China ‘freedom ambassador’ transforms from builder to travel blogger, has 25 million followers

China ‘freedom ambassador’ transforms from builder to travel blogger, has 25 million followers

An internet-addicted, working-class teenager from a debt-ridden family in China has transformed himself into a top influencer with 25 million followers, creating a social media legend along the way. Lan Zhanfei, 33, has been dubbed “the freest man on the internet” and “the ambassador of freedom” thanks to the huge popularity of videos of him…

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Column: How I spent my summer vacation — watching America lean into autocracy

Column: How I spent my summer vacation — watching America lean into autocracy

For years we’ve read stories about antidemocratic countries abroad — supreme leaders acting with impunity, masked agents rounding up residents, troops in the streets, crackdowns on peaceful protests, intimidation and arrests of opposition figures, show-of-force military parades and political assassinations. For a time this month, I was abroad. And the antidemocratic country I was reading…

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