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Today — 5 November 2024News

Novel way to beat dengue: Deaf mosquitoes stop having sex

5 November 2024 at 04:43
Getty Images A mosquito sits on a person's hand, ready to take a blood mealGetty Images

Scientists believe they have found a quirky way to fight mosquito-spread diseases such as dengue, yellow fever and Zika - by turning male insects deaf so they struggle to mate and breed.

Mosquitoes have sex while flying in mid-air and the males rely on hearing to chase down a female, based on her attractive wingbeats.

The researchers did an experiment, altering a genetic pathway that male mosquitoes use for this hearing. The result - they made no physical contact with females, even after three days in the same cage.

Female mosquitoes are the ones that spread diseases to people, and so trying to prevent them having babies would help reduce overall numbers.

The team from the University of California, Irvine studied Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which spread viruses to around 400 million people a year.

They closely observed the insects' aerial mating habits - that can last between a few seconds to just under a minute - and then figured out how to disrupt it using genetics.

They targeted a protein called trpVa that appears to be essential for hearing.

In the mutated mosquitoes, neurons normally involved in detecting sound showed no response to the flight tones or wingbeats of potential mates.

The alluring noise fell on deaf ears.

In contrast, wild (non-mutant) males were quick to copulate, multiple times, and fertilised nearly all the females in their cage.

The researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, who have published their work in the journal PNAS, said the effect of the gene knock-out was "absolute", as mating by deaf males was entirely eliminated.

Dr Joerg Albert, from the University of Oldenburg in Germany, is an expert on mosquito mating and I asked him what he made of the research.

He said attacking sense of sound was a promising route for mosquito control, but it needed to be studied and managed.

"The study provides a first direct molecular test, which suggests that hearing is indeed not only important for mosquito reproduction but essential.

"Without the ability of males to hear - and acoustically chase - female mosquitoes might become extinct."

Another method being explored is releasing sterile males in areas where there are pockets of mosquito-spread diseases, he added.

Although mosquitoes can carry diseases, they are an important part of the food chain - as nourishment for fish, birds, bats and frogs, for example - and some are important pollinators.

Plans to ban smoking outside schools and hospitals

5 November 2024 at 08:33
Getty Images Three people are standing together outdoors - one woman has a cigarette in her hand while the other two men are blowing tobacco smoke out of their mouthsGetty Images

The government has announced plans to make it illegal to smoke in children's playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals in England, with some places also becoming vape-free.

In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is already an offence to smoke on NHS hospital grounds.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would also make it impossible for anyone currently aged 15 or under to buy cigarettes - something the previous government had planned - and give more powers to restrict vape flavours, displays and packaging.

A ban on the sale of single-use disposable vapes from next June in England and Wales has already been announced.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the government was taking "bold action" to create a smoke-free generation, "clamp down on kids getting hooked on nicotine through vapes" and protect the vulnerable from the dangers of second-hand cigarette smoke.

Plans include extending the indoor smoking ban to certain outdoor settings, such as schools and hospitals, to protect children and the most vulnerable.

But the government has rowed back on plans to ban smoking in gardens of pubs and bars in England.

It said it was considering outdoor vaping bans too in some places.

The proposals will all be open to public debate over the coming months.

Under the bill, shops would have to obtain a licence in order to sell tobacco, vape and nicotine products in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This would mean on-the-spot fines of £200 for retailers selling unregulated products or to people aged under 18.

A registration system for retailers selling these products has been in place in Scotland since 2017.

Smoking puts huge pressure on the NHS. It kills 80,000 people a year in the UK and is responsible for one in four of all deaths from cancer.

It also increases the risk of many illnesses including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, asthma and dementia.

The government said smoking also cost the economy £18bn a year in lost productivity, with smokers a third more likely to be off work sick.

Health charities have welcomed the bill, which will be subject to consultation for the next six months.

Action on Smoking and Health said it would help create a country where young people would never start smoking.

“It is important to have the debate about how we will protect children and vulnerable people from the harms of second-hand smoke," said the charity's chair, Prof Nick Hopkinson.

He added: "A key next step is for the government to set out further how it will help the UK’s six million smokers to quit. This will require a properly funded plan, paid for by a levy on tobacco companies.”

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, British Heart Foundation chief executive, said she welcomed the government's commitment to protect children and vulnerable people from second-hand smoke in schools, playgrounds and hospital grounds.

"We also welcome measures to make vaping less appealing to young people," she said.

Shoplifting levels 'unacceptable', inquiry finds

5 November 2024 at 08:39
Getty Images Shoppers walk past a retail clothing storeGetty Images
There were more than 440,000 incidents of shop theft recorded in one month alone this year

Shoplifting is at "unacceptable" levels and not being tackled properly, a Lords inquiry has found.

The crime is seriously underreported and the problem is so urgent police forces need to take "immediate action", according to the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee.

It says retailers need to be able to report crimes more easily, more funding is needed for offender rehabilitation, and regulations should be introduced to make it more difficult to sell stolen goods online anonymously.

The Home Office said it was making assaults on shopworkers a criminal offence and deploying "thousands" of police officers dedicated to tackling shoplifting.

The Lords committee held an inquiry into tackling shoplifting in which it heard evidence from police chiefs, retailers and industry experts in May and September.

In a letter published today, it said there were more than 443,000 incidents of shop theft recorded by police in March 2024 – the highest ever since records began 20 years ago.

But they were "a drop in the ocean" when compared with likely real figures estimated at 17 million annually – which has "devastating consequences for businesses and families".

Shop theft has evolved from "individualised offending to relentless, large-scale, organised operations accompanied by unprecedented levels of violence", it added.

Tracey Robertson, co-owner of Paw Prints – a small chain of pet shops across Yorkshire – says shoplifting costs her business around £8,000 a year.

"It’s a financial impact on a family business. It’s bad in the fact that it affects the staff that work for us because sometimes it’s aggressive and violent," she said.

Pet-shop owner Tracey Robertson on the store floor next to a cage displaying a parrot
Tracey Robertson, who owns a small chain of pet shops in Yorkshire, says shoplifting costs her around £8,000 a year

The committee supported schemes like Project Pegasus - a partnership between retailers and police to tackle organised shoplifting gangs - but said there needs to be a strategy to deal with local prolific offenders too.

"The scale of the shop theft problem within England and Wales is totally unacceptable and action, like that under way in the Pegasus scheme, is vital and urgent," said Lord Foster of Bath, chair of the committee.

The committee found there is a widespread perception that shop theft is not treated seriously by the police which "risks undermining confidence in the police and wider criminal justice system".

It said shoplifting cost the retail sector nearly £2bn last year – which resulted in price rises impacting individuals, families and communities.

"We acknowledge the pressures on police resources, but we believe that the urgency of the situation relating to shop theft requires immediate action within existing police staffing levels," the letter said.

It has made a series of recommendations to the government which it says would "help tackle the problem and keep the public and our economy safer".

These include:

  • Phasing out the use of the outdated term "shoplifting" which serves to trivialise the severity of the offence
  • Developing improved reporting systems to enable retailers to report crime to the police quickly and easily
  • Increasing funding to community-based reoffending and rehabilitation initiatives
  • Introducing regulations to make it more difficult to sell stolen goods on online marketplaces anonymously
  • Introducing regulations and best practice guidance for the use of facial recognition technology by private companies

Shop owner Tracey Robertson believes the recommendations do not go far enough and wants to see much tougher sentences for repeat offenders.

Professor of criminology Emmeline Taylor, who gave evidence to the inquiry, said the committee recommendations are "far-reaching" and understand the multiple root causes of shop theft.

"If adopted by the police, the industry and the government it will certainly do a huge amount to begin to turn the tide on the tsunamic of shop theft that has impacted the retail sector across the UK."

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said it welcomed the report which further highlights the significant impact retail crime has on its victims.

"We are doing all we can to reduce thefts and pursue offenders, especially those prolific and habitual offenders, who cause misery within the community," said Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, the NPCC’s lead for acquisitive crime.

The Home Office said it understands the "devastating impact" of shop theft has on communities.

A spokesperson added: "We are taking immediate action through our commitment to scrap the £200 shop theft threshold, and making assaults on shop workers a criminal offence.

"We will also put thousands more dedicated police officers on our streets, and establish a Retail Crime Forum for retailers to confidently implement tactics against shop theft."

西藏改革开放先行区如何打造?访广东省第十批援藏工作队副领队邓钢

经过30年援藏,现在这里更需要的是将资源优势转变成系统产业发展所需的软件支持和智力支持,比如先进的管理模式、高水平的专家人才支援、产业发展平台和输出渠道。

下一步我们将助力林芝建设成世界级生态文化旅游目的地、世界级清洁能源基地,奋力打造西藏改革开放先行区、共同富裕模范区、绿色转型引领区、民族团结模范区、固边兴边样板区。

南方周末记者 翟星理 蒋敏玉

发自:西藏林芝

责任编辑:钱昊平

   

林芝市鲁朗镇罗布村开民宿的村民。鲁朗镇居民人均可支配收入从2012年的7400元,增长到2023年的3.5万元。(南方周末记者翁洹/图)

林芝市鲁朗镇罗布村开民宿的村民。鲁朗镇居民人均可支配收入从2012年的7400元,增长到2023年的3.5万元。(南方周末记者翁洹/图)


2016年,如今的国际旅游小镇鲁朗,那时还在建设阶段,一片尘土飞扬。几年后,这个由广东省投资建设,带动社会各界累计投资超38亿元的项目,已然成为林芝旅游业发展的一张名片。

像这样的项目和投入,在西藏数不胜数。

自1994年,中央第三次西藏工作会议提出“对口援藏”政策,将北京、上海、山东、广东等14个省市确定为首批支援方,对口帮扶拉萨、日喀则、林芝等7个西藏地区以来,30年倏忽而过。

2022年6月,中共韶关市纪委副书记邓钢,以广东省第十批援藏工作队副领队的身份进入西藏参加对口支援工作。据他介绍,广东省“十四五”期间每年向对口支援地区林芝市提供的援藏资金达5.25亿元。在广东省的全力支持下,与1986年刚刚恢复地区建制时相比,林芝全市地区生产总值已由0.66亿元,增加到2023年的235.66亿元。

2024年10月中旬,接受南方周末记者采访时,邓钢反复强调,他们希望将帮扶的林芝地区也打造成西藏的改革开放先行区。

 制(修)订规章制度

南方周末:广东省第十批援藏工作队自2022年6月开始援藏,正式工作前,工作队对这三年的工作制定了哪些目标、方向或是任务呢?

邓钢:2022年6月27日,广东省第十批援藏工作队共170名援藏干部人才进入林芝,实地调研后,我们很快制定了《广东省第十批援藏工作队关于全面深入贯彻落实党的二十大精神 推动援藏工作高质量发展的意见(2022-2025)》,制定了“1+1+5”工作布局。

这个工作布局,具体而言,就是深入学习宣传贯彻党的二十大精神,旗帜鲜明讲政治;同心同德打造一支高质量工作团队,凝心聚力强队伍;扎实推进民生支援、产业支援、人才支援、技术支援、平台支援五项支援。

现在援藏工作进行到第三年了,可以看到,整个广东第十批援藏工作队的各项

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校对:星歌

欢迎分享、点赞与留言。本作品的版权为南方周末或相关著作权人所有,任何第三方未经授权,不得转载,否则即为侵权。

以色列报复伊朗后,空射弹道导弹或将迎来复兴丨军事

(本文首发于南方人物周刊)

南方人物周刊特约撰稿 朱江明

责任编辑:李屾淼

2024年10月26日,伊朗德黑兰,一名男子在听到爆炸声后从山顶上眺望德黑兰(视觉中国/图)

2024年10月26日,以色列“如约”对伊朗此前的导弹攻击进行了一场“适度”的报复。

既没有斩首对方的首脑,也没有摧毁伊朗的核设施,更没有对其石油工业进行毁灭性的打击。根据以色列、美国的报道以及专家分析的卫星图像,以色列此次打击的主要目标为伊朗用来攻击以色列的军事设施、生产远程弹道导弹的工厂和保护伊朗关键能源设施的防空武器平台。

以色列方面称此次袭击体现了以色列在过去20年中发展起来的能力,并威胁说如果冲突继续升级,以色列将拥有更大的行动自由。以方这次打击不仅对等报复了此前伊朗的攻击,同时削弱了伊朗制造导弹的能力,并且通过震慑式的攻击——如摧毁能源设施周边的防空武器——传递下次攻击会更加激烈的信息。

以色列宣称20年来发展的能力,除了专业化程度极高的空军之外,其新型远程导弹也是本次打击

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校对:赵立宇

欢迎分享、点赞与留言。本作品的版权为南方周末或相关著作权人所有,任何第三方未经授权,不得转载,否则即为侵权。

A Grim Trump and an Upbeat Harris End the Race Hitting Opposite Notes

The moods and messages were more different than ever as the presidential rivals made one last scramble through battleground states, their ambitions riding heavily on Pennsylvania.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

Former President Donald J. Trump at a rally on Monday morning in Raleigh, N.C. He and Vice President Kamala Harris were both holding rallies in Pennsylvania later on Monday.

房贷断供、止赎激增,中国楼市崩盘威胁金融系统

5 November 2024 at 09:21

简繁中文
纽约时报 出版语言
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房贷断供、止赎激增,中国楼市崩盘威胁金融系统

KEITH BRADSHER
青岛的海滨。青岛是中国一座受欢迎的海滨城市,在2016年至2021年间,该市的房价翻了一番,但现已暴跌,导致大量房子进入止赎程序。
青岛的海滨。青岛是中国一座受欢迎的海滨城市,在2016年至2021年间,该市的房价翻了一番,但现已暴跌,导致大量房子进入止赎程序。 Keith Bradsher/The New York Times
由于购房者无力偿还房贷,中国的银行正在对越来越多的房产进行法拍。中国的房地产市场崩盘威胁到金融系统。
据官方数据,去年没收拍卖的房产数量猛增了43%。中国多家银行披露今年上半年抵押贷款的违约率上升。房价下跌的趋势已在下半年加快。
中国的法律系统难以处理将这么多止赎房的房主逐出屋的工作。在青岛等城市,进入止赎程序的公寓在住户搬走之前就开始拍卖。金融和止赎专家表示,说服住户离开的任务留给了买家。
进入止赎程序的房主人数,以及将他们赶出房子的工作量都在增加,尽管以美国标准来看,中国的问题还不那么严重,但已给中国的银行带来了压力。这些银行还面临着与房地产崩盘相关的其他损失,包括向地方政府提供的贷款、房地产公司违约,以及楼盘烂尾等。
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更糟糕的是,中国的企业借款者长期以来一直把房地产作为抵押品。银行的经理们发现,这些抵押品的价值已远低于他们把贷款发放给企业时的价值。
作为经济刺激措施的一部分,自今年9月下旬以来,中国政府一直在敦促银行向房地产开发商和其他借款人提供更多贷款。但银行自身也面临困难。
“长期以来,银行一直是中国的政策制定者最好的盟友和工具,但很快会成为他们最大的问题,”法国金融机构Natixis的亚洲首席经济学家艾丽西亚·加西亚·耶赫雷罗说。
中国主要由国家拥有的银行系统资金充裕,在为弥补未偿还贷款的损失拨出准备金之前,每年有近4.3万亿元的利润,这意味着银行能慢慢地用利润将损失冲销。
“它们将用几年的时间逐渐化解损失,”瑞银的中国银行业分析师颜湄之说。
但中国的银行在为国家政府预算提供收入方面起着至关重要的作用。贷款人向财政部缴纳的所得税、交易税和股息相当于中国经济的1%。巨额损失将打击银行利润和政府收入。
在中国,止赎是一个特别敏感的话题,政府对社会有着严格的控制。监管机构向银行施压,不让房主进入止赎程序,以免引发公众抗议。
上海的一个新住宅开发项目,摄于今年9月。中国至少有700万套未完工的公寓。
上海的一个新住宅开发项目,摄于今年9月。中国至少有700万套未完工的公寓。 Qilai Shen for The New York Times
但驱逐房主似乎并没有导致无家可归的问题,因为中国在经历了数十年的建房热后,目前已有9000万套空置公寓。许多止赎程序涉及的是第二套住房,里面住的通常是房主的亲朋好友,止赎程序很少涉及家庭的主要住所。
四年前,中国通过了更强有力地保护房主免受驱逐的法律。当时,中国的房地产市场正在飙升,银行启动的止赎程序少之又少。
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那些新法规现在正在让银行驱逐一些违约房主变得困难。马丁·张(音)为购买法拍房的人提供意见,他说,法拍房的竞标者通常必须在未看房的情况下出价购买,然后与街道工作人员一起说服住在里面的人离开。
这让许多购房者心存疑虑。
“除非没有其他的合适选择,他们通常不会购买法拍房,”住在山东省港口城市青岛的张先生说。
但法拍房不断增加。许多房产不得不两次拍卖。第一次拍卖时,银行会试图以政府规定的折扣价(即比当前评估价值低20%)的价格出售房产。如果无人出价,银行会以半价再次尝试。
去年,中国的法拍住宅房源挂拍38.9万套,与美国进入止赎程序的房产数量大致相同,而美国人口只是中国人口的四分之一。美国的房地产市场在全球金融危机期间崩溃,在问题最严重的2009年和2010年,美国每年有逾280万套房产进入止赎程序。
中国的银行和政府面临的问题是,问题还会恶化到什么程度?
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中国的房地产价格已从2021年的最高值下跌了近30%。
除了止赎率上升外,中国各地至少还有700万套未完工公寓。据瑞银分析师最近的估计,这些未完工公寓中有400万套是由总计贷款了2.5万亿元的中国家庭购买的。
这相当于中国银行资产负债表上所有抵押贷款的近7%。监管机构鼓励银行不要对未完工公寓的抵押贷款启动止赎程序。
一个也许能在未来几年帮助控制止赎问题的因素是,许多房主已经预付了部分抵押贷款或支付了大笔首付。即使在房价大幅下跌后,许多房主拥有的房产价值仍高于他们尚未偿还的抵押贷款额。
现年32岁的林陈(音)2017年在青岛购买了一套售价140万的公寓。据他估计,这套公寓现在的价值在98万到108万之间。但他只剩下60万贷款有待偿还,因为他已在有余钱的时候提前偿还了部份房贷。
陈先生是一名化学品销售员,他羡慕那些20年前买了房的亲戚和邻居们,他们房子的价值现在仍比买的时候高许多。他说,他打算留着这套公寓,希望房价会回升。
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“我们这些80后和90后是不幸的一代,”他说。
在中国,提前偿还全部或部分房贷往往是明智的选择。在最近这几轮降息之前,房贷利率曾接近6%。
青岛房地产价格暴跌已影响到消费支出。
青岛房地产价格暴跌已影响到消费支出。 Keith Bradsher/The New York Times
许多中国人曾用他们以小企业的名义借的低利率贷款来偿还房屋抵押贷款。监管机构一直要求银行向小企业提供更多贷款,因为许多小企业在经济放缓期间面临困难。
但是,用小企业贷款来偿还房贷的做法让银行家和监管机构感到不安,因为放贷方通常从企业借款人那里得不到多少抵押品。
如果法拍房的拍卖价低于房贷应付余额,借款人将承担支付差额的个人责任。但是,银行和监管机构担心那会带来社会不稳定的问题,因此除非借款人参与了投机或欺诈,不太愿意要求他们个人支付差额。
在西方,许多借款人有抵押贷款保险,在止赎拍卖未能达到需偿还的贷款全额时,保险公司要向银行支付差额。但中国只有不到0.5%的抵押贷款上了保险。这会让银行易受伤害,如果房地产价格像许多经济学家预测的那样进一步下跌,进入止赎程序的房子数量激增的话。
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尽管政府采取了有利于房地产市场的措施,像沿海城市青岛这种地方的房地产市场仍可能面临多年的清算。在房地产市场最近暴跌之前,由于投机者竞相购买度假房,青岛的房价从 2016年到2021年翻了一番。当地的青岛农商银行已经报称抵押贷款违约率大幅上升。
一名叫王雷(音)的青岛房主说,他后悔买了房。
王先生也是一名化学品销售员,他说,自从四年前他以210万元的售价买下这套房以来,房子的价值已经降低了20%。
“我原以为我这套房子买的划算,但我没想到房地产市场会跌这么多,”他说。“如果我没有买房,像现在这样的房价,我会觉得租房更好。”

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Meta Permits Its A.I. Models to Be Used for U.S. Military Purposes

5 November 2024 at 08:57
The shift in policy, covering government agencies and contractors working on national security, is intended to promote “responsible and ethical” innovations, the company said.

© David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s chief executive, in September. Meta supports open-source artificial intelligence models that other developers, companies and governments can freely copy and distribute.

I'm more grateful for each day - Sir Chris Hoy

5 November 2024 at 08:00

I'm more grateful for each day - Sir Chris Hoy

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I'll never forget the words 'it's incurable' - Sir Chris Hoy on cancer diagnosis

  • Published

It is a little over two weeks since six-time Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy announced that his cancer was terminal.

It is a measure of the high regard in which the 48-year-old is held by the nation that the news prompted a near eight-fold increase in NHS searches for prostate cancer symptoms over the following days.

In his first TV interview since then, Sir Chris tells BBC Breakfast's Sally Nugent of the "absolute shock and horror" he felt at his initial diagnosis, the "nightmare" of learning wife Sarra had multiple sclerosis, and having to break the news to their two young children.

But he also speaks about how they are dealing with their situation, the outpouring of support they have received and - remarkably - how he is focusing on the positives and the good he hopes can come from it.

'I started to feel nauseous, I was green in the face' – the diagnosis

Sir Chris Hoy looks downImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Sir Chris Hoy retired from professional cycling in 2013

"It's been the toughest year of our lives so far by some stretch," says Sir Chris. The news that he had a terminal illness, in September 2023, came "completely out the blue".

"No symptoms, no warnings, nothing. All I had was a pain in my shoulder and a little bit of pain in my ribs."

He thought it was just aches and pains from working out in the gym. "But this ache and pain didn't go away.

"I assumed it was going to be tendonitis or something, and it was just going to be lay off weights or lay off cycling for a wee while and get some treatment and it'll be fine."

A scan revealed a tumour. "It was the biggest shock of my life. I remember the feeling of just absolute horror and shock.

"I just basically walked back in a daze. I couldn't believe the news and I was just trying to process it, I don't remember walking. I just remember sort of halfway home thinking 'where am I?' And then I was thinking 'how am I going to tell Sarra? What am I going to say?'."

Several scans and hospital appointments followed. It had spread. Secondary bone cancer from prostate cancer, he was told.

"I'd had zero symptoms, nothing to point me towards that that might be an issue. We were given the news that this was incurable.

"Suddenly, everything, all your thoughts, everything rushes. It's almost like your life is flashing before your eyes in that moment.

"It does feel like this isn't real. You feel that you want to get out, you feel like you're a caged animal, you want to get out of that consulting room and get away from the hospital and run away from it all.

"But you realise you can't outrun this, this is within you and this is just the first step of the process of acceptance."

'How are we going to tell the kids?' - cancer and chemotherapy

Sir Chris and Sarra have two children, Callum and Chloe, who were aged nine and six at the time. How would they break the news to them?

"That was the first thought in my head," Sir Chris says. "How on earth are we going to tell the kids? It's just this absolute horror, it is a waking nightmare, living nightmare.

"We just tried to be positive and tried to say do you know what, this is what we're doing and you can help because when I'm not feeling well, you can come and give me cuddles, you can be supportive, you can be happy, you can be kind to each other.

"I'm sure lots of families do it in different ways and I think there's no one right approach for anyone. There's no one-size-fits-all, but for us I think that was the best way to do it."

Sir Chris says chemotherapy "was one of the biggest challenges I've ever faced and gone through" at a time when he was "still reeling from the diagnosis" just a few weeks earlier.

He says he tried to focus on the positives and see it as "a good thing, we're here to try and to start punching back, this is going to be a positive fight against the cancer".

He "wasn’t fussed" about potentially losing his hair - though son Callum had some concerns.

"I think he was worried about what it would be like if I just suddenly turned up to pick him up at school with no hair and it might be a shock for him."

When it started, the chemotherapy was "excruciating".

"It's like torture basically. I wasn't ready for it, I didn't know how to cope with it, how to deal with it initially."

He used Callum, and his great uncle Andy, who had been a prisoner of war in Japan, as "motivating factors" to get through it and developed a strategy for coping with the two-hour treatment sessions. "Don't do it for two hours, do it for one minute. The strategy was just take it one step at a time, just deal with the next minute, just watch that seconds hand go round the clock.

"If you can do one more minute, that's all you need to do. And then when it gets round to the end of the minute, you do it again.

"I don't think we necessarily give ourselves enough credit for what we're able to deal with. It's only when you're in really difficult situations you find out what you're made of and what you can deal with.

"And it puts it into perspective riding bikes for a living, you realise 'God, that was just a bit of fun really', you know."

'It was the lowest point' - Sarra's diagnosis

Sir Chris Hoy with wife Sarra at Wimbledon in 2024Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Sir Chris with wife Sarra at Wimbledon in 2024

Following a scan, wife Sarra learned in November 2023 she had multiple sclerosis, only sharing the news with her sister. "The strength of Sarra is unbelievable, she kept it to herself," Sir Chris explains.

"Throughout all of that she was there for me but didn't at any point crack. And it was really only in December that she said 'this is the news I've had'.

"That was the lowest point I think. That was the point where I suddenly thought 'what is going on?' I almost felt like saying OK stop, this is a dream, wake me up, this isn't real, this is a nightmare. You were already on the canvas and I just felt this, another punch when you're already down - it was like getting that kick on the floor.

"That was the bit where you think if you didn't have the kids, if you didn't have that purpose and the absolute need to keep getting out of bed every day and moving on, it would have been really difficult. But that's why you’re a team. You help each other.

"You worry about your family, you worry about people close to you. It's not where we thought we would be a year ago. That was the hardest point without question, that diagnosis.

"But we're pressing on, she's receiving treatment and she's doing well at the moment, and aren't we lucky that there's treatment for it? She has medicine she can take and I have medicine I can take. So we're lucky."

'I thought cycling was life or death but the stakes have changed'

Sir Chris Hoy celebrates with the Union Jack after winning the final of the Men's Keirin Track Cycling on Day 11 of the London 2012 Olympic GamesImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Sir Chris Hoy says the London 2012 Olympic Games were the culmination of his cycling career

In a storied cycling career, Edinburgh-born Sir Chris established himself as a British sporting icon. One of the country's most decorated Olympians, he won six gold medals across four Games. London 2012, he says "felt like it was the culmination of my whole career".

"The timing of everything was perfect. I was so lucky to have a home Olympics during my career and my lifetime. That moment when I walked on to the track and you knew that this is it. This is the final scene in the movie, this is kind of the culmination of all that hard work and that response from the crowd, the noise. It was something I'll never forget.

"I can bring those images back like that. You shut your eyes and you're back in that velodrome. We all have these moments in our lives. It's just wonderful to have these memories that you can look back on and it just becomes a bit more poignant over the last year, you look back on them with even more intensity.

"The stakes are much higher now. It felt like life and death in the moment when you were battling it out for an Olympic gold medal, but the stakes have changed dramatically and it is life and death.

"But the principle is the same, it's about focusing on what you have control over and not worrying about the stuff that you can't control.

"You don't just suddenly have a leap forward and one day you wake up and everything's OK. It takes time and you've got to be disciplined with how you approach it, and you've got to nip things in the bud before these negative thoughts start to take hold."

'It sounds crazy, but we're lucky' - looking to the future

Sir Chris Hoy at the velodrome which was named after him in Glasgow in 2013Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Sir Chris left a lasting legacy in cycling and now wants to make an impact in helping people fight cancer

When Sir Chris revealed his diagnosis last month, the public shock was seismic. Messages flowed from all walks of life, from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Scotland's first minister John Swinney to fellow sporting icons, such as Olympic cyclist and former Great Britain team-mate Sir Mark Cavendish.

The messages of support continue to pour in. Former England football captain David Beckham, Coldplay singer Chris Martin and another Scottish sporting superstar in Sir Andy Murray have all got in touch. "It's overwhelming," Sir Chris says.

And it is the awareness of what Sir Chris is going through that he hopes can deliver a life-saving legacy far beyond the Glasgow velodrome which bears his name.

For one, he is hoping his platform will help him persuade more men to take a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test to check for cancer.

Both his grandfather and father have had prostate cancer, which is genetic but can affect anyone - one in eight men will have prostate cancer in their life at some point.

"If you've got family history of it like I have, if you're over the age of 45, go and ask your doctor. I've got a friend who, when I told him my news early on confidentially, he went and got a PSA test and it turned out he had cancer. He's had treatment and he's been given the all-clear."

He would like to see screening for men with a strong family history of prostate cancer start at an earlier age. "Catch it before you need to have any major treatment. To me it seems a no-brainer. Reduce the age, allow more men to just go in and get a blood test.

"Maybe people seeing this or hearing about my story - just by them asking their GP - will create enough of a surge of interest that people that make the decisions will go 'you know what, we need to address this'. And in the long term this will save potentially millions of lives."

An awareness-raising charity bike ride is planned for 2025 for people with stage four cancers. Sir Chris wants it to change perspectives and show "many people can still have very full and happy lives, and healthy lives, dealing with it".

"I'm not saying everybody's in the same boat but there's hope out there. Look at me now, six months on from finishing chemo and I'm riding my bike every day, I'm in the gym, I'm physically active, I'm not in pain. When people talk about battles with cancer, for me the biggest battle is between your ears.

"It's the mental struggle, it's the challenge to try and deal with these thoughts, deal with the implications of the news you're given. Your life is turned upside down with one sentence. You've walked in one person and you walk out as another person.

"When you hear terminal illness, terminal cancer, you just have this image in your head of what it is, what it's going to be like. And everybody's different, and not everybody is given the time that I've been given - and that's why I feel lucky. We genuinely feel lucky, as crazy as that might sound, because we've got the time."

He has used that time to write a book - All That Matters: My Toughest Race Yet - which is released this week, and says the process was "cathartic".

"I've hoped it's going to help other people, not just people who are going through a similar situation to me or families going through a similar situation, but for anyone in life to try and understand that no matter what challenges you're facing, you can get through them. And it doesn't mean that there's going to be a happy ending, I'm not delusional.

"I know what the end result will be. Nobody lives forever. Our time on this planet is finite. Don't waste your time worrying about stuff that isn't that important. Focus on the things that are important, focus on your family, the people in your life. Do that thing that you've always planned to do one day, why not do it today.

"My perspective on life has changed massively. I am more thankful, I'm more grateful for each day. It's been a tough year and it's going to be tough ahead in the future too but for now, right here right now, we're doing pretty well."

The full interview - Sir Chris Hoy: Finding Hope - will be shown on BBC One at 20:00 GMT on Tuesday, 5 November

Doctors paid £200,000 overtime to tackle NHS backlog

5 November 2024 at 08:01
Getty Images Doctors in operating theatreGetty Images

Senior doctors are charging the NHS premium rates for overtime, as pressure to cut waiting lists is allowing some to make more than £200,000 a year from additional work, a BBC News investigation has found.

That is nearly double the average basic pay for a full-time consultant in England.

Many of the consultants earning the most are thought to be part-time, allowing them to work significant amounts of overtime for rates exceeding £200 an hour – more than four times normal pay.

NHS England said hospitals had to offer rates that were competitive with the private sector.

But the British Medical Association (BMA), the doctors' union, pointed out the NHS would not have to rely so much on overtime were it not for staffing shortages.

And hospitals said covering for strike days and sickness had also been factors.

The findings come as the government invests more money in the NHS, to increase the number of appointments and operations it can offer – a key election promise made by Labour.

As part of the Budget, the chancellor said the NHS would receive an extra £25bn this year and next – with reducing waits a priority.

A key part of Labour’s plan is for staff to work evenings and weekends, to cut the backlog.

But the BBC News investigation raises concerns about whether this approach can deliver value for money.

One senior NHS source said: “Consultants hold all the cards – they know we cannot make progress on the backlog without them."

The source said consultants were in a "pretty unique position compared to other staff" because their contracts meant they could opt out of weekend work and then charge whatever their hospital was willing to pay for overtime.

They said it was not in the BMA's interests to renegotiate these "outdated" contracts, more than 20 years old.

'Artificial intelligence'

"What worries me is that the overtime costs are going to keep increasing with the need to tackle the backlog and this will breed resentment among other NHS staff who often work overtime for little more,” the source said.

They added that the NHS needed to hire more consultants, ask other staff to take on some of their work and invest in technologies such as artificial intelligence to lighten the load.

BBC News used Freedom of Information requests to hospital trusts and data supplied by NHS England to reveal what consultants working beyond their contracted hours was costing the NHS:

  • The overall overtime bill hit almost £1bn in 2023-24, up from £512m 10 years ago, albeit some of that rise is related to more consultants being employed
  • Six in 10 consultants work beyond their contracted hours, with average extra pay topping £27,000 a year
  • At least half of the 41 hospital trusts that responded to BBC News are now paying some of their consultants more than £100,000 in overtime

In 2023-24, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust paid four consultants from its medicine speciality more than £100,000 in overtime payments.

One earned just above £208,000 in overtime for 128 days work.

And during those shifts, their pay averaged £188 an hour.

The trust said “in common with most NHS trusts”, it had to rely on overtime payments to “manage waiting lists and to cover rota gaps and vacancies” and covering strikes had placed it under added strain.

Medway NHS Foundation Trust confirmed it had paid three radiologists, who diagnose and treat patients using scans and tests, more than £150,000 in overtime – one of whom had earned above £200,000.

It said shortages in this field meant it had to pay premium rates, sometimes on a scan-by-scan basis.

'Extra operations'

NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust paid two consultants in its endoscopy department, which provides internal examinations, more than £180,000 each in overtime, to tackle the backlog in treatment.

The trust said: “We’re focused on ensuring we always provide value for money - and anything we spend is in proportion with the benefit it brings to our patients.”

NHS Humber Health Partnership, which runs five hospitals, paid three consultants between £185,000 and £240,000 in overtime.

Chief medical officer Kate Wood said the overtime spending had helped fund extra operations at weekends, to reduce waiting lists.

“We assess the costs of these shifts against the risks of not having cover," she said.

"We have put patient safety first as that is our key focus.

"This is not something that is unique to us.”

'Critical role'

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust paid three consultants more than £100,000 in overtime, including one who earned just above £198,000.

Managing director Stephen Collman said the trust was trying to reduce “premium payments” where possible but the need to cover sickness absence and vacant posts meant to keep services “running safely and effectively” it had no option.

Some hospitals said overtime rates had been driven up over the past year by the particularly high rates the BMA had told its consultants to ask for to provide strike cover.

"It created a new expectation of what they should get," one official said.

But BMA consultant co-leaders Dr Helen Neary and Dr Shanu Datta said: “Unfortunately, a declining workforce in crisis and spiralling patient demand - which has led to sky high waiting lists - means that extra hours of work are essential to get the job done.”

They pointed out much of the overtime was done during unsocial hours, adding these were “highly-trained and experienced professionals” so it was reasonable for them to value their time “at appropriate rates”.

Danny Mortimer, of NHS Employers, which represents hospitals on employment issues, said: "In light of the difficult financial position of the NHS, health leaders are trying to bear down on extra-contractual premium pay rates."

But there were no easy solutions as consultants played a "critical role" in tackling waiting lists.

And an NHS England official pointed out the use of agencies, which could be even more expensive, was falling.

KAWS, the Collector, Says, ‘I Don’t Feel Like Anything Is Mine.’

4 November 2024 at 00:22
Some collectors treat artworks like poker chips and flip work by young artists. That’s not Brian Donnelly. Now his finds star in a show.

© Lila Barth for The New York Times

Brian Donnelly, a.k.a. KAWS, at the Drawing Center in SoHo, which is showing “The Way I See It: Selections from the KAWS Collection,” which features artworks from his own collection.

Elon Musk can keep giving $1m to voters, judge rules

5 November 2024 at 06:18
Getty Images Elon MuskGetty Images

Elon Musk's political group has been deciding who receives $1m (£772,000) in its election giveaway, and not been choosing winners randomly, a lawyer representing the billionaire said on Monday.

One of Donald Trump's biggest supporters in the election, Musk has offered the sum to registered voters in swing states through his America PAC, in what many believed was a lottery-style contest.

Philadelphia District Attorney Lawrence Krasner called the giveaway "an illegal lottery" when he sued Musk and the group last month.

But Musk's lawyer Chris Gober told a Pennsylvania judge that the group selects the recipients, according to media reports. The judge later ruled that the giveaway can continue.

Common Pleas Court Judge Angelo Foglietta did not immediately give a reason for the ruling, made a few hours after the hearing, according to the Associated Press.

America PAC has been awarding $1m to a voter in one of the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina each day in the leadup to Election Day.

Before the court hearing, the group announced a man named Joshua in Arizona was awarded the money for Monday.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, which Musk owns, the group added: "Every day until Election Day, a person who signs will be selected to earn $1m as a spokesperson for America PAC".

Gober told the court that America PAC has already determined the final recipient who will be announced on Election Day and who is from Michigan, US media reported.

“The $1 million recipients are not chosen by chance,” Gober said, according to the Associated Press. “We know exactly who will be announced as the $1 million recipient today and tomorrow.”

But when the world's richest man unveiled the giveaway last month, many believed it was a random drawing for registered voters who signed a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments of the US Constitution.

“We are going to be awarding $1m randomly to people who have signed the petition, every day, from now until the election," Musk told a campaign event.

A few days later, the US Justice Department warned that the group could be breaking election laws, which forbid paying people to register to vote. Krasner's office then sued to stop it.

Musk has been aggressively campaigning for Trump in swing states across the country, and his committee has been pushing hard in Pennsylvania, where polls suggest Trump is in a tie with Vice-President Kamala Harris, a Democrat.

A lawyer in Krasner's office told Reuters that Gober's comments in court are "a complete admission of liability".

During the hearing, prosecutors played a video where Musk, who is also the chief executive of SpaceX, said that "all we ask" is that the winners serve as spokespeople for the group, Reuters reported.

But Chris Young, the director of America PAC, said in court that the recipients are screened and must have values aligned with the group, US media reported.

Those who receive the money sign non-disclosure agreements that block them from publicly discussing the terms of their contracts, according to Reuters.

Musk did not attend Monday's hearing.

Quincy Jones, giant of US music, dies aged 91

4 November 2024 at 23:41
Getty Images Quincy Jones Getty Images
Jones was best known as the producer of Michael Jackson's Thriller album

Quincy Jones, musician and producer who worked with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and many others, dies aged 91.

Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, said he "passed away peacefully" on Sunday night at his home in Bel Air.

"Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him," the family said in a statement.

Jones was best known as the producer of Michael Jackson's Thriller album.

Over his career that spanned more than 75 years he won 28 Grammy awards and was named as one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century by Time magazine.

He produced and conducted the recording of the 1985 charity record, We Are The World.

He also composed the soundtrack to more than 50 films and TV programmes including Heat of the Night, The Color Purple and The Italian Job.

Early in his career, Jones worked closely with Frank Sinatra and re-worked Sinatra's classic Fly Me To The Moon taking it from a waltz to a swing.

One the film The Wiz, Jones found himself working alongside a 19-year-old Michael Jackson.

The pair worked together for decades and Jones produced albums Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts.

Nigerian children who collapsed in court released

5 November 2024 at 05:57
Reuters Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu looks on after his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria on 29 May, 2023.Reuters
President Bola Tinubu ordered officials to free the children following public outcry

Nigeria's president has ordered the immediate release of a group of young people accused of treason, after footage of some of them collapsing in court sparked outrage.

The 27 teenagers - among 76 suspects detained for months following their arrest in anti-government protests - are aged between 14 and 18.

Bola Tinubu directed officials to release them after four collapsed during their first court appearance on Friday, apparently due to malnourishment.

Viral videos of them writhing in pain before being taken for medical treatment sparked a renewed debate over their treatment by authorities in Nigeria, as well as the length of their detention.

The suspects had been in custody for nearly three months after participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests which swept the country in August over a deepening cost of living crisis.

The demonstrations turned violent in some places when protesters clashed with security forces.

Police say seven people died - though rights groups put the death toll at 23. Nearly 700 people were arrested.

Some of those in court in the capital, Abuja, on Friday were accused of flying Russian flags and planning to overthrow the Nigerian government.

Three young men sit a Nigerian court, two wear yellow tops and one wears a blue shirt. Their faces have been blurred to protect their identities.
The boys had been detained since participating in anti-government protests in August

In a statement on Monday, President Tinbula's spokesman Bayo Onanuga said that it was his wish that the release of the children did not prejudice the ongoing legal action.

Reuters reported, citing Information Minister Mohammed Idris, that the treason charges against the children had been dropped.

Mr Onanuga said the Nigerian humanitarian affairs ministry had been asked "to ensure the safe return of all the minors to their families while an investigation has been opened into the circumstances leading to their prolonged detention".

When the courtroom footage emerged, Nigerian rights organisation Enough is Enough said they had been subjected to "institutional child abuse".

Amnesty International described the children's detention was "one of the deadliest attempts to suppress freedom of assembly" so far.

事实查核|哈里斯在大选辩论中支持韩国拥有核武?

查核结果:错误


一分钟完读:

美国总统大选日前,韩语社群媒体流传消息称美国总统候选人哈里斯在 9月10日与共和党对手特朗普的辩论中支持韩国发展核武。

经查核发现,哈里斯在这场辩论中并未提及韩国,也没有公开信息显示她曾支持韩国拥核。此外,她还曾呼吁过“朝鲜半岛完全无核化”。因此前述流传帖文是错误信息。

深度分析:

关于美国总统候选人哈里斯 (Kamala Harris,或译贺锦丽) 支持韩国发展核武器的传闻,流传较广的版本来自一个拥有超过14万5000名粉丝的YouTube账户,该账户发布了一段影片,标题为“贺锦丽新近宣布,批准韩国获取核武器”。

这段8分钟的影片展示了9月10日哈里斯与共和党对手特朗普(Donald Trump,或译川普)竞选辩论的多个片段。

影片的旁白说道:“这是一个重要的时刻,证明韩国获得核武不仅仅是一个凭空出现的想法,甚至美国国内也认真看待此事。”

1 (7).png
图:“贺锦丽批准韩国拥核”的影片在社媒平台传播  图截取自YouTube  



随着前述影片的传播,韩语社群媒体也开始流传:哈里斯在辩论中支持韩国发展核武。

但这样的传闻是错误的,亚洲事实查核实验室记者检视了辩论影片文字记录,结果显示哈里斯根本没有提到韩国。再考察她稍早的发言,2022年时,她还曾表示:朝鲜半岛的完全无核化,是美国、韩国的共同目标。


面对北韩,韩国政界讨论是否以核制核

在韩国,关于拥核的争论,主要集中在对北韩核进展的担忧,以及对美国国防承诺的怀疑。支持者认为,韩国持有核武是必要的威慑力量,而反对者则担心这可能引起军备竞赛,损害外交关系,并挑战韩国的防止核扩散立场。

韩国总统尹锡悦9月表示,韩国已经建立一个可以有效吓阻、应对北韩核威胁的系统,而无需拥有自己的核武库。

尹锡悦是在北韩首次公布其浓缩铀设施细节的1周后,发表了上述言论。

亚洲事实查核实验室(Asia Fact Check Lab)针对当今复杂媒体环境以及新兴传播生态而成立。我们本于新闻专业主义,提供专业查核报告及与信息环境相关的传播观察、深度报道,帮助读者对公共议题获得多元而全面的认识。读者若对任何媒体及社交软件传播的信息有疑问,欢迎以电邮afcl@rfa.org寄给亚洲事实查核实验室,由我们为您查证核实。

亚洲事实查核实验室在X、脸书、IG开张了,欢迎读者追踪、分享、转发。X这边请进:中文@asiafactcheckcn;英文:@AFCL_engFB在这里IG也别忘了

💾

© AFCL

事实查核|加州男子因投票时出示身份证被逮捕?

5 November 2024 at 07:48

查核结果:错误

一分钟完读:

近日,“美国加州男子因为投票时出示了身份证而遭到逮捕”的消息在社媒传播,并附有一张警察在“投票所”逮捕一名男子的照片。经查,网传消息来自发布虚构信息的讽刺网站“巴比伦蜜蜂”。至于网传警察在投票所逮捕男子的照片,经以图反搜发现,画面中警察逮捕男子的图像与2008年图片库中的旧照相同,但原图背景是房屋与街道,并非投票所。AFCL判断网传照片极可能是变造背景的假照片。

深度分析:

2024年美国大选日前夕,社媒上传出“美国加州男子因为投票时出示了身份证而遭到逮捕”的消息,包括中国微博上多位“大V”用户(1,2,3)和X上的中文账户都转发了这则信息,并附上消息来源的截图,而截图中的照片看起来是警察在投票所逮捕一名男子。

经检视,该消息来源为网站“巴比伦蜜蜂”(The Babylon Bee)。“巴比伦蜜蜂”的网站介绍表明,这是个发布虚构信息的讽刺网站,自称是“你可相信的假新闻”。

1 (6).png
图:社媒传出美国加州男子因为投票时出示了身份证而遭到逮捕的消息  图截取自微博、X

亚洲事实查核实验室(Asia Fact Check Lab,下简称AFCL)以图反搜发现,图中的警察逮捕男子的形象,曾出现在图库网站“Shutterstock”,图片档案上传日期显示为2008年9月。经比对两张照片,警察与男子从形象到细节高度一致,但警察左臂上的徽章和照片背景不同,图库档案照的背景为房屋、车辆、道路,“巴比伦蜜蜂”文章配图的背景则是投票所。

AFCL再以“投票所”“美国国旗”等英文关键字搜寻图片,找到“忧思科学家联盟”(Union of Concerned Scientists, UCS)一篇分析文章,其配图为四位选民在投票,中间墙上挂著美国国旗,图说显示照片出处为“Getty Images”,而这张照片与“巴比伦蜜蜂”文章配图的背景高度相似。根据上述影像证据,AFCL认为网传照片极可能经组合变造而成。

2 (4).png
图:“巴比伦蜜蜂”文章配图(图左)中的警察与男子曾出现在图库网站2008的档案照(图右上),但两张照片的背景不同;AFCL还找到与“巴比伦蜜蜂”配图背景高度相似的投票所照片(图右下)。图取自The Babylon Bee、Shutterstock、UCS

AFCL以中、英文关键字查询,没有找到主流媒体报道近日有加州男子因投票时出示身份证而被逮捕的消息,但发现不少知名社媒用户(1,2)转传“巴比伦蜜蜂”的文章。这些中、英文社媒账号在转传信息时,并未注明消息来自讽刺网站,而扩大传播了虚构内容,让不少网民信以为真。

根据加州州务卿网站说明,一般情况下,不要求加州选民在投票前出示身份证。如果是在邮寄或在线登记后第一次投票,并且没有在登记申请上提供加州身份证号、驾照号或社会保险号码最后4位数,则在投票时可以请选民出示身份证。

每逢选举,投票措施成为政治争议话题,而加州州长纽森(Gavin Newsom)日前签署通过SB1174号法案,禁止地方政府立法强制选民投票前出示身份证明,引起部分人士批评,质疑这项法案损害投票合法性。已有机构查核与此法案相关的不实信息

美国总统大选投票日临近,网上流传质疑选举公正性的消息,AFCL亦发布查核报告:《美总统大选提前投票,“作票”流言又来了》

亚洲事实查核实验室(Asia Fact Check Lab)针对当今复杂媒体环境以及新兴传播生态而成立。我们本于新闻专业主义,提供专业查核报告及与信息环境相关的传播观察、深度报道,帮助读者对公共议题获得多元而全面的认识。读者若对任何媒体及社交软件传播的信息有疑问,欢迎以电邮afcl@rfa.org寄给亚洲事实查核实验室,由我们为您查证核实。

亚洲事实查核实验室在X、脸书、IG开张了,欢迎读者追踪、分享、转发。X这边请进:中文@asiafactcheckcn;英文:@AFCL_engFB在这里IG也别忘了

💾

© Asia Fact Check Lab

事实查核|哈里斯在大选辩论中支持韩国拥有核武?

查核结果:错误


一分钟完读:

美国总统大选日前,韩语社群媒体流传消息称美国总统候选人哈里斯在 9月10日与共和党对手特朗普的辩论中支持韩国发展核武。

经查核发现,哈里斯在这场辩论中并未提及韩国,也没有公开信息显示她曾支持韩国拥核。此外,她还曾呼吁过“朝鲜半岛完全无核化”。因此前述流传帖文是错误信息。

深度分析:

关于美国总统候选人哈里斯 (Kamala Harris,或译贺锦丽) 支持韩国发展核武器的传闻,流传较广的版本来自一个拥有超过14万5000名粉丝的YouTube账户,该账户发布了一段影片,标题为“贺锦丽新近宣布,批准韩国获取核武器”。

这段8分钟的影片展示了9月10日哈里斯与共和党对手特朗普(Donald Trump,或译川普)竞选辩论的多个片段。

影片的旁白说道:“这是一个重要的时刻,证明韩国获得核武不仅仅是一个凭空出现的想法,甚至美国国内也认真看待此事。”

1 (7).png
图:“贺锦丽批准韩国拥核”的影片在社媒平台传播  图截取自YouTube  



随着前述影片的传播,韩语社群媒体也开始流传:哈里斯在辩论中支持韩国发展核武。

但这样的传闻是错误的,亚洲事实查核实验室记者检视了辩论影片文字记录,结果显示哈里斯根本没有提到韩国。再考察她稍早的发言,2022年时,她还曾表示:朝鲜半岛的完全无核化,是美国、韩国的共同目标。


面对北韩,韩国政界讨论是否以核制核

在韩国,关于拥核的争论,主要集中在对北韩核进展的担忧,以及对美国国防承诺的怀疑。支持者认为,韩国持有核武是必要的威慑力量,而反对者则担心这可能引起军备竞赛,损害外交关系,并挑战韩国的防止核扩散立场。

韩国总统尹锡悦9月表示,韩国已经建立一个可以有效吓阻、应对北韩核威胁的系统,而无需拥有自己的核武库。

尹锡悦是在北韩首次公布其浓缩铀设施细节的1周后,发表了上述言论。

亚洲事实查核实验室(Asia Fact Check Lab)针对当今复杂媒体环境以及新兴传播生态而成立。我们本于新闻专业主义,提供专业查核报告及与信息环境相关的传播观察、深度报道,帮助读者对公共议题获得多元而全面的认识。读者若对任何媒体及社交软件传播的信息有疑问,欢迎以电邮afcl@rfa.org寄给亚洲事实查核实验室,由我们为您查证核实。

亚洲事实查核实验室在X、脸书、IG开张了,欢迎读者追踪、分享、转发。X这边请进:中文@asiafactcheckcn;英文:@AFCL_engFB在这里IG也别忘了

💾

© AFCL

事实查核|加州男子因投票时出示身份证被逮捕?

查核结果:错误

一分钟完读:

近日,“美国加州男子因为投票时出示了身份证而遭到逮捕”的消息在社媒传播,并附有一张警察在“投票所”逮捕一名男子的照片。经查,网传消息来自发布虚构信息的讽刺网站“巴比伦蜜蜂”。至于网传警察在投票所逮捕男子的照片,经以图反搜发现,画面中警察逮捕男子的图像与2008年图片库中的旧照相同,但原图背景是房屋与街道,并非投票所。AFCL判断网传照片极可能是变造背景的假照片。

深度分析:

2024年美国大选日前夕,社媒上传出“美国加州男子因为投票时出示了身份证而遭到逮捕”的消息,包括中国微博上多位“大V”用户(1,2,3)和X上的中文账户都转发了这则信息,并附上消息来源的截图,而截图中的照片看起来是警察在投票所逮捕一名男子。

经检视,该消息来源为网站“巴比伦蜜蜂”(The Babylon Bee)。“巴比伦蜜蜂”的网站介绍表明,这是个发布虚构信息的讽刺网站,自称是“你可相信的假新闻”。

1 (6).png
图:社媒传出美国加州男子因为投票时出示了身份证而遭到逮捕的消息  图截取自微博、X

亚洲事实查核实验室(Asia Fact Check Lab,下简称AFCL)以图反搜发现,图中的警察逮捕男子的形象,曾出现在图库网站“Shutterstock”,图片档案上传日期显示为2008年9月。经比对两张照片,警察与男子从形象到细节高度一致,但警察左臂上的徽章和照片背景不同,图库档案照的背景为房屋、车辆、道路,“巴比伦蜜蜂”文章配图的背景则是投票所。

AFCL再以“投票所”“美国国旗”等英文关键字搜寻图片,找到“忧思科学家联盟”(Union of Concerned Scientists, UCS)一篇分析文章,其配图为四位选民在投票,中间墙上挂著美国国旗,图说显示照片出处为“Getty Images”,而这张照片与“巴比伦蜜蜂”文章配图的背景高度相似。根据上述影像证据,AFCL认为网传照片极可能经组合变造而成。

2 (4).png
图:“巴比伦蜜蜂”文章配图(图左)中的警察与男子曾出现在图库网站2008的档案照(图右上),但两张照片的背景不同;AFCL还找到与“巴比伦蜜蜂”配图背景高度相似的投票所照片(图右下)。图取自The Babylon Bee、Shutterstock、UCS

AFCL以中、英文关键字查询,没有找到主流媒体报道近日有加州男子因投票时出示身份证而被逮捕的消息,但发现不少知名社媒用户(1,2)转传“巴比伦蜜蜂”的文章。这些中、英文社媒账号在转传信息时,并未注明消息来自讽刺网站,而扩大传播了虚构内容,让不少网民信以为真。

根据加州州务卿网站说明,一般情况下,不要求加州选民在投票前出示身份证。如果是在邮寄或在线登记后第一次投票,并且没有在登记申请上提供加州身份证号、驾照号或社会保险号码最后4位数,则在投票时可以请选民出示身份证。

每逢选举,投票措施成为政治争议话题,而加州州长纽森(Gavin Newsom)日前签署通过SB1174号法案,禁止地方政府立法强制选民投票前出示身份证明,引起部分人士批评,质疑这项法案损害投票合法性。已有机构查核与此法案相关的不实信息

美国总统大选投票日临近,网上流传质疑选举公正性的消息,AFCL亦发布查核报告:《美总统大选提前投票,“作票”流言又来了》

亚洲事实查核实验室(Asia Fact Check Lab)针对当今复杂媒体环境以及新兴传播生态而成立。我们本于新闻专业主义,提供专业查核报告及与信息环境相关的传播观察、深度报道,帮助读者对公共议题获得多元而全面的认识。读者若对任何媒体及社交软件传播的信息有疑问,欢迎以电邮afcl@rfa.org寄给亚洲事实查核实验室,由我们为您查证核实。

亚洲事实查核实验室在X、脸书、IG开张了,欢迎读者追踪、分享、转发。X这边请进:中文@asiafactcheckcn;英文:@AFCL_engFB在这里IG也别忘了

💾

© Asia Fact Check Lab

What an Iowa Poll From The Des Moines Register Could Tell Us About the 2024 Race

5 November 2024 at 07:27
Sometimes outliers are early indicators, capturing something other polls just haven’t measured yet. Other times, they’re a fluke.

© Rachel Mummey for The New York Times

J. Ann Selzer in West Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday. Her latest poll found Kamala Harris leading Donald J. Trump in the state.

San Franciscans Are ‘Fighting for Their Lives’ Over One Great Highway

Residents are feuding over whether to turn a two-mile stretch of road along the Pacific Ocean into a bikeway and walking path.

© Lauren Segal for The New York Times

The Great Highway hugs San Francisco’s westernmost edge, offering sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.

At Daniel Penny’s Trial, Subway Passengers Describe Harrowing F Train Ride

Witnesses from the subway train said they feared Jordan Neely but also described the horror of watching him die in a chokehold.

© Victor J. Blue for The New York Times

Prosecutors have acknowledged there was reason to fear Jordan Neely, but argue that Daniel Penny went too far.

Cuomo Objects to Plan to Shut Down the A Train for 4 Months

5 November 2024 at 07:08
Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who is eyeing a potential run for New York City mayor next year, criticized plans to close part of the A train in the Rockaways for months.

© Al Drago/Getty Images

Andrew M. Cuomo suggested that the decision to shut down part of A train subway service should be re-evaluated by a panel of experts.

上海法学教授被限制出境  “边控”正在被滥用

5 November 2024 at 07:01

中国学者被曝因一篇两年前的文章在上海虹桥机场遭遇限制出境,僵持9小时后被迫离开。近年来,越来越多的中国知识分子被控制不许出境,其原因是什么?又造成了什么样的后果?

据时事评论人士蔡慎坤在社交平台X发文透露,上海财经大学法学院副教授梁兴国在11月2日准备去香港时发现被限制出境,原因疑似两年前投稿新加坡《联合早报》,发表题为《任期制:共和国重要的制度基础》的文章。更不可思议的是,与他同行的妻子也一同被边控。

近年来被曝限制出境的中国人士越来越多,很明显,北京正在将限制出境作为控制言论的新手段。

法学教授及妻子一同被边控

据公开资料,梁兴国本科毕业于中国人民大学法学院,硕士毕业于北京大学法学院,博士毕业于中国政法大学,现为上海财经大学法学院副教授。

据时评人蔡慎坤转发的梁兴国本人的声明:“我的专业是法理学,孟德斯鸠是我特别喜爱的法律思想家之一。我当时因读他的《论法的精神》和《罗马盛衰原因论》和一些共和主义的文章后,受启发而写了这篇纯粹的法学理论文章,其如文所见,只是在人类社会一般意义上讨论了一下共和国制度问题。”

这篇文章也并没有直接针对习近平或中国的内容,不过其中写道:“共和国为什么要对领导人的任职届数进行限制?根本原因在于,共和国的宗旨是‘天下非一人之天下,乃天下人之天下也’。最高领导人也是人,只要是人,就有人性的局限。……于是,领导人干完一任接着第二任、第三任。国家名义上虽然还是共和国,实质却已变质为独裁社会。”

蔡慎坤向自由亚洲透露,文章发表后,校方找梁兴国谈话三次,主要是调查梁兴国写此文是孤立发声还是有人授意,调查后发现梁兴国只是一名普通的法学老师,发表此文也没有任何背景,便对梁兴国进行了批评。梁兴国随后按要求向《联合早报》提交了《撤稿信》,同时写了《保证书》,不再向境外媒体投稿。此后,梁兴国没有公开发表过任何文章。

蔡慎坤梁兴国.png
蔡慎坤讲述梁兴国事件经过。(X截图)

     

此次出境是梁兴国与妻子到香港游玩,在他们买机票时就得到学校通知,可能会无法出境,且梁兴国的妻子也被一同“边控”。蔡慎坤说,“因为学校也是口头通知,没有任何证据,他们想试一下,要一个法律证据。”

据梁兴国及夫人记录的在上海虹桥机场的经历,他们在虹桥机场从早上6点30坚持到下午3点30左右,最后因警方强力介入,被强行“请”了出来。

梁兴国妻子的记录写道:“当时情况,如果否定回答,就要被架出去。于是我们起身自行走出来,在几位彪形大汉的‘护送’下。虹桥机场,给我们两人留下终生的心理阴影了。”

梁兴国本人随后在微信发表的声明中写道:“他们拒绝给我们任何书面材料以证明我们被禁止出境。我们抗争了,但在强大的权力面前,我们二位讲理讲法的老师一点办法都没有。”

边控是个巨大的制度黑洞

边控,即边境控制,原本是为防止涉案人员其借出境之机逃避司法机关追究法律责任,给境内的国家、集体或个人财产等带来重大损失,而通过法定程序在国边境口岸对之采取限制出境的一种保全措施。

但近年来,这种对犯罪嫌疑人的措施,正越来越多地用在中国境内知识分子身上。近年来被曝出遭遇“边控”的有:著名作者章怡和、法学教授贺卫方、独立记者高瑜、宪政学者张千帆、北京徐晓冬、律师陈秋实、清华大学法学教授许章润和郭于华、历史教师袁腾飞等。

一位熟知中国出入境情况的人士在今年2月向自由亚洲透露,中国各地出入境管理局和机场海关,防止包括维权律师、法律和历史学者及异议人士出境。

遭遇过边控的人权律师陈建刚对自由亚洲回忆,2019年,他打算带着家人出香港时,在北京机场海关被告知不能出境,“我,包括我全家都被禁止出境。当时我们家小儿子还不到一周岁,也在限制出境的行列之内。”

和梁兴国教授一样,他也要求海关给出限制出境的理由和文件,“他们只是说我们接到只是命令,不允许你,包括你全家出境,至于什么原因,就是你们出境危害国家安全,要书面的东西不可能给你。”

梁兴国联合早报文章.jpeg
梁兴国联合早报文章。(《联合早报》截图)

陈建刚说,利用本应控制涉案人员的手段,限制与案件无关人士的出入境自由,显然是违法的,而且也没有任何司法救济手段。“合法行为就是说当行政相对人有异议,我能知道是哪一个机关对我采取了这个限制出境的行政行为,我能提起行政复议、行政诉讼,能够得到法院依法的裁定或者判决,这样叫一个合乎现代文明逻辑的法律行为。但就我所了解,现在中国被限制出境几乎是无药可救,没有任何有效的行之有效,或者说能让你看得到透明、 合法的渠道,来试图追求一个公平公正的结果。”

中国人权执行主任周锋锁对自由亚洲分析说,中国的边控机制是一个巨大的“黑洞”:“中国的边控名单非常广,而且不公开,因此许多人是到了机场才知道自己是不是在名单上。而且从我们了解的情况来看,很多部门是可以随意把人放到边控名单的,但放进边控名单的那个机构,他也不知道有没有别人在做同样的事情。”

据周锋锁所知,一旦被边控,就很难解除,许多人在边控名单上长达几年、十几年、甚至几十年,“比如吾尔开希的父母,边控30多年,永远不准出来看他。”

知识分子的空间越来越小

在知识分子、学者和律师身上,采用边控手段,其目的是什么?

陈建刚认为有两种目的。一是对于人权律师、知识分子或异议人士,多数是具备相对强的表达能力,“一旦出境之后,这些人中共认为我们对国家有伤害或者说威胁的能力”。

第二种,是控制已经出境的人士的家属,“我把中国之内你们的家属作为人质来控制住,就是流行一个新词叫‘软肋’嘛,控制住你的软肋,你们在海外就不敢说话了,这种也是大量的存在的。”

陈建刚表示,这种手段有时候还是非常有效的。“绝大部分人都是有家庭的,你这个这种状态不仅是伤害你自己,而且是伤害你的父母妻儿老小,99.99% 的人都会选择屈服,很多的律师已经选择远离敏感案件,不敢再发,网络上销声匿迹,选择了蛰居的状态,这也是人之常情。”

周锋锁则认为,边控也可以看做一种惩罚,“大部分时候它是一种报复性、惩罚性的很恶毒的机制,就是要限制人的自由。”此外,在中国各阶层均有人选择离开中国的背景下,这也是闭关锁国政策的一部分,“现在各个阶层都在大逃亡,疫情之后包括以前不关心政治的中产阶级大逃亡,他(指习近平)肯定要想办法堵住。他看所有的人都是敌人,他的权力就在于控制,就是把所有的人当做囚徒。”

蔡慎坤说:“中共现在是吸取了蔡霞出境后的教训,凡是批评中共的,妄议过他(习近平)的,不允许你出来乱说。很多学校教授的护照都不在自己手上了,出国都要申请,批了之后才会把护照发给你,尤其是人文学科,原则上是严格控制。”

他还介绍,现在大陆许多有影响力的知识分子“连发牢骚的权都没有”,这也导致很多知识分子完全不发声,也不表达专业意见。“现在的国内的学术方面,排在第一位的是习近平思想和理念,随随便便可以拿到惊人的经费,其它方面也不用研究,也没有经费给你,发表专业意见也可能是扭曲的,就是很可悲的一个现象。”

责编:安克      网编:伍檫愙 

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© 路透社图

中国的边控机制是一个巨大的“黑洞”:边控名单广,而且不公开,因此许多人是到了机场才知道自己是不是在名单上。

Canada Announces Carbon Emission Caps for Oil and Gas Sectors

5 November 2024 at 07:01
The Trudeau government has focused on the oil and gas production industries because the large amounts of energy they use make them the country’s largest source of greenhouse gases.

© Todd Korol/Reuters

An oil sands operations near Fort McMurray, Alberta. Oil sands are a production is a major source of carbon emissions.

Quincy Jones Orchestrated the Sound of America

5 November 2024 at 06:32
Jones, who died at 91, erased boundaries, connected worlds and embraced delight. As a producer, he coaxed ingenuity from his players and singers.

© David Redfern/Redferns, via Getty Images

Quincy Jones’s approach to music involved the erasure of boundaries.

Quincy Jones: From 'street rat' to music mastermind

5 November 2024 at 02:37
Getty Images Quincy Jones holding up a Grammy Award in 1982Getty Images

Quincy Jones lived for 50 years after attending his own memorial service.

When the musician suffered a brain aneurysm in 1974, his chances of survival were said to be so slim, and his stature so high, that his famous friends started planning a tribute concert.

Then aged 41, Jones had already made an indelible mark on American music as a musician, arranger, songwriter, producer, soundtrack composer and record executive.

He started out in the jumping jazz clubs of the 1950s; mastered soul, swing and pop on recordings by Dinah Washington, Frank Sinatra and Lesley Gore; and reached the top 10 in his own right.

Some of the biggest entertainers in America agreed to perform at his memorial.

When he pulled through, the show went ahead anyway.

Jones went along, accompanied by his neurologist, who gave strict instructions not to get too excited.

"That was hard to do with Richard Pryor, Marvin Gaye, Sarah Vaughan and Sidney Poitier singing your praises," he told Newsweek in 2008.

Even more exciting things were to come.

Jones went on to forge an era-defining partnership with Michael Jackson; oversee 1985's We Are the World, one of the biggest-selling songs of all time; craft hits for acts like Chaka Khan and Donna Summer; and work with the biggest names in hip-hop.

Few branches of American popular music were immune to his influence.

Getty Images Quincy Jones clapping and dancing in front of musicians in his big band in about 1960Getty Images
Quincy Jones started out playing in and then leading jazz bands

Jones had always been a survivor.

He grew up in the shadow of the Great Depression in the 1930s on the South Side of Chicago. His mother was taken to a psychiatric institution when he was seven and his father worked as a carpenter for notorious gangsters the Jones Boys.

Young Quincy wanted to be a gangster too. "You want to be what you see, and that's all we ever saw," he said.

He and his brother were "street rats" and, when he strayed into the wrong neighbourhood at the age of seven, a rival gang member "nailed my hand to a fence". Another injury came from an ice pick to the face.

His father took the family to Washington state, where one night Quincy and some friends broke into a community centre, looking for food. Inside, there was a piano.

"I touched it and every cell in my body said, this is what you'll do [for] the rest of your life," he told BBC Radio 4's Front Row in 2016.

The encounter "changed my life", he said in conversation with rapper Kendrick Lamar for a 2018 Netflix documentary, adding that, "I would have been dead or in prison a long time ago" if he hadn't discovered music.

Getty Images Ray Charles and Quincy Jones standing together on stage in 1986Getty Images
Ray Charles and Quincy Jones started out together in their teens

Quincy immediately began experimenting with instruments at school, settling on the trumpet, and began playing in nightclubs.

At the age of 14, he made friends with another then-unknown musician called Ray Charles, who became a musical mentor and a lifelong collaborator.

He also played with Billie Holiday at 14, and got taken under the wings of bandleader Count Basie and trumpeter Clark Terry. He went on to accompany Dizzy Gillespie and appeared in the band during Elvis Presley's first TV appearance.

After showing a talent for arranging songs while touring the world with Lionel Hampton's big band, he was soon in demand in that capacity, too.

But after running up a $145,000 debt on a European tour, he took a day job with Mercury Records in 1961, becoming the first African-American vice-president of a major record label.

While there, he discovered and produced the million-selling single It's My Party by Lesley Gore. He also released the Big Band Bossa Nova compilation album, which included his own infectious track Soul Bossa Nova, which has since become a staple of parties and film soundtracks, including Austin Powers.

Getty Images Frank Sinatra and Quincy Jones in 1991Getty Images
Frank Sinatra called Quincy Jones "one of the finest musicians I've ever known"

Meanwhile, Sinatra had been impressed with Jones's work and called on him to arrange and conduct two of his albums in the 1960s. The pair formed a fertile partnership, with Sinatra calling him "a giant" and "one of the finest musicians I've ever known".

The pair became firm friends outside the studio, too. "Seven double Jack Daniels in an hour... [Sinatra] invented partying," Jones recalled.

Jones also worked with many other big names of the age, including Aretha Franklin, Louis Armstrong and Sammy Davis Jr, while his solo album Body Heat reached the US top 10.

Meanwhile, he was forging a career writing soundtracks for TV shows and films including In Cold Blood, The Italian Job and Roots.

In Cold Blood's author Truman Capote reportedly tried to have Jones removed from the film because he was black. But he remained, and the score earned Jones the first of seven Oscar nominations.

Another soundtrack was The Wiz, the 1978 film musical version of the Wizard of Oz, which starred Diana Ross and a 19-year-old Michael Jackson, who was looking to branch out after finding childhood fame in The Jackson 5.

Jones saw a superstar quality in Jackson and became his producer and mentor, first on 1979's Off the Wall, which was a major hit, and then 1982's Thriller, which reached new heights of commercial and critical success, and made Jackson the undisputed King of Pop.

Getty Images Michael Jackson, Diana Ross and Quincy Jones in 1981Getty Images
Michael Jackson and Diana Ross starred in The Wiz

The album was not just the fulfilment of Jackson's talent, but the culmination of Jones's career, as he used his peerless musical expertise to define the 1980s with a sleek and polished fusion of R&B and pop.

Jones listened to 600 songs (he sometimes said 800) to decide which nine should go on the album, and employed a dream team of musicians and songwriters that he had been assembling over the years.

His choice of collaborators was one example of his knack for knowing how to make a good song great. For Beat It, he thought the single needed a rockier edge, so he recruited Eddie Van Halen to contribute a guitar solo. Legend has it that the solo was so explosive that a speaker caught fire in the studio.

And when it came to the title track, Jones didn't like the original name Starlight, so he asked its writer, Rod Temperton, to come up with something different. Temperton renamed it Thriller and recast it with a spooky theme. Jones topped it off by asking his wife's friend, horror actor Vincent Price, to record a spoken-word outro.

The album earned Jones and Jackson the Grammy Award for producer of the year, while Thriller was named album of the year and Beat It won record of the year.

Jones used his winning formula in the 1980s with George Benson, Donna Summer and Patti Austin, and produced the decade's best-selling single when Jackson and Lionel Richie assembled 35 of America's biggest names for the 1985 charity song We Are the World.

Jones famously posted a message on the studio entrance telling the stars: "Check your egos at the door".

He had further success under his own name with his albums The Dude and Back on the Block. The latter, released in 1989, featured an all-star cast including many friends from his early career like Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Ray Charles.

But as well as revisiting his past, he was also firmly in the present, enlisting rappers like Ice-T and Grandmaster Melle Mel to appear on the title track.

It earned Jones another album of the year award at the Grammys.

Although he was in his 50s, he embraced rap music because he saw similarities with the energy of bebop jazz, and because may of its stars had risen out of hardship on the streets.

"I feel a kinship there because we went through a lot of the same stuff," he said.

And rap stars reciprocated his affection, looking on Jones as an inspirational elder statesman of black American music. Kendrick Lamar and Dr Dre were awestruck when meeting him for the Netflix documentary, which was titled Quincy and directed by his daughter, the actress Rashida Jones.

Getty Images Quincy Jones with an arm around Dr Dre in 2018Getty Images

Jones used his status to try to try to stem the violence in the hip-hop world, convening the Quincy Jones Hip-Hop Symposium in 1995, where he addressed a room full of the nation's rap stars.

"I want to see you guys live at least to my age," he told them.

For Jones, social activism went hand-in-hand with his music.

He met Martin Luther King in 1955, and "from then on, my life was never the same", he said.

"Civil rights work and political involvement was no longer an activity to do on the side. It became an essential part of life and humanity."

He set up the Quincy Jones Listen Up Foundation and launched the We Are the Future project, among support for other causes.

Elsewhere, his redoubtable work ethic saw him launch a record label and hip-hop magazine Vibe, as well as producing films like The Color Purple and TV shows including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

With that workload, and an accompanying longstanding drink problem, his family life and his health both suffered.

He married and divorced three times, having a nervous breakdown after splitting from third wife Peggy Lipton. To recover, he went to stay on the Pacific island owned by actor Marlon Brando, whom he first met in a jazz club at the age of 18.

Jones was also in a relationship with actress and model Nastassja Kinski in the 1990s, and he had seven children in total.

In 2015, he went into a diabetic coma for four days, and the following year went to hospital with a blood clot.

His death on Sunday at the age of 91 has left the music world in mourning.

If there's to be a second Quincy Jones memorial concert, stars will be queuing up to celebrate the achievements of a singular talent.

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