Latest news with #Party
Irish Times
a day ago
- General
- Irish Times
Communist Party membership shares the qualities of LinkedIn and the Legion of Mary
It had been a long time since we last met and although the traffic was bad and Xiang was going to be almost two hours late, we were determined to meet for dinner regardless. But before he arrived he told me there was something I should know. 'I'm very angry and sad,' he said. Xiang worked at a forest park outside Beijing where he led a team of 12 people who spent their days planting, pruning and trimming. He enjoyed the work and loved being outdoors but on the day of our dinner, his boss had told him this idyll was about to end. 'I'm being transferred to the Party headquarters,' he said. READ MORE 'I'm a Party member.' The move was a promotion but it would mean working at a desk in an office every day, dealing with administrative processes. His boss had tried to persuade him to make the same move a couple of years ago but Xiang resisted and the plan was dropped. 'He's a kind man and he wants to help me but I don't want to move,' he said. Xiang's best years in the forest park were during the coronavirus pandemic, when staff were put on half time and he worked one week and was off the next. On his weeks off, he would drive to an unfamiliar province, staying in cheap hotels as he explored the countryside. 'When I retire, I'm going to buy a camper van and drive all over China ,' he told me, The half-time working arrangement continued for a year after the end of zero-Covid restrictions but with one unwelcome modification. If Xiang wanted to leave the Beijing area during his week off, he would have to inform his superiors in advance of where he was going. 'I stopped going away. I didn't want to have to talk to them about it,' he said. A couple of years earlier, Xiang and his colleagues were invited to hand in their passports to their superiors for safekeeping. If they wanted to travel outside the country, they only had to ask and the passport would be returned. 'Nobody does,' he said. Such restrictions are among the drawbacks of Communist Party membership, which also carries advantages such as access to better jobs, housing and government benefits. Many of the Party's 98 million members joined with an eye on their career, although one of those who did so told me recently that he later became interested in the ideology and embraced it. 'It's like a religion. You have to believe in socialism and all of that,' my friend Song said. Song is not a Party member but many of his friends are, most of them working in the arts and related fields. Bookish and bohemian, these people are nothing like the stereotype of a blank-faced communist bureaucrat but although they are not zealots, they don't seem too cynical about the Party and its purposes either. The rewards of Party membership are most obvious in the public service and state-owned enterprises, where it is a prerequisite for holding positions above a certain level. Party members can help one another to make connections too, in private business as well as in universities, the professions and the broader state sector. But they are also expected to volunteer for everything from disaster relief to organising neighbourhood clean-ups. And obligatory study groups for Xi Jinping Thought and self-criticism sessions mean that Party membership shares the qualities of LinkedIn and the Legion of Mary. Over dinner, Xiang persuaded himself that he would once again escape his redeployment to Party headquarters and that his boss would intervene on his behalf. But over the next few days, his mood appeared to darken as he sent me pictures of empty McDonald's wrappers and told me he was drinking beer at noon on his days off. When I heard from him again a few weeks later, he told me that the move had gone ahead and he had started his new job. I asked him how he was feeling about it. 'I'm not happy. I feel very sad,' he said. 'This weekend I'm going to buy some flowering plants. I can't change my job so I must change my mood.'
Borneo Post
2 days ago
- General
- Borneo Post
Volunteer teachers illuminate classrooms in rural Xinjiang
Memetyimin (left) gives a class at the primary school of Sheyit Village in Karajol Township on April 23, 2025. – Xinhua URUMQI (May 30): Stars seemed within arm's reach on the Pamir Plateau. Alimbubi Musahun shifted her gaze from the enchanting night sky to the path outside her home, awaiting a special guest. Her living room, set with naan bread and hot tea, stood ready in Kirgiz tradition. Soon, she saw her guest, young teacher Gao Shuxian, approaching alongside Alimbubi's daughter, Dilzada Wurozali, and her schoolmates. Alimbubi greeted the teacher with a warm hug and welcomed her inside. The Kirgiz herder's family cherished Gao's monthly home visits. Alimbubi served Gao a big bowl of homemade yogurt, knowing the 23-year-old woman, who had left home some 3,000 km away, struggled with mutton or beef but adored yogurt. Two years ago, Gao traveled all the way from her hometown in north China's Shanxi Province to become a math teacher at the primary school of Sheyit Village situated in the around 2,000-meter-high Karajol Township under Artux City, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Located just 47 km from the border, Sheyit Primary School is a remote village school that primarily works with children from the Kirgiz ethnic community. Under the 'Go West' programme, a voluntary service programme in China's less-developed western region, Gao and other 22 college graduates now teach here. Volunteer teacher Yan Zefeng gives a class at the primary school of Sheyit Village in Karajol Township on April 23, 2025. – Xinhua photo Hailing from across the country, their Mandarin accents may slightly differ, but they are all united by a single purpose – to light up the path of knowledge for around 300 children. 'Most of their parents are herders or patrollers, so they rarely have time to care for their families,' Gao said. 'That's why these children love school so much. Some of them even come to study on weekends. I'm always surrounded by curious students with endless questions.' 'When motivated students meet dedicated teachers, academic improvement is only a matter of time,' said Jin Wenbin, the school Party chief, adding that the school has finally shed its long-standing position as the lowest-performing in Artux City. Early this year, the school ranked among the top 15 in the city. Since 2023, it has consistently produced graduates who excelled in regional standardised exams, earning admission to Xinjiang's top middle schools under a funded initiative. Alimbubi and her husband hoped that their daughter Dilzada could earn a place in this initiative so that she could build a brighter future through education. Gao assured Alimbubi that her daughter was doing well in school, like her elder son, who had already gained admission to Artux's top middle school. 'I want to give these children a helping hand,' said Gao, her voice breaking as tears welled in her eyes. 'When a mother tells me, 'Miss Gao, we trust you with our child,' I just… I couldn't hold back anymore.' 'We feel completely at ease leaving our children with the teachers. They've become like family to us,' said Alimbubi. In recent years, Xinjiang has continuously increased investment in education. Three years of preschool education and nine years of compulsory education are free across the region's vast rural areas. However, access to quality education still seemed out of reach in remote villages like Sheyit. Efforts like the 'Go West' programme are channeling talent and resources to bolster rural education. Gao and her colleagues are working to narrow the knowledge gap, broaden students' horizons, and inspire them to chase their dreams. In a class, Gao presented the AI-generated career portraits tailor-made for each student. When asked 'what do you want to do when you grow up?', children chimed in, 'I want to visit our teacher's hometown!' 'I'm going to travel around the world!' 'I want to be a teacher, too!' Students have a meal at the primary school of Sheyit Village in Karajol Township on April 23, 2025. – Xinhua photo 'Most kids here have only been to Artux, just two hours' drive away. But if I ask about their dream trip, they'll say, 'Shanxi! That's where you're from!'' Gao's eyes gleamed with emotion as she said. Outside Gao's classroom, her colleague Wang Junwen opened a new window to the world for his students – with rhythms and melodies. As the first-ever music teacher of the school, Wang introduced the children to musical instruments beyond the komuz, a traditional Kirgiz string instrument, and established a drum and bugle corps. He plans to launch a school choir, and even teach children to play piano when they can get one. A year on the plateau has left his cheeks crimson and raw, yet he's now fully adapted to the harsh climate. 'When I first arrived, these children didn't even know do-re-mi, so I started teaching them from the very basics,' said the 23-year-old from east China's Jiangxi Province. 'Now listen to how beautifully they sing!' On the opposite end of the playground, math teacher Memetyimin Khudiret just finished his class and played basketball with the children. Unlike other volunteers, he is a native of Xinjiang. Born and raised in a small village in Shufu County, Kashgar Prefecture, southern Xinjiang, the 25-year-old was also a student who benefited from the 'Go West' programme. Inspired by his volunteer teachers and peers, he has a profound understanding of how education can transform a person's destiny. 'If my teachers were willing to come all the way to Xinjiang, why shouldn't I go to even more remote villages and pastures to help our local children?' said Memetyimin. 'This is where I found my life's purpose. When I see my students growing through my lessons, their progress becomes my reward. And in these moments, I discover the true meaning of my existence,' he added. Gao Shuxian (centre) talks with a student's mother during a home visit in Karajol Township on April 23, 2025. – Xinhua photo Currently, a total of 1,085 volunteers under the 'Go West' programme are teaching at 61 schools in the mountainous prefecture of Kizilsu. Nationwide, over 540,000 college graduates and postgraduates have engaged in voluntary service of various sectors in more than 2,000 county-level areas since the program was launched in 2003, according to the Communist Youth League of China. When the students at Sheyit were asked about their teachers, they eagerly responded, comparing them to the sun and the moon, and describing them as strict yet kind and warm. 'Be like the sun – rise and fall without losing your light!' Gao wrote on social media. 'I'm teaching my students these very lessons, just as my teacher once taught me. I'm extending a helping hand to pull these children toward brighter futures.' – Xinhua A volunteer teacher (centre) runs with students in the morning at the primary school of Sheyit Village in Karajol Township on April 24, 2025. – Xinhua photo China educators schools teachers Xinhua
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Party's Over' Review: South of France-Set Satire Follows an Escalating Class Conflict
'The Party's Over' is a mostly entertaining satire that follows the escalating conflict between an entitled rich couple, the Trousselards, and the Azizis, the husband and wife they employ (off the books and at less than market rates) to look after their luxurious holiday home. Both families have young adult daughters, near in age, albeit not in circumstance. Compared to a similarly-themed film such as 'Parasite,' it lacks the sharpness of plot and empathetic characters that would make it truly memorable. Nonetheless, the piece has a number of things going for it: top actors obviously relishing their roles, some amusing dialogue, a lovely villa location in the south of France and an attractive musical score by Clémence Ducreux that sounds both serious and mocking. Festivals and screening platforms rep the most likely venues outside of French-speaking countries to host the 'Party.' Snobbish, self-important Philippe (Laurent Lafitte, suitably obnoxious), a lawyer given to throwing obscure Latin locutions into his everyday speech, and his former actress wife Laurence (the elegant Élodie Bouchez) welcome young law graduate Mehdi (Sami Outabali, the most sympathetic character), the latest boyfriend of their wannabe actress daughter Garance (Noée Abita). That Mehdi comes from a different – and lower– social class is immediately obvious. Not only has he worked his way through school as a waiter and delivery boy, but he lacks the social graces of his hosts. From their point of view, everything he does is slightly off, from his clothing choices to his hostess gift to his conversation. More from Variety Neon Takes North America on Jafar Panahi's 'It Was Just an Accident' Mubi Buys Jafar Panahi's 'It Was Just an Accident' for Multiple International Territories (EXCLUSIVE) Lu Chuan on U.S.-China Tensions, New Projects 'Puffer Fish Girl' and 'You Are My Daughter,' Plus 'Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Wildlife Park' Doc (EXCLUSIVE) For the Trousselards, cushioned as they are by their money, seem to feel that those in service to them should be at their beck and call. Thus, Philippe feels justified in interrupting the Azizi's birthday dinner celebration for their daughter Marylou (Mahia Zrouki) to get Tony (Ramzy Bedia) to fix a clogged sink. And Laurence feels free to tell Tony to refrain from going about his chores shirtless and to ask his wife Nadine (Laure Calamy, delightful) to be careful of smears when she cleans their windows. The Trousselards don't hesitate to dispense unsolicited advice to Mehdi, too. Laurence explains that the reason that Philippe's firm hires sons of lawyers as interns is because they have confidence and know the milieu of the clients. She tells Mehdi that he is too polite and apologetic. When Philippe's condescending manner finally provokes Tony, who likes a drink or two, into an attack that Philippe considers unforgivable, he decides to dismiss the Azizis. But Tony and Nadine prove resistant. As tensions rise, Mehdi offers himself for the dangerous role of go-between, to negotiate a settlement between the warring sides. Along the way, the screenplay aptly skewers Philippe's type, the sort of man who delights in cooking the produce of his organic garden, pairing expensive wines with his meals, yet doesn't know the correct temperature at which to wash a load of whites. The acting profession also comes in for a few jabs. Laurence launched her career as a skimpily-clad ingenue. When Mehdi tells her the name of his father's favorite film, she notes wryly, 'That film captured the male imagination. But don't worry, I've made some with clothes on too.' To prepare for her first role, Garance tries and fails to summon tears, but by the film's end, she finds that she can make them flow all too easily when recounting a fiction of supreme importance to her family. Helmer Cordier assembles an ace ensemble, whose acting choices are always fun to watch. A particular standout scene comes when Calamy insists that Bouchez (who also lounges by a pool in a swimsuit in the Directors' Fortnight opener 'Enzo') join her in a hot tub. 'Party' marks Cordier's fourth feature. It screens in the Directors' Fortnight 20 years after his feature debut, 'Cold Showers.' Best of Variety The Best Albums of the Decade
Powys County Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
Revamped Powys music festival to return again in 2025
After a successful revamp that saw the event return from a long hiatus, Llanfyllin's Workhouse Party event is set to return again for 2025. Having welcomed music, workshops, dancing, camping, food and drink to the historic Llanfyllin Workhouse for a weekend last summer, the Workhouse Party festival will be returning again on June 20 until June 22. The 2024 festival was the first time the event had been held in six years and marked 20 years since the first one was held. The success of the event has allowed the Workhouse to revive the festival once again for 2025, announcing a lineup of musicians and performers who will be appearing at the grounds alongside a series of workshops, talks and stalls. Announcing the lineup, a spokesperson for the Workhouse said via social media: 'A fabulously small and cosy, family friendly event. 'There will be music, workshops, dancing, camping, ales, lagers, ciders, great food, amazing scenery over three glorious days in Mid Wales.' The 2024 festival went ahead after initial fears from the organisers that the party would have to be scaled down or cancelled entirely if not enough tickets were purchased during the planning stages. However, after a series of pleas the Workhouse confirmed after a few weeks that they had met the threshold of ticket sales for the festival to go ahead as initially planned. After the 2024 event, Sian Walters from Arts Connection, a group that helped put the event together, said: 'Solstice weekend saw the return of the Workhouse Party. It's been six years since the last one, but we now have a young crew who are learning to manage a big weekend event: it's very exciting to see so many talented people bringing the Party back to life. 'The weather was fine and all in all it was a great time enjoyed by all. Look out for this event next year. 'We would like to thank all our lovely volunteers, site crew, bands, DJ's and all those who attended to make it such a great event.' Tickets for the 2025 Llanfyllin Workhouse Party are now on sale.
Daily Maverick
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Letter to Mahlamba Ndlopfu: This wasn't just a diplomatic win, it was a geopolitical masterclass
Ah, Chief Dwasaho! I wish I were a fly on the wall watching you, son of Soweto, hailing from the shithole known as South Africa, coming face to face with the former US Landlord-in-Chief turned 47th US President, Donald 'Mr Tariffs' Trump. Novice political pundits billed the match as the grand finale with a predetermined outcome: President Trump would pull a Zelensky on you. For the uninitiated in geopolitics, President Trump, on live television, belittled, demeaned, derided, humiliated, mocked, scolded, embarrassed, ridiculed, chastised and undermined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The UK Guardian called the incident 'one of the greatest diplomatic disasters in modern history'. But for me, this was always gonna be the Ramaphosa show, the master negotiator who outsmarted, outwitted, outflanked, and outmanoeuvred the then-National Party chief negotiator, Roelf Meyer. With convenient amnesia, some forget how you, my leader, took the mining industry to the cleaners. In 1987, as the founding General Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), you led the largest and longest strike in South African mining history involving more than 300,000 workers that halted production in the gold and coal sectors. You, Matamela, taught Big Capital and the apartheid apparatus crucial lessons: their wealth was built on black labour, the same people they treated as second-class citizens. The mining industry lost more than $100-million in pretax profits due to the strike. You emerged as a shrewd, deft, and masterful negotiator. Fast forward to just under a year ago: you were at it again, cobbling together an 11-party Government of National Unity in just 12 days. You outfoxed, outplayed, outmanoeuvred and politically outclassed the Democratic Alliance's Helen Zille. Pre-qualifier So, the Trump opener wasn't a grand finale but a pre-qualifier for the real tournament: the Presidential World Cup Games, to be played over four gruelling seasons of the Trump Administration. To win the opening round, you fielded what many dismissed as fringe players, yet they emerged as polished performers with transactional flair to match Trump's own. Your Trump card? A midfield commanded by Johann Rupert, the Richemont and Remgro boss, carrying the business brief with quiet authority and a rapport with the American skipper. Up front, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen provided finesse, not with a ball but a golf club, exploiting Trump's notorious soft spot for the green. On the flank, DA leader John Steenhuisen — now Minister of Agriculture — brought his boots to the food security pitch, no stranger to the political dungeon. Across the halfway line, the US bench featured hopefuls from the lower leagues — fresh boots, shiny kits, light on caps. Only Trump had prior appearances in the World Cup of Power, now returning with a point to prove — and a red cap in hand. Vice-President JD Vance, the midfield orchestrator, brought populist grit and vision, aiming to control the tempo of foreign policy and trade. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the centre-back, focused on security and defence, embodying the 'peace through strength' mantra. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, the dynamic winger, drove trade negotiations with Wall Street precision. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, the seasoned right-back, ensured smooth diplomatic transitions, drawing on ambassadorial experience. Together, this ensemble moved to navigate the geopolitical pitch with precision, each player bringing their skills to Trump's evolving but chaotic strategy. Halftime report: the Trump-Ramaphosa derby The match was deadlocked at the break — a tense 0-0, though political tackles flew. The sticking point? A contentious VAR (Video Assistant Referee) review involving 49 Afrikaner 'refugees' seeking asylum in the US, with Trump's camp pushing the tired 'white genocide' narrative. But, in classic Cyril Ramaphosa fashion — calm under pressure — you scored against the run of play. Early in the second half, the breakthrough came via Johann Rupert — the seasoned centre-back with commercial pedigree — who volleyed one home by affirming his Afrikaner heritage and the uncomfortable truth of his wealth's origins. A goal was made in Stellenbosch, and it was finished in Washington. He reminded all that the Constitution — drafted and defended under the African National Congress (ANC) — now guards both his wealth and white minority rights and that referees on this pitch include not only the ANC but also the DA and Freedom Front Plus (FF+), who double as strikers and linesmen when the political ball demands creative positioning. Trump's team looked rattled — their midfield lost structure, their narrative crumbling. VAR ruled: Afrikaners are free to migrate, and the US may extend courtesies as it pleases, but South Africa remains a sovereign trading partner — now with a fresh bilateral deal in the making: a clean strike, bottom corner. The deal? Open lanes to US markets in exchange for uninterrupted flows of South Africa's prized minerals. That's when the real substitutions came in. Comrade Leadership, you emptied the bench and brought in the big guns — tactical switches that flipped the momentum. Second-half line-up: Team Mineral XI Platinum donned the armband — the undisputed number 10 — controlling 90% of global reserves and 91% of output; it controlled the midfield, powering hydrogen fuel cells, electronics, and cars like a seasoned playmaker. Palladium pressed high up the pitch, commanding 35% of global supply, breaking up emissions and fuelling catalytic converters. Rhodium, the pacey winger with 80% of the worldwide share, tore down the flanks, running the hydrogen line and emission controls. Manganese held the centre with 80% of reserves under South African boots, anchoring steel production and battery technology. Chromium kept the backline firm, the steel spine of the squad, commanding 72% of the world reserves. Vanadium (third largest producer behind Russia and China) sat deep, low key yet vital, threading passes into energy storage and steel alloys. Titanium, the left-back, strong and nimble, surged forward from the aerospace and machinery wings. And guarding the posts, Zirconium, calm and steady, shielding the nuclear core in ceramic gloves. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), all these minerals are on Washington's Critical Minerals List — essential for maintaining US economic and national security dominance in the 21st century. With the second-half performance powered by mineral muscle, the match tilted irreversibly in favour of Team Ramaphosa. The decisive play? A blistering counter-attack powered by South Africa's deep bench of critical minerals, each one a Champions League regular in global supply chains. The new bilateral deal in the making was the match-winner. And just like that, South Africa was back in the global power league — not just as a player, but as the one holding the golden boot, leading the stats table for strategic relevance. With you, Matamela, pulling the strings from behind the midfield, this wasn't just a diplomatic win but a geopolitical masterclass. While the main pitch in Washington hosted the Trump-Ramaphosa showdown, the Israel-Palestine fixture was relegated to a warm-up match — a frustrating 3-a-side clash with no referees and too many own goals. Ramaphosa, speaking from the mixed zone, called for a reset — not just of peace talks but the entire fixture list. His suggestion? A rotating neutral venue, a ceasefire by penalty shootout, and a truth commission as post-match analysis. Coin toss Meanwhile, both sides refused to leave the tunnel in the Ukraine-Russia derby, still arguing over the coin toss. But here's the kicker: South Africa offered to co-captain a new peace formation alongside the United States — an unlikely 4-4-2 of diplomacy, trade, mediation, and minerals. With BRICS+ strikers restless on the bench and Nato defenders overcommitted to high lines, the Ramaphosa proposal to reset the game plan was met with cautious applause from the gallery. You, President Cyril Ramaphosa, calm, clinical, and quietly ruthless, played the long game like a pro. You danced through the chaos in titanium boots. The Presidential World Cup Games move into the knockout stage, with Ramaphosa Men set to meet Team Brussels, Beijing, and possibly Team Moscow. But with platinum reserves as your midfield and a manganese-titanium spine, you're heading into the next match with confidence and composure. My leader, you didn't just win a match, you rewrote the fixtures, watered the pitch, and sent the fans home dreaming of a new world order — where South Africa wins not by chance but by calculation. If our courts, not the US Court of Political Opinion, decide, we will keep the equity and expropriation laws with minor tweaks. Till next week, my man — send me to the next derby, and a front row seat will do. DM
