Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 247

After 3 years of Covid, CNN went into rural China for Lunar New Year. Here’s what we found and how officials tried stopping us

In China’s southern Guizhou province, there’s a tiny village in the southeast corner, nestled deep within the mountains, called Dali. A wall of lush green trees and bamboo surround this village of about one-thousand people, who’ve lived in wooden homes with gray-tiled roofs for centuries.It’s the Lunar New Year, and during the daytime, the doors are rarely closed. People here say they’re all

Rahul Gandhi’s yatra: how a 2,200-mile march revitalised India’s ailing opposition

On a piercingly cold Punjab morning, as a bitter frost crusted the ground, they gathered. Some were bundled up in blankets, others clutched feeble cups of chai for warmth. But not Rahul Gandhi. Wearing only a white T-shirt and cargo trousers, Gandhi began to pace forward at speed, leaving fellow marchers in his wake. “I’ve heard he doesn’t feel the cold,” said Raju, an admiring local onlooker, as

Opium production in Myanmar surges to nine-year high

The production of opium increased sharply in Myanmar, rising to a nine-year high, according to the UN. It touched nearly 795 metric tonnes in 2022, nearly double the production in 2021 - 423 metric tonnes - the year of the military coup. The UN believes this is driven by economic hardship and insecurity, along with higher global prices for the opium resin that is used to make heroin. The coup

China offers Sri Lanka debt moratorium, IMF help still in doubt

The Export-Import Bank of China has offered Sri Lanka a two-year moratorium on its debt and said it would support the country's efforts to secure a $2.9 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters.Regional rivals China and India are the biggest bilateral lenders to Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people that is facing its worst economic crisis

China’s Downturn Fuels a Worrying New Trend: a Surge in Foreclosures

When Ya bought an apartment in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou in 2018, he thought it was the start of a bright new chapter.  At 1.2 million yuan ($174,000), the 85-square-meter home was pricey by local standards. But Ya liked the location, and figured property prices were likely to keep rising. Plus, the 5,300 yuan monthly mortgage payments seemed affordable.Yet, five years later, Ya is

China’s University Students Dance Like Nobody’s Watching

One Wednesday night in late 2022, Qiao Feifei, a sophomore majoring in Chinese international education at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), dashed out of the cafeteria and headed for the small square in front of the auditorium. His plan was to snag a spot in the first row of the square dance.Not to be confused with the famous American square dance, this dance, popular amongst older women

It’s ‘now or never’ to reverse Japan’s population crisis, prime minister says

Japan’s prime minister issued a dire warning about the country’s population crisis on Monday, saying it was “on the brink of not being able to maintain social functions” due to the falling birth rate. In a policy address to lawmakers, Fumio Kishida said it was a case of solving the issue “now or never,” and that it “simply cannot wait any longer.” “In thinking of the sustainability and

China’s shrinking population: what it means for the rest of the world - expert panel

China has entered a period of “negative population growth”, an important moment in the history of the country. As recently as 2019, the UN projected the population would peak in 2031-32, but despite major government efforts to reverse the trend, China has now begun what is expected to be a long period of population decline.The ongoing shift in demographics could have a profound effect on

China Covid: Coffins sell out as losses mount

The coffin makers of northern Shanxi province have been busy. We watched the skilled craftsmen as they carved elaborate decorations into the freshly-cut wood. Over recent months, they say, they haven't had time to stop. One villager, a customer, told us that at times the coffins have sold out. Laughing with a dose of the black humour you find in the area, he added that those in the funeral

China rings in Lunar New Year with most COVID rules lifted

People across China rang in the Lunar New Year on Sunday with large family gatherings and crowds visiting temples after the government lifted its strict “zero-COVID” policy, marking the biggest festive celebration since the pandemic began three years ago.The Lunar New Year is the most important annual holiday in China. Each year is named after one of the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac in a