Prosecutors accuse Chinese firm BYD of slave labour at Brazilian plant

Today’s news: 600 days since 7 October 2023 – protests in Israel and chaos over aid distribution in Gaza. In India, a clash between the government and Chinese manufacturers over CCTV cameras. In Pakistan, passwords for 184 million internet accounts stolen. In Japan, new law in force to curb bizarre kanji name combinations.

CHINA–BRAZIL

Brazilian public prosecutors have filed a lawsuit against major Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD and two of its contractors, accusing them of human trafficking and maintaining conditions “akin to slavery” at a construction site for a factory in the country. The Labour Prosecutor’s Office in the state of Bahia stated that 220 Chinese workers were rescued following an investigation launched after an anonymous tip-off regarding a plant due to open in Camaçari, in north-eastern Brazil.

GAZA–ISRAEL

Exactly 600 days since 7 October 2023, the families of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza renewed their protests against the Israeli government, blocking the Tel Aviv highway while chanting “Hostages home, government out.” Meanwhile, after the aid distribution points were overwhelmed yesterday on their first day of operation—by a crowd starving after nearly three months of blockade—the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (the “alternative” NGO set up by Israel and the United States) has announced its intention to resume operations today. In Jakarta, Indonesian President Prabowo, during a meeting with French President Macron, expressed Indonesia’s willingness to recognise Israel—provided that Israel first recognises the State of Palestine.

INDIA–CHINA

Global surveillance equipment manufacturers have recently clashed with Indian authorities over new security regulations that came into effect on 9 April. The rules require CCTV camera manufacturers to submit their hardware, software, and source code for evaluation in government laboratories. According to a senior Indian official involved in policy-making, New Delhi’s approach is partly driven by concern over China’s advanced surveillance capabilities. In 2021, the Indian government told parliament that one million cameras used in government institutions came from Chinese firms, with vulnerabilities in video data being transferred to overseas servers.

PAKISTAN

In Pakistan, the National Cyber Emergency Response Team (PKCERT) has issued a warning regarding the theft of login credentials and passwords of over 184 million local internet users, following a global data breach. The agency has urged citizens to take immediate protective measures, including changing their access passwords.

JAPAN

A new law has come into effect in Japan aimed at curbing the rise in unconventional and sometimes baffling baby names—a move that authorities say will simplify administrative processes, while also reflecting growing tension between individual expression and traditional norms. Revisions to the Family Registry Law now limit how kanji—the Chinese characters used in Japanese writing—may be read when registering a person's name. The change is widely seen as an effort to clamp down on so-called kirakira (literally "sparkly") names.

RUSSIA

In the Galgaev Valley of Dzheyrakh Province in Ingushetia, a republic in the Russian Caucasus, archaeologists have discovered traces of a human settlement. The site includes two kilometres of stone walls which may be the remains of a prehistoric village. According to researchers, this “demonstrates uninterrupted human habitation in the area.”

KYRGYZSTAN

Casinos in Kyrgyzstan are contributing increasingly large sums to the state budget in Bishkek—totalling .6 million between January and April this year, double the amount from the same period in 2024. Much of the revenue comes from taxes on equipment, betting counters, and online gaming, with new casino venues continuing to open within hotels.