As of Friday, an estimated 2.5 million cubic metres of water had accumulated, according to broadcaster CCTV. Officials said that three million cubic metres of water was expected to flow into the lake between Thursday and the weekend, posing a "high risk of breach". But experts have told the BBC that it was possible that the lake could drain out naturally over time.
lørdag 29. august 2026
'High risk' of lake breaching and causing second flood, warns China
China has warned there is a "high risk" a lake that formed after the recent landslide near the Nepal-Tibet border may breach its banks, causing a second flood downstream. The warning comes after Wednesday's deadly flash flood in the same area, which scientists say was triggered by the collapse of a mountain glacier into a river.
As of Friday, an estimated 2.5 million cubic metres of water had accumulated, according to broadcaster CCTV. Officials said that three million cubic metres of water was expected to flow into the lake between Thursday and the weekend, posing a "high risk of breach". But experts have told the BBC that it was possible that the lake could drain out naturally over time.
As of Friday, an estimated 2.5 million cubic metres of water had accumulated, according to broadcaster CCTV. Officials said that three million cubic metres of water was expected to flow into the lake between Thursday and the weekend, posing a "high risk of breach". But experts have told the BBC that it was possible that the lake could drain out naturally over time.
Korea divided: Siblings separated, a son's fight to save his mom
Kang Myung Sook was 63 the last time she saw her brother in North Korea. She is 87 now and lives in an elderly care facility in rural South Korea, about 32 kilometres (20 miles) from the border with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
For two days in 2002, the siblings sat across from each other in a hotel banquet hall in a North Korean resort town, surrounded by hundreds of other families doing the same thing: trying to compress 50 years of life, thoughts and memories into a handful of hours, with government minders standing close enough to hear every word.
Then, the buses came to take the families home, half to North Korea, half to South Korea. “My brother called out from the window of the moving bus, telling me to take care of myself,” Kang said. “We were all crying — it was chaotic. And then we never saw each other again.”
For two days in 2002, the siblings sat across from each other in a hotel banquet hall in a North Korean resort town, surrounded by hundreds of other families doing the same thing: trying to compress 50 years of life, thoughts and memories into a handful of hours, with government minders standing close enough to hear every word.
Then, the buses came to take the families home, half to North Korea, half to South Korea. “My brother called out from the window of the moving bus, telling me to take care of myself,” Kang said. “We were all crying — it was chaotic. And then we never saw each other again.”
The Himalayas are unpredictable. But countries are building there like never before
Deadly flooding along the China-Nepal border has put a sharp spotlight on how risks from natural disasters in the Himalayas are growing, at the same time that countries in the region are rapidly building out their high-altitude infrastructure footprints.
There’s no indication that the latest disaster, which has killed more than 600 people and left around 3,000 more missing on both sides of the border, was linked to manmade development. But the devastation could be a reality check for governments driving a boom in dams, tunnels, highways, railways and bridges across the Himalayas as they aim to harness the region’s vast hydropower potential and resources –– and fortify their borders there.
There’s no indication that the latest disaster, which has killed more than 600 people and left around 3,000 more missing on both sides of the border, was linked to manmade development. But the devastation could be a reality check for governments driving a boom in dams, tunnels, highways, railways and bridges across the Himalayas as they aim to harness the region’s vast hydropower potential and resources –– and fortify their borders there.
Cambodia claims it has wiped out online scam compounds after a sweeping crackdown
Cambodia, notorious for being a major center for international online scams, claimed Friday it no longer hosts any of the compounds where the lucrative cybercrime was carried out, although some remain skeptical.
The government’s Ad-Hoc Commission for Combating Online Scams, CCOS, claimed success for its crackdown at a Thursday meeting with about 50 representatives of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations led by Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, who heads the anti-scam agency, it said in a statement issued Friday.
“This follows the complete eradication of large-scale online scam operations, strict legal actions against perpetrators, networks and involved officials, alongside the systematic establishment of a cybersecurity legal framework,” it said.
The government’s Ad-Hoc Commission for Combating Online Scams, CCOS, claimed success for its crackdown at a Thursday meeting with about 50 representatives of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations led by Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, who heads the anti-scam agency, it said in a statement issued Friday.
“This follows the complete eradication of large-scale online scam operations, strict legal actions against perpetrators, networks and involved officials, alongside the systematic establishment of a cybersecurity legal framework,” it said.
What to know about the Mount Kailash pilgrimage site after floods in Nepal and Tibet
Devotees on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash — a sacred site in the Himalayas -- were among the many people missing after the massive floods along the border between Nepal and China.
Here’s what to know about the mountain and its centuries-old role as a pilgrimage site. Mount Kailash is a Himalayan peak in southwestern Tibet, near China’s borders with Nepal and India. It rises more than 6,400 meters (21,000 feet) above sea level and lies close to Lake Manasarovar. Both have long been part of Sanskrit religious and literary traditions.
Mount Kailash holds sacred significance for Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and the Tibetan Bon tradition. Each associates the mountain with different beliefs and sacred histories.
Here’s what to know about the mountain and its centuries-old role as a pilgrimage site. Mount Kailash is a Himalayan peak in southwestern Tibet, near China’s borders with Nepal and India. It rises more than 6,400 meters (21,000 feet) above sea level and lies close to Lake Manasarovar. Both have long been part of Sanskrit religious and literary traditions.
Mount Kailash holds sacred significance for Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and the Tibetan Bon tradition. Each associates the mountain with different beliefs and sacred histories.
UN agency warns of 17,000 children in urgent need of assistance as aid reaches some Nepal survivors
Aid began to reach some survivors in Nepal on Friday following the catastrophic flash floods that swept through the mountainous border region between Nepal and China, as the full scope of the devastation continued to emerge and survivors sought shelter at makeshift army relief centers.
Children who have been separated from their families are being given shelter as attempts are made to reunite them with families. The U.N.'s agency for children said at least 17,000 children are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, while 18 schools have been destroyed and another 20 damaged. The International Red Cross estimates that at least 93,000 people have been affected and are in “great need.”
Children who have been separated from their families are being given shelter as attempts are made to reunite them with families. The U.N.'s agency for children said at least 17,000 children are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, while 18 schools have been destroyed and another 20 damaged. The International Red Cross estimates that at least 93,000 people have been affected and are in “great need.”
China’s super-rich fled Singapore. Now they want to come back
A year ago, wealthy Chinese families were souring on Singapore. Its rules felt onerous, its nightlife subdued. Other cities seemed easier or more exciting. Now they want to come back.
Family-office advisers and wealth managers say they are seeing renewed interest in Singapore from affluent Chinese clients who had shifted their lives to other financial centers, as tightening scrutiny from Beijing and geopolitical turmoil make its stability look attractive again. The reversal underscores how quickly the calculations of Asia’s wealthy can change.
Singapore emerged as a favored destination for wealthy mainland Chinese seeking to diversify their assets and gain distance from Beijing, particularly after Hong Kong’s 2019 protests and subsequent national security crackdown.
Family-office advisers and wealth managers say they are seeing renewed interest in Singapore from affluent Chinese clients who had shifted their lives to other financial centers, as tightening scrutiny from Beijing and geopolitical turmoil make its stability look attractive again. The reversal underscores how quickly the calculations of Asia’s wealthy can change.
Singapore emerged as a favored destination for wealthy mainland Chinese seeking to diversify their assets and gain distance from Beijing, particularly after Hong Kong’s 2019 protests and subsequent national security crackdown.
Exile administration designates Tibetan Identity Preservation Week in face of China’s Sinicization drive
The Kashag (Cabinet) of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has on Aug 21 decided to observe the fourth week of every September as Tibetan Identity Preservation Week in response to China’s “Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law” (Ethnic Unity Law), which came into force on Jul 1. In this connection, it bears noting that in December last year, China passed a revised law which designated the third week of September every year as the week for a nationwide promotion of the standard spoken and written Chinese language.
Under its decision, the CTA will dedicate the week to “preserving and strengthening the unique linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage of the Tibetan people,” said its Tibet.net website Aug 27. The report said that China’s Ethnic Unity Law “fundamentally seeks to Sinicise the country’s 55 officially recognised ‘ethnic minority groups’—particularly those with distinct religious, cultural, and linguistic identities, such as Tibetans, Southern Mongolians, and Uyghurs—by subsuming them into the Han majority under the pretext of promoting ‘Zhonghua Minzu’” (meaning Chinese Nation in its grand, civilizational sense).
Under its decision, the CTA will dedicate the week to “preserving and strengthening the unique linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage of the Tibetan people,” said its Tibet.net website Aug 27. The report said that China’s Ethnic Unity Law “fundamentally seeks to Sinicise the country’s 55 officially recognised ‘ethnic minority groups’—particularly those with distinct religious, cultural, and linguistic identities, such as Tibetans, Southern Mongolians, and Uyghurs—by subsuming them into the Han majority under the pretext of promoting ‘Zhonghua Minzu’” (meaning Chinese Nation in its grand, civilizational sense).
China failed to alert Nepal, tightens media coverage, as another flood threat looms
Chinese authorities have provided limited information about the scale and impact of the disaster, with state media largely focusing on rescue and relief operations. In fact, it has tightened restrictions on videos and online coverage of the flash floods and landslides that struck areas along the Nepal-Tibet border, said news18.com Aug 27.
Several videos filmed by residents in Tibet, including a widely circulated clip showing a mudslide engulfing a border crossing in Kyirong County, have reportedly been removed from Chinese social media platforms, the report said, citing The New York Times.
Several videos filmed by residents in Tibet, including a widely circulated clip showing a mudslide engulfing a border crossing in Kyirong County, have reportedly been removed from Chinese social media platforms, the report said, citing The New York Times.
App Life in China Notes on a Long-Delayed Return to China
“It’s really tough doing anything in China right now,” my friend told me. He’s a serial entrepreneur in Shanghai with a locked-in grin. We were waiting for our food in a Taiwanese restaurant in a lovingly-renovated toy factory in Shanghai. The place was really nice but it was about half full.
I heard the same complaint nearly the whole month of June, which I spent with my family in Beijing, Shanghai, and cities and villages in Jiangsu, Hebei, and Yunnan provinces. It seemed that everyone we met, aside from pensioners and government employees, felt they were working harder and harder for smaller rewards. Many of them mentioned the word “involution”—which I’d been reading about from afar since 2020—but it also seemed as if life in China had never been this good.
I heard the same complaint nearly the whole month of June, which I spent with my family in Beijing, Shanghai, and cities and villages in Jiangsu, Hebei, and Yunnan provinces. It seemed that everyone we met, aside from pensioners and government employees, felt they were working harder and harder for smaller rewards. Many of them mentioned the word “involution”—which I’d been reading about from afar since 2020—but it also seemed as if life in China had never been this good.
Censorship Is Not Deterring Global Adoption of Chinese AI
In 2023, Chinese tech giant Baidu debuted a large language model called Ernie Bot. It was a flop.
Baidu began as a search engine company. It now provides a long list of services and is a leader in self-driving technology. It has also “aggressively” invested in AI since 2012, making it an early player, one which also boasts decades of data from its many online services it can use to train its models.
But Ernie’s launch event—hosted by the company’s CEO Robin Li, dressed in a crisp dress shirt, dark slacks, and white sneakers—only showed pre-recorded sessions of the model answering questions and undertaking tasks. Commentators surmised Baidu lacked full confidence in Ernie’s ability to perform. Li even admitted on stage that the model was “not perfect” and that his company was releasing it so soon because “the market demanded it.”
Baidu began as a search engine company. It now provides a long list of services and is a leader in self-driving technology. It has also “aggressively” invested in AI since 2012, making it an early player, one which also boasts decades of data from its many online services it can use to train its models.
But Ernie’s launch event—hosted by the company’s CEO Robin Li, dressed in a crisp dress shirt, dark slacks, and white sneakers—only showed pre-recorded sessions of the model answering questions and undertaking tasks. Commentators surmised Baidu lacked full confidence in Ernie’s ability to perform. Li even admitted on stage that the model was “not perfect” and that his company was releasing it so soon because “the market demanded it.”
fredag 28. august 2026
Torbjørn Færøvik: America’s War Against Iran, Seen from the Green Hills Near Ningbo
Young, ambitious oil analysts should treat themselves to a cup of tea every now and then. Why not enjoy it in the lush green hills outside Ningbo, China’s most important crude oil port?
Tankers from all over the world come here to unload their cargoes. From the hills behind the Xinyi guesthouse, there is a magnificent view of the ships coming and going. Some carry oil from Iran, others from Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Last year, Ningbo and the neighbouring city of Zhoushan handled 1.4 billion tonnes of cargo, more than any other port in the world. The traffic here tells us a great deal about the drama now unfolding.
Ningbo lies just south of Shanghai and has a population of ten million. The city acts as a funnel, channeling oil into the densely populated Yangtze River Delta, a vast market of 250 million people. And although China has embraced the green transition, the country remains dependent on crude oil from abroad. It is by far the world’s largest oil importer and is likely to remain so for many years to come.
Tankers from all over the world come here to unload their cargoes. From the hills behind the Xinyi guesthouse, there is a magnificent view of the ships coming and going. Some carry oil from Iran, others from Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Last year, Ningbo and the neighbouring city of Zhoushan handled 1.4 billion tonnes of cargo, more than any other port in the world. The traffic here tells us a great deal about the drama now unfolding.
Ningbo lies just south of Shanghai and has a population of ten million. The city acts as a funnel, channeling oil into the densely populated Yangtze River Delta, a vast market of 250 million people. And although China has embraced the green transition, the country remains dependent on crude oil from abroad. It is by far the world’s largest oil importer and is likely to remain so for many years to come.
Nepal-Tibet floods: What is a glacial collapse, how common is it?
More than 1,500 people are missing across Nepal and China’s Tibet, including more than 800 foreign tourists, after rare flash glacial-lake outburst floods submerged towns and communities under a sludge of mud and water.
More than 270 people have been killed, but officials say the toll is expected to rise as rescue teams attempt to reach farther areas that have been cut off by the floods, with several key bridges and highways also devastated.With skies still clear above the Nepal-China border, and no rain pouring, officials earlier believed that a magnitude 4.4 earthquake could have triggered the downstream floods.
However, several experts and the United States Geological Survey have confirmed that “the seismic event” was a consequence of “a glacial collapse and debris flow that caused subsequent catastrophic impacts downstream” – rather than the other way around. So, what is a glacial collapse, and is this a catastrophic outcome of worsening climate change?
More than 270 people have been killed, but officials say the toll is expected to rise as rescue teams attempt to reach farther areas that have been cut off by the floods, with several key bridges and highways also devastated.With skies still clear above the Nepal-China border, and no rain pouring, officials earlier believed that a magnitude 4.4 earthquake could have triggered the downstream floods.
However, several experts and the United States Geological Survey have confirmed that “the seismic event” was a consequence of “a glacial collapse and debris flow that caused subsequent catastrophic impacts downstream” – rather than the other way around. So, what is a glacial collapse, and is this a catastrophic outcome of worsening climate change?
ICC chief urges Japan to counter US pressure on the court
Washington escalated its campaign against the Hague-based court last week by sanctioning its Japanese president, Tomoko Akane, and a senior trial lawyer. Japan should try to counter the United States’ efforts to pressure members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to quit the body, its president said, adding that Tokyo’s support is pivotal to ensuring the court’s survival.
Speaking via video link to reporters in Tokyo, ICC President Tomoko Akane called on Japan, the ICC’s biggest financial backer, to help it in its hour of need. “Japan has long made the rule of law a cornerstone of its diplomacy. Consequently, both I and the international community hold high expectations for Japan,” said Akane, a Japanese national.
Speaking via video link to reporters in Tokyo, ICC President Tomoko Akane called on Japan, the ICC’s biggest financial backer, to help it in its hour of need. “Japan has long made the rule of law a cornerstone of its diplomacy. Consequently, both I and the international community hold high expectations for Japan,” said Akane, a Japanese national.
Hong Kong court hears arguments over sentencing for former Tiananmen vigil organizers
Three former organizers of Hong Kong’s annual vigils in remembrance of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown returned to court Friday to argue over their sentences after being convicted of inciting subversion under a national security law imposed by China.
Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho, former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were charged in 2021 under the law that has effectively stifled the city’s previously thriving pro-democracy movement. Lee and Chow, who pleaded not guilty, were convicted Aug. 21. Ho earlier entered a guilty plea, which often can result in a reduced sentence.
They face a maximum prison term of 10 years and are expected to be sentenced at a later date. Alex Lee, one of the judges, said they would be sentenced within two weeks.
Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho, former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were charged in 2021 under the law that has effectively stifled the city’s previously thriving pro-democracy movement. Lee and Chow, who pleaded not guilty, were convicted Aug. 21. Ho earlier entered a guilty plea, which often can result in a reduced sentence.
They face a maximum prison term of 10 years and are expected to be sentenced at a later date. Alex Lee, one of the judges, said they would be sentenced within two weeks.
US says Chinese-linked hackers attacked NASA, Senate, and gov’t agencies
The United States said it has disrupted a China-affiliated hacking operation that targeted sensitive US government bodies, including the US Department of Justice, NASA, the Federal Reserve, and the US Senate.
The Justice Department’s announcement, released on Wednesday, said the operation took down two hacking platforms, QScan and QTRouter, that were used to break into internet-connected devices and hide the source of attacks. The infrastructure had been used to compromise critical infrastructure and other sensitive networks in the US and elsewhere since at least 2018, according to an affidavit.
The Justice Department’s announcement, released on Wednesday, said the operation took down two hacking platforms, QScan and QTRouter, that were used to break into internet-connected devices and hide the source of attacks. The infrastructure had been used to compromise critical infrastructure and other sensitive networks in the US and elsewhere since at least 2018, according to an affidavit.
What to know about Mount Kailash, a sacred site for pilgrims missing after floods in Nepal and Tibet
Devotees on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash -- a sacred site in the Himalayas -- were among the many people missing after the massive floods along the border between Nepal and China.
Here’s what to know about the mountain and its centuries-old role as a pilgrimage site. Mount Kailash is a Himalayan peak in southwestern Tibet, near China’s borders with Nepal and India. It rises more than 6,400 meters (21,000 feet) above sea level and lies close to Lake Manasarovar. Both have long been part of Sanskrit religious and literary traditions. Mount Kailash holds sacred significance for Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and the Tibetan Bon tradition. Each associates the mountain with different beliefs and sacred histories.
Here’s what to know about the mountain and its centuries-old role as a pilgrimage site. Mount Kailash is a Himalayan peak in southwestern Tibet, near China’s borders with Nepal and India. It rises more than 6,400 meters (21,000 feet) above sea level and lies close to Lake Manasarovar. Both have long been part of Sanskrit religious and literary traditions. Mount Kailash holds sacred significance for Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and the Tibetan Bon tradition. Each associates the mountain with different beliefs and sacred histories.
Chinese foreign minister calls for US and China to ‘overcome obstacles’ ahead of presidential summit
China’s foreign minister said his country and the United States should overcome obstacles between the nations ahead of an expected summit next month between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Wang Yi met with U.S. ambassador to China David Perdue on Wednesday and called on both sides to “focus on the positive agenda, properly manage differences, remove interference and overcome obstacles to high-level exchanges between the two countries,” Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported Thursday.
China-U.S. relations “still face various risks and challenges,” he acknowledged in a statement released by CCTV. Trump and Xi met in May in Beijing and pledged to keep the relationship stable and maintain the fragile trade truce. Trump invited Xi to meet Sept. 24 in the U.S., but the exact date of the Chinese leader’s visit has not been confirmed.
Wang Yi met with U.S. ambassador to China David Perdue on Wednesday and called on both sides to “focus on the positive agenda, properly manage differences, remove interference and overcome obstacles to high-level exchanges between the two countries,” Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported Thursday.
China-U.S. relations “still face various risks and challenges,” he acknowledged in a statement released by CCTV. Trump and Xi met in May in Beijing and pledged to keep the relationship stable and maintain the fragile trade truce. Trump invited Xi to meet Sept. 24 in the U.S., but the exact date of the Chinese leader’s visit has not been confirmed.
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