Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 321

BEIJING DIARY: A taste of Tibet with Chinese characteristics

I can’t visit Tibet while I’m in China working at the Beijing Winter Olympics. But China can show me its own version of the remote region. China’s “closed loop” system for the Games means it’s almost impossible for any of the thousands of athletes, sports officials, journalists and media workers who have arrived from overseas to get out and see the country.Games attendees are staying at dozens of

China censors lesbian plotline in 'Friends'

Major Chinese streaming platforms have censored an LGBTQ plotline in the popular TV series "Friends," causing fans of the show to express their anger on social media. In the first episode, conversations regarding the character Ross's ex-wife, Carol Willick, who divorces him after realizing she is a lesbian, were deleted. Other conversations that were sexually suggestive were also edited out.In

Trump says he is in touch with North Korea's leader Kim - book

Former US President Donald Trump has told associates he remains in contact with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, according to the author of a new book. Journalist Maggie Haberman said Mr Kim was the only foreign leader Mr Trump had said he remained in touch with. But, she added, the claims could not be verified and might not be true. In 2018, Mr Trump famously said he and Mr Kim "fell in love"

China claims arrests of human traffickers in chained woman case

Authorities in China's Xuzhou city say a mentally ill woman who was found with a chain around her neck in a village hut is a victim of human trafficking. Three people have been arrested in connection with the case. A video of the mother-of-eight sparked massive anger online when it emerged two weeks ago. Officials first dismissed trafficking claims, but outraged netizens had kept up pressure,

Hong Kong democracy and media freedom has ‘entered endgame’

The fight for democracy and media freedom in Hong Kong feels like it has “entered its endgame”, after a year of crackdowns, arrests and forced closures of outlets, the International Federation for Journalists has said.In a report on the ongoing threats to the press in Hong Kong, titled Lights Out, the IFJ called on governments to offer support and pathways for Hong Kong journalists seeking to

'Wait and See': China Vows Strong Response As U.S. Prepares to Arm Taiwan

China has demanded the United States revoke a possible arms agreement with Taiwan in support of its Patriot missile systems—a deal Washington believes will improve the island's security and help maintain political stability. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, Taiwan's de facto embassy in Washington. D.C, requested the purchase of equipment and services worth $100 million over

Olympians Expose China's Poor Treatment of Them in COVID Quarantine Hotels

Several athletes who tested positive for COVID-19 and placed into quarantine hotels at the Beijing Olympics this past week are criticizing China for providing poor food and housing conditions. The Olympic competitors have taken to social media or notified their home countries about a lack of available or edible food, as well as a lack of transparency regarding the nation's coronavirus protocols."

‘Politics of grandeur’: 2 Olympics and China’s love of big

Tiananmen Square. The Forbidden City. The Great Wall. The Three Gorges Dam. Dozens of high-end malls in Beijing. China has thousands of years of doing things in a really big way, reinforcing its perceived place in the world and the political power of its leaders — from emperors to Mao Zedong to the current leader, Xi Jinping.Beijing becoming the first city to hold both the Winter and Summer

China, Russia, Ramp Up Military Drills Amid 'Olympic Truce'

China and Russia are ramping up military drills amid an "Olympic truce." In three major sea regions, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted simultaneous exercises, according to the Global Times. Experts said on Thursday that it showed the Chinese military's combat preparedness. Russia is also conducting military drills, sending thousands of troops to Belarus with convoys of Russian

BEIJING SNAPSHOT: Great Wall, a symbol of China’s strength

Beijing’s famous landmarks are, for the most part, outside the Olympic bubble, including the Great Wall, the ultimate symbol of Chinese history and strength. A group of 60 athletes and journalists were given an opportunity to visit a section of the wall, making them among the few Olympic visitors able to bypass the virtual tours and cardboard cutouts of the wall in the Olympics media center and