news

Brazil - Climate change protest art

Iran - Celebrating the shoot down of an Israeli rocket

Argentina - Protestor cries after Milei shoots down pension reform

Russia - Woman watches Putin's address to parliament in a Moscow movie theater

I will be posting a compilation of Gaza photos later

• About 20km southeast from Henan Zhengzhou city and houses two of the world’s largest factories: Foxconn in the North and BYD in the South
• Foxconn Zhengzhou: commences production in March 2011, Foxconn’s largest factory and the world’s largest iPhone production site
• BYD: commences production in April 2023 - initially set to produce 1 million EVs by 2025, in September 2024, this production goal has now been revised to 1.5 million!
• Zhengzhou’s strategic goal for the future is to become the global hub for new (renewable) energy industries - the proliferation of new energy industries in Zhengzhou driven by the opening of BYD’s latest factory in 2021 can no longer be contained.
• If the last decade of Zhengzhou’s economy was sustained by Foxconn, then it can be said that the next decade will be defined by BYD and the new energy market
• In spite of the fact that the overall export volume of Henan province in first half of 2024 has dropped 19.1% compared to the previous year, with cell phone exports plunged by 49.1%, the vehicle exports has grown by an astounding 22.1%.

• An ongoing trend of workers migrating from the old Foxconn to the new BYD factory
• Recruitment center interviews nearly 1000 potential hires per day
• Foxconn mostly hires short term workers (temp and hourly workers) and potential earning for an average employee is determined by the seasonal demands. Pay for temp workers is determined by hourly wage (max 27 yuan/hour + 9000 yuan one-time “return/rebate pay” (返费) upon completion of short term contract). Foxconn Zhengzhou currently employs 100k people not including the newly recruited (this cycle, August 2024, aims to hire another 50k temp workers)
• BYD mostly hires full time employees and is thus seen as a more stable employment. Currently employs 36k people (July 2024) but will achieve full capacity at 50k.
• Foxconn temp worker starting salary: 2100 yuan; full-time employee: 2300 yuan. Overtime pay = 1.5x, weekend pay = 2x, holiday pay = 3x.
• BYD starting salary: 2100 yuan, and similar overtime pay structure to Foxconn. Monthly salary ~5000-7500 yuan.
• “But BYD has more overtime opportunity than Foxconn” according to an interviewee.
• Foxconn hostel rent: 150 yuan / month, room shared between 6 people. Meal: self-pay.
• BYD provides free hostel, room shared between 4 people, plus meal vouchers.
• BYD has more male employees (17 male hostel buildings, 5 female hostel buildings), possibly due to the harder physical work demand in the BYD factory.

Recruitment center:

Hostel:

Nearby restaurants:

• Foxconn adopts the short term employment model of hiring workers through temp agencies - every year before new Apple products drop on September, Foxconn will hire a fresh wave of temp workers who came to work only for a few months.
• Some people have a few months of empty schedule, and would rather not pay several hundred yuan for social security and insurance (as would be for full time employment), and use that extra cash for meal expenses instead.
• However, temp agencies recently report that BYD is also starting to hire short term labor (3-month contract, 26-28 yuan/hour).
• At Foxconn, you get similar hourly wage with full time employee but with a one-time payout (rebate/return fee, or 返费) at the end of your contract. The catch here is that you have to finish your contract to get the payout.
• BYD does not have the one-time payout and allows you to terminate at any time with one-week notice and get the prorated pay. So this is seen as a somewhat more attractive option.

• Foxconn’s upper limit for new short term worker’s hiring age has gone up from 45 years old to 48 years old.
• BYD short term hiring is still limited to a maximum of 45 years old, but in other cities like Changsha, the limit has been raised to 52 years old, and in Chengdu - 53.9 years old (“as long as you have not crossed your 54th year”).
• The competition has also provided improved working conditions. Foxconn has revamped its hostel to house 6 people per room instead of 8 people previously. Also included new furnitures like desks, closets, shoe racks etc, and improved air conditioning and hot water. Close family members can now apply to work at the same shift.

• In 2023, BYD acquired Jabil’s electronics plants in Chengdu and Wuxi (Jabil Inc. is a US company that is the 4th largest electronics manufacturing service in the world) - both plants had been previously OEM factories for iPhone. It is clear that BYD wants to take a slice of Foxconn’s cake.
• Foxconn is also constructing a new plant merely 2-3km from the BYD Zhengzhou factory - a New Energy Vehicle production facility. Foxconn is also planning to invade into BYD’s renewable energy territory.

• A dilemma for many workers in Zhengzhou is to choose between two types of labor work offered: Foxconn (“prolonged boredom, and not allowed to bring cell phone to work”) or BYD (“physically laborious and have to stand for long hours”)

Fu Juan

• Felt “too tired” at BYD and decided to leave at the end of July. “Standing every day for an entire day, my feet hurt, my legs hurt.”
• Saw that Foxconn hourly pay is 26 yuan / hour and did some calculations - if work 8 hours per day plus 2 hours of overtime, can earn 260 yuan / 10 hours
• Starting to regret after the move - she was assigned to Foxconn Zone F. Just a couple weeks later, she discovered that most assembly lines at Zone F do not have overtime slots even during peak season. They’re only allowed to work standard 8 hours.
• To fight for more overtime opportunity, she banded together with other employees to pressure the administrators, making it clear that if they are not allowed to work overtime, they will all collectively leave the jobs. In response, they got to work an additional day on Saturday.
• Still, after further calculation, she could only get ~4000 per month. At BYD Zhengzhou, when work maximally overtime and with production bonus, she had received 6500 at times.
• Eventually, Fu Juan went back to BYD, after considerations that she still has kids to raise and her husband has recently been laid off.
• “We lack money. If it weren’t for lacking money, I would still choose Foxconn.”

Hu Jun

• Former programmer at Hangzhou, travelled around the country after resigning from his job and decided to work a short term job in Zhengzhou to earn back some of the travel expenses. Also wanted to experience a factory job.
• Was assigned to night shift at BYD, to put on the screws on the vehicle. Work from 8pm to 8am every day, with 1 hour of meal time, and had to stand for the rest of the 11 hours.
• Felt that he had never worked such a physically laborious job before. “So tired that whatever I thought of two minutes ago, I had forgotten when two minutes have gone by.”
• By end of August, Hu Jun decided to quit. He’s going to interview at Foxconn.

Li Dan

• Has worked at BYD vehicle assembly line for nearly three months.
• For the past three months, her life has mostly revolved around the workshop, canteen and hostel.
• “When I wake up every day, the first thing that flashes across my mind is my boss’s pressure to hasten production.”
• Though highly laborious, her income has been quite decent. In October, having only taken 3 rest days, and inclusive of the National Day’s overtime pay, she accumulated nearly 10k salary that month.
• Noted high turnover in the BYD factory. Every day, there are long lines of people waiting to interview at the recruitment center, and every night there are people packing up their luggages to leave.
• She often consoles herself, that this is at least a stable job and won’t have to worry about unemployment, but occasionally she would ask: if I leave, can I still get a higher paying job elsewhere?

Across Denmark, millions huddled in their homes, tuning into state television’s relentless pre-speech coverage. For hours, anchors speculated breathlessly about a speech they had not yet heard, as if deciphering holy scripture. Leading up to the address, viewers were treated to the Changing of the Guard—a bizarrely choreographed act of conscripts in 19th century costume goose-stepping to commands barked by NCOs adorned with heaps of medals of dubious origin as a military band plays the king's theme song, a jingoistic anthem filled with gory details about crushing the skulls of Swedes. The pageantry was as polished as it was pointless, an overture to the banality yet to come.

When the speech finally began, the aesthetic was an affront to both tradition and taste. Gone was Queen Margrethe’s cluttered, knick-knack-filled office, replaced by a barren room awash in garish blue lighting — more befitting a teenage gamer’s Twitch stream than the gravitas of a head of state.

At the center of this barren tableau stood a desk and chair, as unremarkable as the man who would soon occupy them. Through an open doorway, viewers could glimpse generic black-and-white family photos that wouldn’t look out of place in a bland and beige living room in an IKEA catalogue. “This is the king showing personality,” we were meant to believe.

Enter Frederik Montpezat, a slim bearded man wearing a dark suit and round glasses, his movements stiff and mechanical despite hours of rehearsal. There's only so much that even the finest walking lessons in the kingdom can do. The king's deer-in-the-headlights expression as he looked into the camera was pure amateur theater, and every nervous tap on the desk was amplified by state television’s hapless sound engineers. If this was Denmark’s sovereign, one could only assume the nation was in more dire straits than it realized.

The speech itself was a work of the Nordic hermit kingdom's true seat of power, the Social Democrat-controlled Prime Minister’s Office, with the king only being trusted to add a few anecdotes and phrases for a personal touch. It was a symphony of centrist clichés. Frederik began with syrupy platitudes about Denmark’s youth, hollow gratitudes for public displays of loyalty surrounding the recent transition of power, and obligatory nods to the police and military.

Adhering to royal tradition, Frederik eschewed a teleprompter, instead fumbling with loose papers like a nervous student in a high school debate. In a moment of forced gravitas he mentioned Greenland and stared into the camera exclaiming that "we belong together!"—a veiled jab at his soon-to-be overlord, incoming American supreme leader Donald Trump.

The king lamented the dangers of so-called “polarization,” offering a trite endorsement of centrist complacency as the antidote to ideological passion. A convenient point of view for a man whose privilege depends on the status quo. Yet, no sooner had he decried division than he launched into uncritical praise of Ukraine’s disastrous war effort, describing their catastrophic and futile human sacrifices as a noble fight for European freedom. His silence on the Palestinian struggle for liberation spoke volumes; only conflicts convenient to NATO narratives are exempt from the king's call for nuance and restraint.

Predictably, the king heaped praise on the American military organisation NATO, portraying the alliance as a benevolent force for peace rather than the instrument of imperialist violence and terror the rest of the world sees it as.

In a particularly galling display of hypocrisy, Frederik pontificated about green responsibility. This echoes similar sentiments expressed in a manifesto he released shortly after last year's tradition of power, leading regime-loyal media to brand him as "the climate king".

However, his saccharine green drivel had a comedic timing given how reports on the royal family's extensive investments in fossil fuels, mining and companies abetting zionist apartheid had surfaced mere days before the speech. In the King's own words "Nobody own the skies or the sea. The forests or the valleys. The meadows or the stars" — but somebody owns the oil wells, the refineries and the strip mines and Frederik Montpezat is one of those people. His words were not so much inspirational as they were a masterclass in unintentional self-parody.

Frederik’s grand finale was as unremarkable as the man himself. Clenching his fists on the desk as if bracing for an earthquake, he stared into the camera with a frozen, panicked expression and declared, “God save Denmark!” It was less a rallying cry than a plea for deliverance.

No sooner had the screen faded to black than state television launched into a frenzy of uncritical adulation, displaying all the journalistic integrity of trained seals clapping at feeding-time, working hard to convince the public that the display of amateurism they had just witnessed was indeed an inspiring oratory performance.

Interviews with rain-soaked royalists outside the palace revealed a cult-like devotion, with supporters gushing about the honor of being in proximity to a man whose sole achievement was being born into the right family.

Frederik Montpezat’s debut was less a display of leadership than a grim reminder of the monarchy’s irrelevance. Yet, the Danish state continues to celebrate this mediocrity, perpetuating a cult of personality that blinds its people to the monarchy’s archaic absurdity.

As fireworks illuminated Copenhagen’s skies and the nation raised glasses to its king, one question lingered: does Denmark truly believe that the emperor is wearing his new clothes, or is it simply too invested in the fantasy to admit otherwise?

The dispute over the outcome of the elections is still an issue raised by the opposition, but the leaders coordinating this process seem to have abandoned ship. The former deputy, Maria Corina Machado, even made the call, but didn't show up. Machado has not appeared in public and the Venezuelan government even claimed that she was in Colombia. The former Unity Platform candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, is in Spain and didn't take part in the event either.

The White House diplomacy, however, faces an internal dilemma with Venezuela. According to the Wall Street Journal, there is pressure from oil businessmen for Donald Trump's administration to take a more flexible line on sanctions against Caracas. One of them, according to the daily, is Harry Sargeant III, one of the main financiers of the Republican Party. According to the WSJ, he is trying to influence the Trump administration to free up the purchase of Venezuelan oil and negotiate with Maduro to support the control of illegal migration.

President Nicolás Maduro criticized Edmundo's statement on Monday (2). According to him, the former ambassador was not “capable of going on a march in Madrid”, where he lives. “How far are they going to take his show? It will be consigned to the dustbin of history,” he said.

María Corina Machado herself, who took part in marches after the elections, has left street mobilization aside. On the one hand, she claims to be being persecuted by the government and prevented from taking part in these demonstrations, but on the other she frustrates opponents who had hoped she would be present in some way. She even posted on social media asking her supporters to attend, but they didn't show up.

Opponents also called for the release of those arrested in the violent demonstrations on July 29. With balloons and candles, the demonstrators carried posters with the names of some of the people who had allegedly been arrested. Most of the demonstrators, however, did not know any of the people featured on the posters.

According to China State Railway Group, which led the development, the CR450 excels in key areas such as operational speed, energy efficiency, noise control, and braking performance, setting new global benchmarks. Despite its higher speed, the CR450 maintains braking distances similar to those of trains running at 350 km/h—thanks to significant engineering advancements. These design enhancements ensure the train's stability, performance, and safety at higher speeds.

The CR450 prioritizes passenger comfort, offering a smooth and quiet ride even at 400 km/h. Advanced noise-reduction technologies ensure that interior noise levels are comparable to those of 350 km/h trains, providing a peaceful travel experience.

A standout feature of the CR450 is its exceptional energy efficiency. The train has reduced running resistance by 22 percent and cut its weight by 10 percent, improving fuel efficiency. Despite the increased speed, these optimizations minimize energy consumption, ensuring sustainability at higher operational speeds.

The train's interior has been redesigned for added comfort and convenience, increasing cabin space by 4 percent. Adjustable luggage racks and a versatile storage area accommodate passenger needs, including bicycles, wheelchairs, and other items. These innovations anticipate potential regulatory changes in passenger transport.

The CR450 prototype was developed by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles and CRRC Sifang Co., Ltd., each contributing slightly different interior designs but with a shared focus on passenger comfort and high-quality travel experiences.

The development of the CR450 is the culmination of years of research and technological innovation, which began in 2018 with the goal of operating trains at 400 km/h. Extensive testing has been conducted across major high-speed rail lines, including Zhengzhou-Wanzhou, Jinan-Zhengzhou, Mile-Mengzi, and Fuzhou-Xiamen. Over 200 days of high-speed testing and 17 component trials have been completed, with a cumulative test distance exceeding 200,000 kilometers. The prototype has undergone more than 3,000 simulations and over 2,000 platform tests to meet the rigorous demands of 400 km/h operations.

China State Railway Group has announced that further line tests and refinements will ensure the train meets all necessary standards for commercial operation. The goal is to make this cutting-edge technology available to passengers soon.

Li Yongheng, an official from China State Railway Group, stated that since 2012, China's railway sector has independently developed a series of scientific and technological innovation products, exemplified by the Fuxing high-speed electrical multiple unit (EMU). This development has established a comprehensive high-speed rail (HSR) technology system encompassing engineering construction, equipment manufacturing, and operations management.

"China's high-speed railway system has taken a historic leap, shifting from a follower to a global leader. Its HSR technology has set an international benchmark," Li said.

"To further consolidate and boost China's leading edge in HSR technology, and better serve and support Chinese modernization, our company, along with relevant ministries, organizations, research institutes, universities, and enterprises, has formed an innovative team to tackle key technological challenges," he added.

Zhao Hongwei, chief researcher at the China Academy of Railway Sciences, highlighted the technological breakthroughs of the CR450 EMU, including advancements in high-speed safety, resistance reduction, energy efficiency, vibration and noise reduction, and intelligent fusion control technologies. These innovations have established a comprehensive technical framework for the 400 km/h high-speed train, setting a new standard in global rail transport.

Wang Wenjing, a professor at the School of Mechanical, Electrical and Control Engineering at Beijing Jiaotong University, discussed the challenge of achieving a lightweight design that balances speed and energy efficiency. The BJTU team focused on optimizing load-bearing components, especially the bogie and car body, through simulations and bench tests. Advanced materials like carbon fiber were incorporated to reduce weight while maintaining strength, ensuring safety and durability at high speeds.

Sui Fusheng, a researcher at the Institute of Acoustics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, emphasized the complexity of balancing weight reduction with noise control. The team developed integrated composite materials that provide both thermal insulation and soundproofing. These innovations reduce material costs and complexity while improving passenger comfort by controlling temperature and noise levels. Despite the challenges, the team's solutions have set the stage for quieter, more efficient high-speed rail travel.

The CR450 EMU exemplifies China's innovation-driven development strategy and demonstrates the country's scientific and technological capabilities. It reflects the advantages of China's socialist system, fostering self-reliance in railway science and technology and contributing to the modernization of the railway industrial system.

Over the past 15 years, China has built the world's largest and most advanced high-speed rail network, spanning over 160,000 kilometers, including more than 46,000 kilometers of high-speed rail lines.

This gesture from Brazil complements the announcement made by the new Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, who has also expressed her intention to attend the ceremony in Caracas. Jan 2nd, 2025.

However, it has not yet been determined whether an official mission will be sent from Mexico or whether the ambassador to Venezuela will act as a representative.

The government of Brazil, under the leadership of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has decided to participate in the inauguration ceremony of the re-elected president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, scheduled for January 10, 2025.

The confirmation was made by sources from the Itamaraty Palace, who announced that the Brazilian diplomat in Caracas, Gilvania de Oliveira, will represent the country at this important event.

This gesture from Brazil complements the announcement made by the new Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, who has also expressed her intention to attend the ceremony in Caracas.

However, it has not yet been determined whether an official mission will be sent from Mexico or whether the ambassador to Venezuela will act as a representative.

The Brazilian government’s decision comes in a context where social movements in the country have expressed their support for Maduro.

In a letter to Lula, these groups formally requested recognition of the electoral victory of the Venezuelan president, who obtained 51.20% of the vote in the elections held on July 28, 2024.

The presence of Brazil and Mexico at the inauguration symbolizes a rapprochement and support for the Maduro administration at a crucial moment for Venezuelan politics, highlighting the importance of diplomatic relations in the region.

This event could also be seen as a step towards consolidating cooperation between the progressive governments of Latin America.