the country's economic and political road map for 2026–2030.
Premier Li Qiang set a GDP growth target of around 4.5–5% for 2026, the lowest official goal since 1991. The figure marks a notable shift after decades in which China maintained rapid expansion, positioning itself as a key driver of global economic growth.
Chinese automakers want to come to US. They could be here fairly soon
Chinese cars could be at an American dealership sooner than you think, and that’s good news for US consumers. Chinese car companies make more vehicles than anyone else on Earth and export more as well. But high tariffs and hostile US-China trade relations have kept them out of the American market.
That’s likely to change, according to experts, with Chinese autos hitting US showrooms in the next five to 10 years.
“The ambition is there,” said Lei Xing, an independent auto analyst and former chief editor of China Automotive Review magazine, even if companies have to build factories here rather than ship cars here from China. He said multiple Chinese automakers have shown “readiness to come to the US, to build in the US.”
That would be helpful for American car buyers. Greater competition means more choices, especially for EVs, which in turn should lower prices. But it would also squeeze the profits and market share of the car companies already selling in the US, likely affecting the nearly 1 million people who work for them.
That’s likely to change, according to experts, with Chinese autos hitting US showrooms in the next five to 10 years.
“The ambition is there,” said Lei Xing, an independent auto analyst and former chief editor of China Automotive Review magazine, even if companies have to build factories here rather than ship cars here from China. He said multiple Chinese automakers have shown “readiness to come to the US, to build in the US.”
That would be helpful for American car buyers. Greater competition means more choices, especially for EVs, which in turn should lower prices. But it would also squeeze the profits and market share of the car companies already selling in the US, likely affecting the nearly 1 million people who work for them.
China warns ‘flames of war’ spreading, but signals its welcome for Xi-Trump meeting
China’s top diplomat cast his country as a defender of peace and stability as war in Iran rages, while striking a conciliatory tone towards the United States ahead of a highly anticipated summit between the two nation’s leaders. “This was a war that should never have happened, and a war that benefited no one,” Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, said at a Sunday news briefing on the sidelines of the annual assembly of China’s rubber-stamp legislature.
Wang, touting China as “the world’s most important force of peace, stability and justice,” reiterated Beijing’s call for an immediate ceasefire to “prevent the situation from escalating and avoid the spillover and spread of the flames of war.”
Wang, touting China as “the world’s most important force of peace, stability and justice,” reiterated Beijing’s call for an immediate ceasefire to “prevent the situation from escalating and avoid the spillover and spread of the flames of war.”
US allows India's Russian oil purchases again
The Trump administration's decision to ease sanctions on Russian oil sales to India in order to address potential supply issues has raised questions about Washington's resolve on the issue. After announcing a 30-day waiver on Thursday (March 5) to allow Indian refiners to buy Russian oil again, the White House has now opened the door to possible further loosening of the sanctions against Moscow.
"To ease the temporary gap of oil around the world, we have given them permission to accept the Russian oil. We may unsanction other Russian oil," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News.
The easing of sanctions on India represented a major policy shift. When President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a trade agreement last month, a major component of the deal was India agreeing to stop purchasing Russian oil. Trump had repeatedly criticized India's purchases from Moscow.
"To ease the temporary gap of oil around the world, we have given them permission to accept the Russian oil. We may unsanction other Russian oil," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News.
The easing of sanctions on India represented a major policy shift. When President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a trade agreement last month, a major component of the deal was India agreeing to stop purchasing Russian oil. Trump had repeatedly criticized India's purchases from Moscow.
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