Torbjørn Færøvik's Blog, page 82

China, Philippines raise rival flags on disputed South China Sea sandbank

China and the Philippines have staged rival flag-raising displays on a contested sandbank in the South China Sea, further escalating tensions between the two nations. The standoff occurred at Sandy Cay, near the Philippines’ outpost of Thitu Island, right when the U.S. and the Philippines launched their annual “Balikatan” military drills, which for the first time include an integrated air and

Hong Kong frees 4 former lawmakers jailed for subversion

Hong Kong authorities on Tuesday freed four former lawmakers who each spent more than four years in prison for their part in staging an unofficial primary election in 2020, local media reported. Claudia Mo, Jeremy Tam, Kwok Ka-ki and Gary Fan were among 47 activists arrested for the election activities. Only two of the 47 were acquitted after a grueling 118-day trial that ended in November 2024

Chinese man who displayed pro-democracy banners in detention: sources

Chinese authorities have detained a young man for unfurling pro-democracy banners this month at an overpass in Chengdu in southwest China – a rare form of public protest that is punishable as a criminal offence, two sources told Radio Free Asia Authorities are investigating whether Mei Shilin, 27, had any overseas connections and have taken criminal detention measures against him, said the two

Torbjørn Færøvik: "Ja, jeg var Pol Pots bror"

Takk Gud, jeg slapp å møte Pol Pot. Men min ettermiddagsstund med massemorderens yngre bror ble ganske hyggelig. I bakgrunnen sov en fredelig hund, og i palmekronene rusket en lett bris. «Sett deg ned, så skal jeg fortelle deg alt», sa han og halte fram tre kubbestoler; den tredje var til tolken min, Keo.Pol Pot huskes som en av historiens store forbrytere. I løpet av sine tre og et halvt år ved

US Doubles Stealth Jets Presence Near China

The United States has dispatched a second group of stealth fighter jets to Kadena Air Base in Japan, reinforcing its air power to counter China in the contested western Pacific Ocean. Kadena Air Base, located on the island of Okinawa, is the closest U.S. air base to Taiwan, with a distance of 370 miles. China has long threatened to use force against the self-ruled island of Taiwan, claiming it is

Faithful in Asia hope region will provide next Pope

Several prominent cardinals in Asia are regarded by the region’s faithful as worthy candidates to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. Pope Francis, who headed the Catholic Church for 12 years, died on Monday aged 88. A papal conclave is expected at the Vatican within the next 15 to 20 days to elect his successor. Numerous countries have prominent candidates including cardinals who oversee

The Panchen Lama turned 36 on Friday. Taken by China 30 years ago, his whereabouts remain a mystery.

The young boy who was abducted as a 6-year-old turned 36 on Friday. What he does, where he lives or even if he’s still alive isn’t known, thanks to the reticence of the Chinese government, which kidnapped him along with his family and his teacher 30 years ago.Beijing leaders, ever wary of potential rivals for the Communist Party’s authority, viewed the boy, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, as a possible

China executes man who stabbed Japanese school boy

China has executed a man for fatally stabbing a 10-year-old Japanese boy last September, the Japanese embassy in China has told the BBC. Zhong Changchun was sentenced to death in January for attacking the boy, who had been walking to a Japanese school in south-eastern Chinese city of Shenzhen.The case had sent shockwaves through both countries and fuelled diplomatic tensions amid allegations of

What to Know About the Vatican’s Relationship With China—and What the Next Pope Means for It

When Pope Francis died on Monday, governments around the world swiftly issued glowing tributes to the late Catholic leader and Vatican head of state. But one major country held off on a response until Tuesday evening.“China expresses condolences for the passing of Pope Francis,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said matter-of-factly on April 22, when asked for comment at a daily news

China Quietly Waives Some US Tariffs, Importers Say

Chinese importers noted a sudden and unannounced reduction to zero of tariffs on U.S. imports of certain semiconductor and integrated circuit products, a sign that Beijing is feeling more pressure from President Donald Trump's trade war than it acknowledges.Chen Shaoling, a manager at Zhengnenliang Supply Chain, told CNN she learned on April 24 that tariffs on eight kinds of integrated circuits,