The imagery offers a rare visual record of the changing landscape along one of the most inaccessible sections of the frontier in the Himalayas, where competing territorial claims and the difficulty of maintaining a permanent Indian presence have left communities living close to the border increasingly anxious.
mandag 14. september 2026
Satellite images show China advancing into contested India border territory as Xi travels to New Delhi
Panic has gripped the remote frontier villages of India’s border with China, where tribal communities say they are being pushed back from their ancestral yak-grazing and hunting landsdue to a rapidly growing threat – the advancing Chinese Army. Satellite images accessed by The Independent show a rapid expansion of infrastructure at multiple sites along and near the disputed India-China frontier in Arunachal Pradesh, including new buildings, roads, as well as helipads.
The imagery offers a rare visual record of the changing landscape along one of the most inaccessible sections of the frontier in the Himalayas, where competing territorial claims and the difficulty of maintaining a permanent Indian presence have left communities living close to the border increasingly anxious.
The imagery offers a rare visual record of the changing landscape along one of the most inaccessible sections of the frontier in the Himalayas, where competing territorial claims and the difficulty of maintaining a permanent Indian presence have left communities living close to the border increasingly anxious.
Namrata Goswami: China's Territorial Claim on Arunchal Pradesh
China’s territorial claim on the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh has been a major bone of contention between India and China. China bases it claim on the argument that historical ties existed between the Tawang monastery in Arunachal Pradesh and the Lhasa monastery. Hence, the Chinese logic is that given Tibet is now part of China, Arunachal Pradesh should form a part of it.
Both countries fought a border war in Arunachal Pradesh in 1962 and the situation remains unpleasant due to repeated Chinese foreign office statements reiterating the claim. In the light of this backdrop, this Occasional Paper offers four alternative scenarios in 2032 with regard to China’s territorial claim. The year 2032 has been chosen for a significant reason. A 20 year timeline is useful as it provides a defining guide-line to policy makers on what policy interventions can be undertaken in the interim period in order to ensure that a positive scenario unfolds while a negative scenario is averted.
Both countries fought a border war in Arunachal Pradesh in 1962 and the situation remains unpleasant due to repeated Chinese foreign office statements reiterating the claim. In the light of this backdrop, this Occasional Paper offers four alternative scenarios in 2032 with regard to China’s territorial claim. The year 2032 has been chosen for a significant reason. A 20 year timeline is useful as it provides a defining guide-line to policy makers on what policy interventions can be undertaken in the interim period in order to ensure that a positive scenario unfolds while a negative scenario is averted.
Trump downplays the need to check AI development and says he doesn’t want to cede edge to China
President Donald Trump on Sunday played down the need for his administration to check the development of artificial intelligence, saying he worried about ceding America’s edge over China in a global competition and that winning would help address the risks from the advancing technology.
While acknowledging the need for some regulation, Trump provided no specifics about potential rules and attributed warnings about the technology moving too quickly and with little oversight to “negative forces” he did not identify, though industry pioneers have raised such concerns.
“We can put guardrails, we can do this and that, but I think you have a lot of negative forces that are bringing it up that ... shouldn’t be bringing it up, and they’re bringing up things that won’t happen,” Trump told reporters during a weekend trip to Ireland. “But whoever wins with AI wins.”
While acknowledging the need for some regulation, Trump provided no specifics about potential rules and attributed warnings about the technology moving too quickly and with little oversight to “negative forces” he did not identify, though industry pioneers have raised such concerns.
“We can put guardrails, we can do this and that, but I think you have a lot of negative forces that are bringing it up that ... shouldn’t be bringing it up, and they’re bringing up things that won’t happen,” Trump told reporters during a weekend trip to Ireland. “But whoever wins with AI wins.”
Trump Suggests China Is Stirring US Data Center Backlash: What We Know
President Donald Trump has suggested that China may be helping fuel the growing American backlash against data centers. Asked by Fox News host Laura Ingraham why Americans do not want data centers near their homes, Trump replied: “A lot of people say it’s China” and “a lot of people say that it’s a China PR thing.” Trump did not point to any specific evidence during the exchange. He also warned that communities could lose investment and jobs if they reject data centers, calling them “the oil of the next 50 years.”
The claim comes after both X, formerly Twitter, and OpenAI disclosed China-linked online influence activity targeting the U.S. debate over data centers. But the available evidence draws an important distinction: researchers have found attempts to amplify existing American concerns, while there is considerably less evidence that China created, controls or is principally responsible for the nationwide backlash.
The claim comes after both X, formerly Twitter, and OpenAI disclosed China-linked online influence activity targeting the U.S. debate over data centers. But the available evidence draws an important distinction: researchers have found attempts to amplify existing American concerns, while there is considerably less evidence that China created, controls or is principally responsible for the nationwide backlash.
Tibet activists, journalist held for hanging protest banners near BRICS summit venue in Delhi
A day ahead of the much-ballyhooed arrival in New Delhi of Chinese President Xi Jinping for the BRICS summit, scheduled to be held over Sep 12-13, police took into custody five activists of Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) and a journalist on Sep 11 morning after the activists unfurled protest banners near the summit’s venue, the Bharat Mandapam in the Pragati Maidan complex.
Four of them are currently being held in Tihar Jail through Sep 14, and the other two at the Connaught Place Police Station, SFT said in a statement Sep 11. The Delhi Police are yet to comment on the matter, noted amp.scroll.in Sep 11.
Defying tight security, the four SFT activists, including three who climbed poles on a tunnel road, unfurled two banners reading “Xi Jinping = Genocide” and “Tibet is Facing Ecocide: Free Tibet” alongside a Tibetan National Flag.
Four of them are currently being held in Tihar Jail through Sep 14, and the other two at the Connaught Place Police Station, SFT said in a statement Sep 11. The Delhi Police are yet to comment on the matter, noted amp.scroll.in Sep 11.
Defying tight security, the four SFT activists, including three who climbed poles on a tunnel road, unfurled two banners reading “Xi Jinping = Genocide” and “Tibet is Facing Ecocide: Free Tibet” alongside a Tibetan National Flag.
Hormuz crisis forcing Japan to domesticate its energy security
Japan’s Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu phoned his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on September 8, 2026, to express concern over the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz. It was reportedly the ninth such phone call between the pair since March.
Tokyo’s urgency over the crucial waterway is understandable. While the economic ripples over the Strait of Hormuz crisis has been felt across the world, Japan is one of the countries feeling the pain most acutely. Prior to the US and Israeli strikes on Iran – and Tehran’s retaliation and closure of the strait – Hormuz carried 93% of Japan’s crude imports; the Middle East as a whole supplied 94% of the nation’s oil.
Stockpiles and domestic refining capacity have cushioned the shock, but the crisis has exposed a deeper vulnerability: Japan has long depended on a maritime security environment it does not control.
Tokyo’s urgency over the crucial waterway is understandable. While the economic ripples over the Strait of Hormuz crisis has been felt across the world, Japan is one of the countries feeling the pain most acutely. Prior to the US and Israeli strikes on Iran – and Tehran’s retaliation and closure of the strait – Hormuz carried 93% of Japan’s crude imports; the Middle East as a whole supplied 94% of the nation’s oil.
Stockpiles and domestic refining capacity have cushioned the shock, but the crisis has exposed a deeper vulnerability: Japan has long depended on a maritime security environment it does not control.
Asia’s lonely economy of one
For most of modern history, the household was a bundle. Under one roof, families pooled rent and meals, raised children, cared for parents, kept each other company and insured one another against bad luck. Nobody itemized it, and national accounts barely noticed.
Across East Asia, that arrangement is coming apart, and one line item after another has turned into something you pay for. The loneliness economy is the usual name for the result; the unbundling of the family household is the more accurate one.In South Korea, single-person households are now 36% of the total, the largest category. Japan was at 38% in 2020 and is expected to reach 44% by 2050; Tokyo is already past half.
China’s 2020 census found 125 million people living alone, equal to one in four households. Fertility has fallen in step. South Korea’s rate is 0.80, Hong Kong’s is 0.84and Taiwan’s births fell 20% in 2025 alone.
Across East Asia, that arrangement is coming apart, and one line item after another has turned into something you pay for. The loneliness economy is the usual name for the result; the unbundling of the family household is the more accurate one.In South Korea, single-person households are now 36% of the total, the largest category. Japan was at 38% in 2020 and is expected to reach 44% by 2050; Tokyo is already past half.
China’s 2020 census found 125 million people living alone, equal to one in four households. Fertility has fallen in step. South Korea’s rate is 0.80, Hong Kong’s is 0.84and Taiwan’s births fell 20% in 2025 alone.
BRICS summit 2026: What are the key takeaways?
Leaders of the BRICS group of nations unanimously adopted a joint declaration on the first day of the two-day summit in the Indian capital, New Delhi, despite divisions among members over the wars in Iran and Ukraine.
The New Delhi Declaration, adopted on Saturday, called for restraint in the Middle East but avoided condemning the US-Israeli strikes or Iran’s targeting of Gulf countries in the region. It also criticised the global trade war without naming the United States.Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, were among the leaders attending the gathering of the 11-member bloc in New Delhi at a time of global upheaval caused by the US-Israel war on Iran, Trump’s tariff war and the US’s unilateral decisions to promote its foreign policy.
The New Delhi Declaration, adopted on Saturday, called for restraint in the Middle East but avoided condemning the US-Israeli strikes or Iran’s targeting of Gulf countries in the region. It also criticised the global trade war without naming the United States.Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, were among the leaders attending the gathering of the 11-member bloc in New Delhi at a time of global upheaval caused by the US-Israel war on Iran, Trump’s tariff war and the US’s unilateral decisions to promote its foreign policy.
Red Sea nations watch as Houthis seize Bab al-Mandeb strait
The Houthis have completed their takeover of Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline, capturing the port city of Mocha and overrunning the strategic island of Mayyun (Perim) over the weekend.
Houthi forces are now positioned just 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the African coast and essentially control the strategically significant Bab al-Mandeb strait, a chokepoint for Red Sea maritime traffic.While there are no indication that the Houthis would intervene outside Yemen’s borders, the war is already being felt on the African continent.
More than 2,000 people have fled Yemen to Djibouti over the past 24 hours, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday. Yemenis arriving in Obock, a Djibouti city only about 20km (12 miles) from Yemen’s coast, are being provided with food and water, but the IOM warned that “more support is needed”.
Houthi forces are now positioned just 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the African coast and essentially control the strategically significant Bab al-Mandeb strait, a chokepoint for Red Sea maritime traffic.While there are no indication that the Houthis would intervene outside Yemen’s borders, the war is already being felt on the African continent.
More than 2,000 people have fled Yemen to Djibouti over the past 24 hours, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday. Yemenis arriving in Obock, a Djibouti city only about 20km (12 miles) from Yemen’s coast, are being provided with food and water, but the IOM warned that “more support is needed”.
søndag 13. september 2026
Beijing September 9, 1976: "Everything will be all tight, Chairman!"
Here he is, Chairman Mao, lying in state. On September 9, it was fifty years since he passed away, but the party leadership in Beijing chose to make as little as possible of the anniversary. A few commemorations were held here and there, but with little fanfare.
Mao had been ill for several years when he finally died, at the age of 82. Three years before his death, he began having increasing difficulty moving his arms and legs. He also struggled to speak clearly, chew and swallow, and hold his head upright. In 1974, he was examined by several neurologists. According to Mao’s personal physician, Li Zhisui, they concluded that he was most likely suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis — ALS.
The disease destroys the nerve cells that control the muscles, while mental faculties are normally preserved. The descriptions fitted Mao’s condition well, for he continued reading documents and making political decisions almost until his death. His final struggle was nevertheless dramatic. In early September, he could barely breathe. Mao asked the doctors whether he was going to die, but no one was willing to tell him the truth.
“Everything will be all right, Chairman,” Dr. Li Zhisui assured him.
Beijing 9. september 1976: "Det skal nok ordne seg, formann Mao!"
Her ligger han, formann Mao, på lit de parade. Den 9. september var det 50 år siden han sovnet inn, men partitoppene i Beijing valgte å gjøre minst mulig ut av jubileet. Noen markeringer ble holdt her og der, men med lite oppstuss.
Mao hadde vært syk i flere år da han endelig sovnet inn, 82 år gammel. Tre år før han døde, fikk han stadig større problemer med å bevege armer og ben. Han slet også med å snakke tydelig, tygge og svelge og holde hodet oppe. I 1974 ble han undersøkt av flere nevrologer. Ifølge Maos livlege Li Zhisui konkluderte de med at han mest sannsynlig led av amyotrofisk lateral sklerose – ALS.
India’s Modi and China’s Xi seek to reset ties on BRICS sidelines
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met Saturday on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, the latest effort by the rival neighbors to repair ties strained by a deadly border clash six years ago. Xi said China has approached relations with India from a “strategic and long-term perspective” and called for the two countries to draw on each other’s strengths, support one another and pursue common development.
He also urged “high-quality cooperation” between the two countries, saying China and India, as major members of the Global South, should promote a more multipolar world and contribute to global peace and stability.
He also urged “high-quality cooperation” between the two countries, saying China and India, as major members of the Global South, should promote a more multipolar world and contribute to global peace and stability.
Indian Prime Minister Modi says border peace is key to India-China ties
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that “peace and tranquility” in the border areas is essential for developing bilateral relations with its neighbor China. Ties between the two countries, which had deteriorated sharply following a deadly border skirmish in 2020, have been thawing for more than a year and have led to Chinese President Xi Jinping making his first visit to India in seven years.
During their bilateral meeting, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, Modi and Xi committed to “a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable” resolution of the border issues, the Indian government said in a release. The two leaders agreed that both countries must take a “strategic and long-term perspective of their ties” and not let differences become disputes.
During their bilateral meeting, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, Modi and Xi committed to “a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable” resolution of the border issues, the Indian government said in a release. The two leaders agreed that both countries must take a “strategic and long-term perspective of their ties” and not let differences become disputes.
Beijing bans drone possession in the city after earlier moves to tighten rules
Beijing is banning the possession of drones within city limits in new rules announced Sunday that further tighten its regulations on drones, which already include a May ban on sales of the devices. The ban on possession will come into effect in mid-November.
Beijing has barred unauthorized drone flights, citing security reasons, and has designated the city’s administrative area as restricted airspace. The latest revised rules come after a fatal accident in late June when a small aircraft crashed into a Beijing skyscraper, killing the pilot and injuring 13 others.
Under regulations approved in March and which came into effect May 1, existing drone owners in Beijing had to register their devices with their real names and identities, but owners have been allowed to keep their registered drones under strict requirements.
Beijing has barred unauthorized drone flights, citing security reasons, and has designated the city’s administrative area as restricted airspace. The latest revised rules come after a fatal accident in late June when a small aircraft crashed into a Beijing skyscraper, killing the pilot and injuring 13 others.
Under regulations approved in March and which came into effect May 1, existing drone owners in Beijing had to register their devices with their real names and identities, but owners have been allowed to keep their registered drones under strict requirements.
A new BRICS is emerging — can it deliver?
The New Delhi Declaration, adopted unanimously at the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12, will be read mostly through a geopolitical lens: Gaza, Security Council reform, sanctions, the drift toward a multipolar order. That reading isn’t wrong. It just misses the bigger story buried in the document’s sheer bulk.
Of the more than 130 paragraphs BRICS leaders signed off on, only about a third concern geopolitics and security. The rest — nearly a hundred paragraphs — sketch an increasingly dense architecture spanning health, food security, energy, industrial cooperation, science, finance, trade, climate and human development.
Of the more than 130 paragraphs BRICS leaders signed off on, only about a third concern geopolitics and security. The rest — nearly a hundred paragraphs — sketch an increasingly dense architecture spanning health, food security, energy, industrial cooperation, science, finance, trade, climate and human development.
Hong Kong court convicts Wall Street Journal publisher for blocking reporter from union role
A Hong Kong court convicted Dow Jones, the publisher of the Wall Street Journal, on Thursday of attempting to block a former reporter from becoming the head of a press union, but cleared it of unlawfully firing her.
Journalist Selina Cheng said she was fired by the Wall Street Journal in July 2024 after refusing demands from senior editors at the paper to sever ties with the Hong Kong Journalists Association and to not advocate for press freedom. Principal Magistrate Cheung Chi-wai David ruled that Dow Jones was guilty of wilfully preventing Cheng from exercising her right, under the city’s Trade Unions Ordinance, to become an officer of a registered trade union in June 2024.
Journalist Selina Cheng said she was fired by the Wall Street Journal in July 2024 after refusing demands from senior editors at the paper to sever ties with the Hong Kong Journalists Association and to not advocate for press freedom. Principal Magistrate Cheung Chi-wai David ruled that Dow Jones was guilty of wilfully preventing Cheng from exercising her right, under the city’s Trade Unions Ordinance, to become an officer of a registered trade union in June 2024.
lørdag 12. september 2026
China & Taiwan Update, September 11, 2026
Taiwan is likely improving its ability to retaliate against the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) precision strikes. Taiwan could use this capability to deter PRC aggression or strike critical centers of gravity in a cross-Strait invasion. Taiwanese media reported on September 3 that Taiwan’s 2027 defense budget revealed the existence of a long-range cruise missile that could target significant portions of the PRC. The cruise missile, called the Ching Tien I, has a maximum reported range of 1,500 km and can reach speeds of Mach 3.
Taiwan’s 2027 defense budget revealed that the Ching Tien I entered service within the Taiwanese military and is in serial production. Taipei Times reported that the Ching Tien I can only be fired from fixed installations, making them vulnerable to a first strike. The 2027 budget also revealed the existence of the Ching Tien II program to improve upon the first variant’s capabilities. The upgraded cruise missile will have a range of 2,000 km, reach speeds of Mach 5, and can be fired from road-mobile launchers.
Analysis China’s artificial intelligence goals and strategic choices for Europe
In its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), China has placed artificial intelligence at the centre of its industrial strategy, but with apparently clashing goals. China wants technological self-reliance and substantial safeguards around its domestic market, but also freely adaptable AI models1, international diffusion of Chinese AI models and greater cooperation in global AI governance.
However, while these objectives appear contradictory, a closer look reveals that they’re different facets of a unified strategy. Chinese President Xi Jinping detailed the strategy at the 17-20 July 2026 World AI Conference in Shanghai. He presented AI as a “rare, historic opportunity” for open development, collaboration and sharing, and promoted the newly established Shanghai-based World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) as a vehicle for a “just and equitable” system of global AI governance (Xi, 2026).
However, while these objectives appear contradictory, a closer look reveals that they’re different facets of a unified strategy. Chinese President Xi Jinping detailed the strategy at the 17-20 July 2026 World AI Conference in Shanghai. He presented AI as a “rare, historic opportunity” for open development, collaboration and sharing, and promoted the newly established Shanghai-based World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) as a vehicle for a “just and equitable” system of global AI governance (Xi, 2026).
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