China's $167 Billion Tibetan Dam Alarms Scientists, Neighbors
China's mega dam project in Tibet faces major safety and environmental concerns, as it is located in an earthquake-prone, biodiverse region. The Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in Megok county, Nyingchi city, in western Tibet, China, on March 28, 2021. STR/AFP via Getty Images 7/25/2025 | Updated: 7/25/2025
China has officially begun construction on a massive hydroelectric dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, despite strong warnings from scientists about the region's fragile ecosystem and complex geological conditions. Olivia Li is a contributor to The Epoch Times with a focus on China-related topics since 2012. Author's Selected Articles
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Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Countries push for last-minute deals as Thursday tariff deadline looms
An array of trade crosscurrents continued Tuesday afternoon. There has been a push for last-minute deals, continued fuzziness on previously announced trade commitments, and an indication from President Trump that a deal to delay tariffs on goods from China is "close." It all comes as global importers brace for the Thursday morning deadline. That's when President Trump promises to implement a central plank of his trade agenda: a tiered approach to "reciprocal" tariffs ranging from 10% to 50%. Meanwhile, talks continued on varied fronts. For example, the Swiss president announced she would fly to Washington, D.C., to try to win last-minute concessions. She added Tuesday that "the aim is to present a more attractive offer to the United States" to avert a 39% tariff on goods from her nation. Meanwhile, India faces a divergent situation, with Trump telling CNBC on Tuesday morning, "We settled on 25% [tariffs], but I think I am going to raise that very substantially over the next 24 hours." India has slammed Trump's threats as unjustified and has seen its chances of a deal dwindle. Top aides for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are also reportedly traveling this week — not to the US but instead to Moscow. It's all part of a flurry of last-minute moves and a message from Trump that he's full speed ahead, with no plans to delay a tariff increase starting Thursday. Read more: The latest news and updates on Trump's tariffs Trump even teased during the CNBC appearance that he probably won't run for president again but would like to, in part because, in his view, "people love the tariffs." (Trump is, of course, barred by the Constitution from running for a third term, though he's often floated the idea.) Switzerland and India are two countries currently on the outside looking in, but even nations that recently struck a trade deal continued to try to prepare for the tariff piece to take effect. Japan's top trade negotiator is also reportedly due in Washington, D.C., this week for talks to ensure that a plan to cut auto tariffs to 15% proceeds. Likewise, talks with the EU continue as negotiators there are reportedly still pushing for exemptions, such as on wine and spirits. Trump also weighed in Tuesday morning on talks with China. Markets are closely watching for any signs of an agreement to delay a tariff snapback scheduled for Aug. 12, with Trump saying, "We're getting very close to a deal." Trump suggested that he would likely meet with President Xi Jinping "at some point in the not-too-distant future." The president added that new sector-specific tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals are likely and that at least those pharmaceutical tariffs could be announced "within the next week or so." Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet New details for some nations — and a focus on India and Switzerland There is also some new clarity on some technical details around how the new tariff landscape will likely work beginning at 12:01 a.m. ET on Thursday. US customs officials this week offered additional technical guidance in a new document on how it will handle some tariff exemptions. The news there may give some select importers a short-term breather. But with a full tally, according to Bloomberg Economics, the average US tariff rate is now expected to rise to 15.2% if duties go forward as planned. That's a jump from current rates of 13.3% and another jump from the 2.3% duties seen in 2024 before Trump took office. The overall landscape set to be in effect Thursday will cover nearly every country on the globe. It also comes after Trump and his team set "bespoke" rates largely based on the trade deficit, with many of America's top trading partners seeing a key new standard of 15% tariff, while others will see higher rates. Read more: 5 ways to tariff-proof your finances Countries from the European Union to South Korea to Japan struck deals at that 15% rate, but open questions remain. Other Asian countries have struck deals in the 19%-20% range. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer recently said on CBS that the published rates included many agreements, "some of these deals are announced, some are not," with other nations simply being dictated tariffs based on the level of the trade deficit. Switzerland is one nation for which the US has dictated tariffs. Its delegation will be in Washington on Tuesday to push for lower rates. But on Tuesday morning, Trump suggested that it would be an uphill climb and that a recent call with the country didn't go well because "they essentially pay no tariffs," even as talks are clearly set to continue there. As for India, any immediate offramp appears unlikely because of that nation's connections with Russia and Russian oil. A note Tuesday from Capital Economics suggested that India could, in theory, offer concessions to diversify its energy sources, "but we doubt that India would make a wholehearted effort to wean itself off Russian oil [as it could upset relations and] it would not play well to be seen caving to Trump's demands." At the same time, reports from Bloomberg and the Times of India revealed that two top aides to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are traveling not to the US but to Russia in the coming days and weeks — even amid Trump's ever-escalating threats. Trump on Tuesday morning suggested talks are on ice for now and will be complicated when they resume, adding that "the sticking point with India is that tariffs are too high." This story has been updated with additional developments. Ben Werschkul is a Washington correspondent for Yahoo Finance. Click here for political news related to business and money policies that will shape tomorrow's stock prices
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Netanyahu believes occupying Gaza is the only way to save the hostages – but it will also start bloodiest phase of the war yet, experts warn
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing to call for the full military occupation of the Gaza Strip to fight Hamas and free the hostages, according to multiple reports – but it could kick off the bloodiest phase of the war yet for the Jewish state. Netanyahu has long maintained that military might is the best way to finish off Hamas and rescue the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza, and the proposal calls for deploying Israel Defense Forces troops on the ground across the entire Palestinian territory, according to Israeli media. 'This puts the IDF under new risks, with the soldiers having to deal with regular ambushes, improvised explosions and sniper fire from an insurgency,' Colin Clarke, a counter-terrorism expert at the New York-based Soufan Group, told The Post. 'This operation could also lay the groundwork for the next version of Hamas.' 8 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly pushing for a full military occupation of the Gaza Strip. AFP via Getty Images The Israeli government has confirmed about 450 deaths of IDF soldiers in 18 months of the Gaza ground war. Israel already occupies about 75% of the Strip, with Gaza's nearly two million people huddled in the crowded pockets along the western shore. Any full-scale occupation of Gaza, would likely see troops go into Deir al-Balah, which currently stands as the only major city that has yet to see major ground operations. The families of the 20 living hostages have said it's likely their loved ones are being held there — and they worry any military action would put them in grave danger. 8 Netanyahu maintains that military force stands as the best way to save the hostages and accomplish his goal of fully eliminating Hamas. AFP via Getty Images Hamas has reportedly ordered its terrorists to execute their captives if Israeli soldiers are spotted nearby. Reports began emerging on Monday evening that Netanyahu was ready to greenlight the full occupation of Gaza, with one senior official telling Israeli outlets that 'the die has been cast.' The move to occupy Gaza came after Hamas published a pair of videos last week showing off the emaciated bodies of two Israeli hostages, with one digging his own grave and the other weeping as he begged for food and water. 8 The fighting would likely be the bloodiest of the war so far inside the already war-torn enclave, experts warned. AFP via Getty Images 8 Israeli soldiers would face regular attacks from insurgent groups inside Gaza if they were to be stationed there as an occupying force. AFP via Getty Images Christopher O'Leary, a former senior FBI official who led many hostage recovery teams, said that while Hamas likely published the propaganda videos in hopes of pressuring Netanyahu to re-engage in the cease-fire talks, they likely had the opposite effect. 'It showed off the brutality of Hamas to the world and gave Netanyahu the justification he needed to launch a full occupation of Gaza,' O'Leary said. The logistics of occupying Gaza, however, are being questioned by at least 19 former Israeli military, intelligence and security chiefs, who publicly warned of unnecessary bloodshed earlier this week. 8 The call to occupy Gaza came after Hamas published video of emaciated hostages, including 24-year-old Evyatar David. Al-Qassam Brigade Footage 8 The terror groups in Gaza also published video of Rom Braslavski begging for food and water. Mona Yacoubian, the director and senior adviser of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said the plan would put too much strain on the IDF, which likely doesn't 'have the bandwidth or ability to maintain the occupation.' 'We've already seen soldiers suffer from fatigue, death, PTSD, and suicide through the course of the war,' she said. 'Israel also has to contend with its other conflicts in Syria, Lebanon, against the Houthis in Yemen and, of course, Iran.' Yacoubian, Clarke, and O'Leary also warned that an occupation would see insurgency rise in Gaza and more guerilla attacks on the soldiers stationed in the enclave. 8 About 70% of all buildings in Gaza have been destroyed by the war, with the fighting threatening the few areas that have been spared. AFP via Getty Images 'If occupation becomes the norm, in a place with widespread destruction and hunger, we'll see insurgents rise up and strike back,' said O'Leary, who has also served on the Counterterrorism Division of the FBI. 'It also risks Hamas regaining popular support and legitimacy from the people to defend them from the occupation force,' he added. Yacoubian warned that the IDF won't just have Hamas to contend with, as armed gangs from other factions would likely also rise to power to fight Israel. 'This could birth groups more radical than Hamas,' she said. 'This is a recipe for Israel to become embroiled in a forever war in Gaza.' 8 Experts fear occupation may lead Hamas to regain popularity among the masses as the opposition to Israel. AFP via Getty Images Critics have claimed that Netanyahu is pushing for a full occupation out of necessity to appease members of his right-wing coalition to keep his government from dissolving. Members of Netanyahu's cabinet, like National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have demanded Israel take Gaza and prioritize the destruction of Hamas over diplomatic means to rescue the hostages. Yoram Cohen, a former director of Israel's Shin Bet intelligence agency, ultimately accused the prime minister on Sunday of echoing his cabinet member's 'fantasy' of eradicating Hamas. Clarke said that there is no clear path to fully eliminate Hamas, as evident by Israel's claim earlier this year that it killed 70% of the terror group's armed forces, only for the militants to repeatedly rebuild their numbers. Clarke warned that without stated logistical goals that go beyond 'the elimination of Hamas,' Israel could find itself marred in a years-long occupation effort that fails to complete its mission, like what happened in southern Lebanon for 18 years back in 1982. 'I'm not saying Israel will be stuck in Gaza for the next 18 years, but they might be,' he said.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump Says He's Readying More Tariffs on Russian Energy Buyers
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump suggested he would impose increased tariffs on additional countries buying energy from Russia — including China — after saying earlier Tuesday that he would raise levies on Indian exports within 24 hours. Mayor Asked to Explain $1.4 Billion of Wasted Johannesburg Funds PATH Train Service Resumes After Fire at Jersey City Station All Hail the Humble Speed Hump 'We'll be doing quite a bit of that,' Trump said when asked if he would follow through on a previous threat to impose tariffs on additional countries, including China. 'We'll see what happens over the next fairly short period of time.' Trump also claimed that he 'never said a percentage' that he would impose on Russian trading partners. Earlier this month, Trump told reporters he planned to do 'very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days, tariffs at about 100%.' That rhetorical retreat suggests Trump may not intend to follow through on the full extent his previous threats. 'We have a meeting with Russia tomorrow,' Trump said. 'We're going to see what happens. We'll make that determination at that time.' US special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Russia for meetings this week with Russian officials, ahead of Trump's Aug. 8 deadline for Moscow to reach a truce with Ukraine. Ukraine's allies have said energy purchases by countries, including China and India, have helped to prop up Russian leader Vladimir Putin's economy and undercut pressure on Moscow to end a war that is now in its fourth year. In an interview with CNBC earlier Tuesday, Trump indicated he would push forward with escalated tariffs on India in particular. 'We settled on 25% but I think I'm going to raise that very substantially over the next 24 hours, because they're buying Russian oil,' Trump said. 'They're fueling the war machine. And if they're going to do that, then I'm not going to be happy.' At the same time, Trump said he was 'getting very close to a deal' with China to extend the trade truce that saw the two countries agree to reduce tit-for-tat tariff hikes and ease export restrictions on rare earth magnets and certain technologies. Russia's Secret War and the Plot to Kill a German CEO AI Flight Pricing Can Push Travelers to the Limit of Their Ability to Pay Government Steps Up Campaign Against Business School Diversity What Happens to AI Startups When Their Founders Jump Ship for Big Tech The GOP Is Choosing Pesticides Over the MAHA Moms ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
