Day: September 2, 2026

Glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau are likely to become more unstable, which may lead to more collapses and collateral disasters, a senior climate official warns as the death toll from last week’s catastrophic landslide and flood on the China-Nepal border continues to rise. “Over the past 60 years, the glacier area on the Tibetan Plateau has shrunk by around 24 per cent, with around 7,000 small glaciers disappearing completely,” Gao Rong, deputy director of China’s National Climate Centre, told a press briefing on Wednesday. “Looking ahead, the structural stability of…

US Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday accused the Donald Trump administration of using the critical minerals contest with China as an excuse for corruption – alleging billions of dollars in deals were enriching the president’s family and friends. “Competition with China is no excuse for abandoning safeguards that prevent taxpayer funds from being misused for private enrichment,” said Linda Sanchez, the Democratic lawmaker from California, at a Ways and Means Committee hearing titled “Strategic Partnerships to Secure Critical Resources and Supply Chains”. “We also cannot say that because China is a…

Four Chinese academics who lost posts at leading universities after a high-profile blogger flagged their research for misconduct have come under official investigation by China’s leading funder of basic research. The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) published details on August 26 of 31 new misconduct cases at universities and hospitals across China, involving more than 40 researchers – its largest such public disclosure to date. All four had been recognised by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars – an honour that frequently serves as a stepping…

US President Donald Trump claimed on Wednesday that the US held a significant lead over China in artificial intelligence, touted what he termed unprecedented levels of inbound US investment and said he was thrilled about Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington later this month. The president’s bravado comes as inflation and oil prices rise, his war of choice with Iran drags on and his polling numbers hit new lows ahead of the US midterm elections in November. “AI is going up, and we’re leading China in AI very substantially,”…

US lawmakers targeted China and birth tourism on Wednesday for the second time this week during hearings on birthright citizenship, a constitutional right upheld by the Supreme Court in June but still under challenge from the Trump administration.. “The demand for US citizenship for the children of Chinese nationals has led to unscrupulous companies assisting these individuals for profit,” said Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas. Wednesday’s Judiciary hearing was called to review June’s Supreme Court birthright decision in Trump vs Barbara and explore potential legislative responses. This followed Tuesday’s…

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has issued its first dedicated declaration on nuclear safety and security, condemning attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities and outlining practical cooperation, amid tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and wider questions of global nuclear governance. The document was adopted on Tuesday at the bloc’s 25th anniversary summit in Bishkek by leaders of all 10 member states – China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. It called for stronger cooperation on regulation, emergency response and the fight against illicit trafficking of nuclear materials, while…