2014 Olympics Photos: Day 1 Of The Sochi Winter Games

February 6, 2014, 10:54 am

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Bummed you didn't get tickets to the most exciting event in winter sports this year? Can't believe you're about to miss your favorite alpine skiers? Wish you could see the bobsledding competition in real time? Don't fret. HuffPostSports and the HuffPost photo team are your eyes and ears in Sochi during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia.

From a colorful luge training session to an absolutely dazzling figure skating move, here's a selection of the most memorable photographs of Day 1 of the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Check back tomorrow as we'll have even more more photos from the XXII Olympic Winter Games.





Valentin Cretu of Romania takes part in a men's luge training session ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at the Sanki Sliding Center on February 6, 2014 in Sochi, Russia.





Skaters from Russia, Poland and Lithuania practice during a short track speedskating practice session at the Iceberg Skating Palace ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Sochi, Russia.





Elina Suyundikova, a dancer in the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, watches the sunset along the Black Sea while returning from a rehearsal on the eve of the performance and the games' official opening, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Sochi, Russia.





Maylin Wende and Daniel Wende of Germany compete in the team pairs short program figure skating competition at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Sochi, Russia.





Czech Republic's Yaroslav Soukup skis during a Biathlon training session at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.





Members of the Russian honor guard salute during a welcome ceremony for the Austrian Olympic team at the Mountain Olympic Village prior to the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.





David Moeller of Germany prepares to start a run during a training session for the men's singles luge at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.





Ryan Stassel of the United States competes in the Men's Slopestyle Qualification during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on February 6, 2014 in Sochi, Russia.





Bobsledder Pawel Mroz, right, and luger Karol Mikrut, both of Poland, do a handstand for a photograph on Rosa Peak, 2320 meters above sea level, at Rosa Khutor ski resort in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014.





France's Perrine Laffont jumps during qualifying in the women's moguls at the Rosa Kutor Exreme Park ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.

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Mesmerizing Video Is Basically The Fine Art Version Of 'Flubber'

February 6, 2014, 11:10 am

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"Walking City" is a hypnotic work of visual art that combines elements of sculpture, architecture and movement. The video installation was created by Matt Pyke and Universal Everything, previously highlighted here for a project that combined coding and movement, who write about the mesmerizing, 8-minute media:

Architecture + Evolution + Movement

Referencing the utopian visions of 1960’s architecture practice Archigram, Walking City is a slowly evolving video sculpture. The language of materials and patterns seen in radical architecture transform as the nomadic city walks endlessly, adapting to the environments she encounters.

If you'd like to learn more about the hypnotic project or see other works by Matt Pyke and Universal Everything, be sure to check out their website here.

Recovered Violin Confirmed As Stolen Stradivarius

February 6, 2014, 12:13 pm

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — The rare multimillion-dollar Stradivarius violin stolen last month from a concert violinist in Wisconsin has been recovered, police said Thursday.

The violin was found in a suitcase in the attic of a Milwaukee residence overnight Wednesday, city Police Chief Edward Flynn said. The violin appears to be in good condition, he said.

Citizen tips and information about the stun gun used in the theft led to the arrests of three people, Flynn said.

Two men, ages 41 and 36, and a 32-year-old woman are in custody, according to prosecutors. Milwaukee District Attorney John Chisholm said one suspect would likely be charged Friday morning and others could be charged after that. He said charges were delayed because prosecutors had been negotiating with one suspect for the return of the violin.

Flynn said one of the suspects has a previous art theft conviction.

"It appears we had a local criminal who had an interest in art theft and was smart enough to develop a plan for a robbery," the chief said. "Beyond that, we don't know what his motive was."

The instrument was taken from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra's concertmaster, Frank Almond, in a brazen attack outside Wisconsin Lutheran College on Jan. 27.

Almond, who also teaches music at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., was walking to his car after a performance when someone jumped out of a van, shocked him with a stun gun and seized the Stradivarius, which was on loan to him. The robber got back into the waiting vehicle, which sped off.

The violin was crafted in 1715 and has been appraised for insurance purposes at $5 million. Its value comes from its high-quality sound and the fact that only about 600 Stradivarius instruments still exist, experts said.

The 'Frozen'-'High School Musical' Mashup You've Been Waiting For

February 6, 2014, 12:18 pm

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What happens when you combine Idina Menzel's "Let It Go" with Zac Efron's "Bet On It"? This hilarious mashup of "Frozen" and "High School Musical" that must be what Bob Iger had in mind when he called "Frozen" the next great Disney franchise. Watch below.



The Efron original ...



... and the "Frozen" scene, just because:



[via BuzzFeed]

The Most Breathtaking Photos From Around The World This Week

February 6, 2014, 12:29 pm

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Welcome to "Moving Image," our roundup of the best photos from around the world this week.

The following images tell the story of the past seven days' most compelling events, capturing happenstance moments and monumental occurrences all over the globe.

Our picks for this week are:





This story appears in Issue 85 of our weekly iPad magazine, Huffington, in the iTunes App store, available Friday, February 7.

'Motown The Musical' Tour Scheduled For Detroit Residency

February 6, 2014, 12:40 pm

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NEW YORK (AP) — The musical about the Motown sound is going home.

Producers of "Motown the Musical" said Thursday that the show's national tour will play Detroit's Fisher Theatre for four-weeks between Oct. 21-Nov. 16. The show about Berry Gordy tells the story of how his Motown Records empire rose and fell and then rose again. It uses dozens of songs, including "War," ''What's Going On?" ''My Girl," ''Dancing in the Streets" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg."

The show earned four Tony Award nominations.

In addition to the show's home on Broadway, the national tour will kick off in Chicago on April 22. Other stops in the next two years include Minneapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; San Francisco; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Los Angeles; Houston; Atlanta; and Charlotte, N.C.

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Online:


http://www.BroadwayInDetroit.com


http://www.MotownTheMusical.com .

Aaron Sorkin Pens Tribute To Philip Seymour Hoffman

February 6, 2014, 12:40 pm

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Aaron Sorkin, the acclaimed screenwriter and producer, had a special friendship with Philip Seymour Hoffman, which grew over years of working together and shared an unfortunate commonality: drug addiction. Earlier this week, Sorkin wrote a touching obituary to his late friend for Time magazine.

"Phil Hoffman and I had two things in common. We were both fathers of young children, and we were both recovering drug addicts," Sorkin wrote. The nature of their relationship may not have been a usual one, but Sorkin recalled that it lead them into a unique and sacred friendship.

On breaks during rehearsals, we would sometimes slip outside our soundstage on the Paramount lot and get to swapping stories. It’s not unusual to have these mini-AA meetings — people like us are the only ones to whom tales of insanity don’t sound insane. “Yeah, I used to do that.” I told him I felt lucky because I’m squeamish and can’t handle needles. He told me to stay squeamish. And he said this: “If one of us dies of an overdose, probably 10 people who were about to won’t.” He meant that our deaths would make news and maybe scare someone clean.

Read Aaron Sorkin's full essay at Time.

Tom Hanks Has 'Forrest Gump' Reunion With Lt. Dan & Bubba

February 6, 2014, 1:30 pm

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Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know when Tom Hanks is going to take a photo with Gary Sinise and Mykelti Williamson. The "Forrest Gump" stars -- Hanks played the title character, of course, while Sinise and Williamson were, respectively, Lt. Dan and Bubba -- reunited recently, as indicated by the photo Hanks posted to his social media accounts on Thursday. "Hadn't seen these old friends for too long," Hanks wrote. That's all he had to say about that.



UPDATE: Hanks, Sinise and Williamson got together as part of an event put together by the Gary Sinise Foundation. More information can be found below.

Actor/Humanitarian Gary Sinise and the Gary Sinise Foundation announced today their “Hollywood Salutes Heroes” multi-day celebration, an expression of thanks to those who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. The Foundation enlisted main sponsors USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore & American Airlines to coordinate participants and travel for over 100 wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and their guests across the country to take part, and brought together supporting sponsors Disneyland Resorts, Paramount Pictures, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Sysco Foodservice, Greyhound and Pacific Coachways to present the first time event in Los Angeles on February 3 – 6. Highlights of the event will air on ABC’s “Countdown To The Oscars” primetime television special airing Thursday, February 27, 8pm ET.

“These few days were all about giving these heroes an incredible experience they will never forget. If we can help lift their spirits after they’ve sacrificed so much, we owe them that,” said Sinise.

Sinise traveled from Washington DC along with 50 wounded, ill and injured troops, veterans and their guests from Walter Reed Army Medical Center located on the campus of Naval Support Activity Bethesda and from Fort Belvoir Community Hospital to sunny Southern California where they met up with wounded from Naval Medical Center San Diego for a few fun-filled days. Hollywood rolled out the red carpet during the heroes’ whirlwind trip, which included a full day at Disneyland Resort and accommodations at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa; a feast at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.; and culminated in a day-long Forrest Gump inspired celebration at Paramount Pictures Studios, which coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Academy Award®-winning film. On the Paramount lot, the heroes were surprised by Sinise and many fellow celebrity attendees including Ted Danson, Tim Allen, Greg Kinnear, Rob Lowe, Katharine McPhee, Dennis Haysbert, Joe Mantegna, Patricia Heaton, Tom Arnold, James Caan and Mykelti Williamson, plus more than 100 local veterans. They were treated to a private screening of Forrest Gump followed by a special concert performed by Gary Sinise and his Lt Dan Band on Paramount’s New York Street backlot.

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George Clooney Has Declared War On Tina Fey & Amy Poehler... Matt Damon Is Collateral Damage

February 6, 2014, 1:31 pm

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So remember that time, not so long ago, when Tina Fey and Amy Poehler cracked on George Clooney at the Golden Globes? It went a little something like this:

"'Gravity' is nominated for Best Film. It's the story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age."

We all laughed... why wouldn't we? Clooney himself, who wasn't present at the awards ceremony, even admitted later on Access Hollywood that, "It was a really good joke." But he also pointed out that Fey and Poehler had, "poked the bear with a stick."

Clooney's the bear, y'all.

And like all bears, George Clooney is also a noted prankster. Enter poor Matt "Garbage Man" Damon.

Apparently, Clooney Bear dug into his bag of tricks and printed out some stationery with Damon's name on it — a stunt he pulled using Brad Pitt's name a few years ago — and sent an unhappy missive to Fey and Poehler, excoriating them for this playful jab from the Globes:

"Matt, on any other night in any other room, you would be a big deal. But tonight — and don't take this the wrong way — you're basically a garbage person."

So, the two hosts responded to the fake Damon note the only way they could, with two giant fruit baskets accompanied by two letters. And from there, we'll let the garbage man take it:



Nice joke, Clooney Bear. Even better response, Fey-Po. Sorry you got caught in the crossfire, Good Will Garbage Person.

But is this the end of the story? Not quite. Clooney has a part two of his own, one that he promised in an interview with SiriusXM would be "downright dirty."

We are breathless with anticipation.

'Tainted Love' Performed By Hard Drives Will Have You Geek Out

February 6, 2014, 1:32 pm

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There's little doubt in our minds that you're familiar with Ed Cobb's 1964 song "Tainted Love," made insanely popular by the 1981 cover by Soft Cell.

What you're not likely familiar with, however, is this cover of that cover from Gigawipf done by a series of hard drives. Press "Enter" to let this meta music cover load.

MCA Chicago Scratch-Off Bus Ads Reveal Hidden Surprise (PHOTOS)

February 6, 2014, 1:49 pm

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Attention, Chicago commuters: Your trek to work just a got a little more interesting.

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The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago is promoting its ongoing archaeology-as-art exhibit, "The Way of the Shovel," through a series of scratch-off bus shelter advertisements. The new initiative invites bystanders to leave their mark on the city, transforming bland ads into DIY works of art.



"Using a familiar experience of scratching off silver ink to reveal lotto prizes, the advertisements are opportunities for people to become archaeologists and remove layers to find something new," the museum explains in a statement.

In this case, bystanders uncover a photo by Chicago artist Tony Tasset -- his 1995 image "Robert Smithson (Las Vegas)" -- as well as a special two-for-one admission offer to the museum.



Illinois-based agency Classic Color, which produced the ads, gave Gizmodo details on the printing process:

"The scratch-off material is a special coating we apply that flakes off upon being scratched, much like lottery tickets. The image you see underneath is printed on the non-exposed side of the plastic. On the opposing side we apply the scratch-off coating, which is all silver in color. After the coating process we used a large-format digital printer to print the shovel and accompanying copy directly onto the scratch-off coating. The advertisement itself was affixed with backlighting so that the exposed areas glowed at nighttime."

Commuters have already gone to work digging -- or, rather, scratching -- since the ads debuted. DNAinfo Chicago reports bystanders have been "signing names and sketching doodles into the flake-off coating."

The bus shelters can be found around town at the following locations:

• 237 N. Michigan Avenue, just south of Wacker


• 2 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago and State


• 360 W. Madison Street, Madison and Wacker


• 55 E. Monroe Street, Monroe and Wabash

"The Way of the Shovel" at the MCA runs through March 9, 2014.

Oprah Winfrey In Talks To Make Broadway Debut In 'Night, Mother'

February 6, 2014, 1:53 pm

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For all of you who preface every major life decision with the question "WWOD?" -- What Would Oprah Do?-- we bear good news.

The almighty talk show deity slash Oscar-nominated actress is, according to The New York Times, in talks to star in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Night, Mother" opposite Audra McDonald.

This would be Winfrey's first time gracing the Broadway stage.

Directed by Tony winner George C. Wolfe, "Night, Mother" is expected to hit the stage in the 2015-2016 season. Winfrey would play the starring role of a mother desperate to prevent her daughter from committing suicide. Although Winfrey hasn't yet performed on Broadway, she's proved her acting chops in films including 2013's "The Butler" and 1985's "The Color Purple," the latter earning her an Oscar nomination.

"Oprah has had a longstanding desire to act on Broadway," the lead producer of the project, Scott Sanders, told The New York Times. "She understands how unique and challenging performing live on stage will be as an actress."

Oprah fanatics won't be all too surprised by this news. Winfrey has expressed her goal of performing on the famed stage before, telling The New York Daily News, "Broadway is definitely in my future," just last year. She's also currently working with Sanders on a Broadway revival of the musical "The Color Purple," which is also scheduled for 2015.

"Night, Mother," written by Marsha Norman, opened on Broadway in 1983, starring Anne Pitoniak and Kathy Bates. Brenda Blethyn and Edie Falco starred in a short-lived revival, and Sissy Spacek and Anne Bancroft took on the mother-daughter relationship in a 1986 movie.

Do you see Winfrey in this potential role? What creative venture will the multi-hyphenate queen accomplish next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Future's 'Move That Dope' Recruits Pharrell, Pusha T And Mike WiLL Made It

February 6, 2014, 2:30 pm

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Future just dropped "Move That Dope," which appears to be the first cut off his upcoming sophomore LP, "Honest," and it's a banger wielding an A-list crew. We get verses from Pusha T, Pharrell (great to hear a verse from Skateboard P) and Casino, on top of a beat from Mike WiLL Made. The song combines a wavering bass that won't quit with a sample from Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It." Listen to "Move That Dope" below.

Seth Rogen Brings 'Preacher' Comic Series To AMC

February 6, 2014, 2:50 pm

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Put on your Sunday best!

"Preacher," the popular Vertigo comic from the '90s is finally being adapted into a television series, with help from Seth Rogen, reports Deadline.

Rogen, along with his "This Is The End" co-director and screenwriter, Evan Goldberg, are bringing the fantastical religious epic to AMC. Sam Catlin, who previously worked on "Breaking Bad," will serve as executive producer and showrunner.

For those of you not trolling the comic shelves every Wednesday, the plot for "Preacher," as described by Empire magazine is: "A small-town preacher becomes possessed by the offspring of a demon and an angel, and sets off in search of the absentee Almighty to take issue with His management of the world."

So ... lighthearted viewing?

Seems like Jesse Custer (the Preacher) is the next perfect anti-hero to fill Walter White and Don Draper's shoes.

No word yet on when the show will debut.

Anna Kendrick & Rebel Wilson Are Coming Back For 'Pitch Perfect 2'

February 6, 2014, 4:24 pm

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Let's be honest, no one is surprised by this news: Universal announced on Thursday that Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson will reprise their roles in the upcoming sequel to "Pitch Perfect." Elizabeth Banks is set to direct the new film from a script by original writer Kay Cannon.

RT if you can't wait! @AnnaKendrick47 & @RebelWilson are back in #PitchPerfect2!! pic.twitter.com/GzY7DeSLY1

— #PitchPerfect (@PitchPerfect) February 6, 2014

"Pitch Perfect 2" was announced back in January. When HuffPost Entertainment spoke with Kendrick shortly after the news broke, she played coy about her involvement. "I wish I knew. I wish there was a script," Kendrick said. "But I really do [want to be in it]. I’m like banging down the doors."

For more on "Pitch Perfect 2," head to THR.

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Philip Seymour Hoffman May Be Digitally Recreated For 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay'

February 7, 2014, 8:11 am

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Philip Seymour Hoffman's character may be digitally recreated for final scenes of "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay."

Before his death, the 46-year-old had one emotional scene left to film as Head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee for "Mockingjay - Part 2," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"They seem to have plans [to complete the film without Hoffman] that don’t seem very complicated," a source told The Hollywood Reporter. "You can do digital things, you can have conversations where you’re not focusing on him but the people he’s talking to."

A representative for Lionsgate was not immediately available for comment.

Variety previously reported Hoffman had seven days of shooting left. Production began in September of 2013 in Atlanta, with both installments filmed simultaneously.

The cast returned to the set in Atlanta on Tuesday. Jennifer Lawrence appeared "tired and sad," a source reportedly told E! News, and did not interact much with others.

"Everyone seemed like they had lost a member of their family," the source said.

Hoffman was found dead in his New York City apartment on Feb. 2. A private funeral will take place at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in Manhattan, with a larger memorial service held later this month.

German museum cancels Balthus show after critics cry paedophilia

February 7, 2014, 8:53 am

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The Museum Folkwang in Essen has cancelled a planned exhibition of Polaroids by the French-Polish artist Balthus featuring a model called Anna who posed for him from the age of eight to 16. The museum announced yesterday, 5 February, that it decided not to stage the show because it “could lead to unwanted legal consequences and the closure of the exhibition”.

“Balthus: the Last Pictures” was due to open in April and include 2,000 Polaroids taken by the artist when he was more than 80 years old. He used some of them as preparatory works for his paintings.

This Chart Shows Exactly How Much People Loved Each Beatles Album And Song

February 7, 2014, 9:55 am

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On Feb. 9, 1964, the four shaggy haired men of The Beatles, donning matching, smart suits, took the stage of "The Ed Sullivan Show" for their first live television performance in the United States. What ensued in America for the next six years of their career could be called total chaos; a maniacal revolution, that became known as Beatlemania.

In their relatively short run as a band, The Beatles produced an unparalleled discography, pushing out 17 albums in the United States alone. Fought with tooth and nail, the debate over which of their albums is the best has pitted fans and friends against each other for the 50 years following their TV debut, yet to find any sort of resolve. While personal preference has its merit, we'll let the numbers do the talking.

Hover over the No. 1 singles to see the song titles. See the non-interactive version of the infographic here.




Infographic by Jan Diehm for the Huffington Post.

2014 Olympics Photos: Day 2 Of The Sochi Winter Games And The Opening Ceremony

February 7, 2014, 11:37 am

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Bummed you didn't get tickets to the most exciting event in winter sports this year? Can't believe you're about to miss your favorite alpine skiers? Wish you could see the bobsledding competition in real time? Don't fret. HuffPostSports and the HuffPost photo team are your eyes and ears in Sochi during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia.

From (add details about photos of the day), here's a selection of the most memorable photographs of Day 1 of the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Check back tomorrow as we'll have even more more photos from the XXII Olympic Winter Games.

This Chinese Filmmaker Can't Stop Talking Trash

February 7, 2014, 12:18 pm

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Documentary filmmaker and photographer Wang Jiuliang spent four years, between 2008 and 2011, documenting over 460 hazardous and mostly illegal landfill sites around Beijing.

His award-winning film "Beijing Besieged by Waste" (2011) provoked intense public discussion and is widely credited with having prodded the Beijing municipal government into allocating 10 billion RMB (U.S.$1.65 billion) to cleaning up the local waste industry. Wang then revisited the landfills he had documented. He estimates that at least 80 percent of them have been shuttered or upgraded. “With his photos and film, Wang Jiuliang has single-handedly accomplished what many NGOs in China had worked hard toward for decades -- raising public awareness and bringing about policy change,” says environmental activist and filmmaker Shi Lihong.

Wang is now at work on a new film, "Plastic China," which focuses on China’s recycling of imported plastics and is scheduled for release this summer. China is the world’s largest recycler and imports about 70 percent of the recyclable plastics and e-waste on the global market. Wang spoke to ChinaFile Culture Editor Sun Yunfan in December 2013 in Hong Kong.


This article was first published on ChinaFile, an online magazine from Asia Society's Center on U.S.-China Relations.