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Today — 6 July 2025News

Search for missing continues as Texas floods kill 51, including 15 children

6 July 2025 at 12:59
BBC reports from the scene of floods in Kerr County

A frantic search for survivors is under way in central Texas after flash floods killed at least 32 people, including 14 children.

Many were asleep when the Guadalupe River rose more than 26 ft (8m) in less than an hour in the early hours of Friday.

Officials in Kerr County have said 27 children are missing from a Christian youth camp located along the river. Some 850 people were rescued.

Weather forecasts suggest that more rain and, potentially, more flooding could be on the horizon for the area.

Among the areas most severely hit by the floods were mobile homes, summer camps and camping sites where many had gathered for 4 July holiday celebrations.

At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he had signed an expanded disaster declaration to boost search efforts.

He said officials would be relentless in ensuring they locate "every single person who's been a victim of this event", adding that "we will stop when job is completed".

It remains a search and rescue mission, officials said, not a recovery effort.

They said rescuers were going up and down the Guadalupe River to try to find people who may have been swept away by the floods.

Much of the rescue has focused on a large all-girls Christian summer camp called Camp Mystic.

The camp, where 27 remain missing, is on the banks of the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told the BBC's Radio 4 PM programme that of the 27 children missing from Camp Mystic "many of these girls are younger girls under the age of 12".

He also said that many more people were likely to remain unaccounted for across the region, because some were visiting for the holiday weekend.

In an email to parents of the roughly 750 campers, Camp Mystic said that if they haven't been contacted directly, their child is considered missing.

Some of the families have already stated publicly that their children were among those who were found dead.

US President Donald Trump has said his administration is working closely with local authorities to respond to the emergency.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the president was "devastated" by the loss of life and promised full federal support.

Noem joined Governor Abbott at Saturday afternoon's press conference and said the federal government would soon be deploying the Coast Guard to help search efforts.

Elsewhere in central Texas, in Travis County, officials say another two people have died and 10 are missing because of the flooding.

Forecasters have warned that central Texas may see more flooding this weekend.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said the area could see 2 to 5in (5cm to 12cm) of rain on Saturday.

Up to 10in of rain was possible in some areas that are still reeling from Friday's deluge.

Texas flood victims: Girl 'living her best life' and 'heart and soul' of camp

6 July 2025 at 07:18
Camp Mystic Renee Smajstrla at Camp Mystic on ThursdayCamp Mystic
This picture of Renee Smajstrla was clicked at Camp Mystic on Thursday, her uncle wrote on Facebook

An eight-year-old girl and the director of an all-girls' summer camp are among the victims of flash floods in Texas that have claimed at least 43 lives, including 15 children.

Officials say most of the victims have been identified, though the identities of six adults and a child remain unknown. Authorities have not yet released any names publicly.

Here's what we know so far about the victims.

Renee Smajstrla

Eight-year-old Renee Smajstrla was at Camp Mystic when flooding swept through the summer camp for girls, her uncle said in a Facebook post.

"Renee has been found and while not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly," wrote Shawn Salta, of Maryland.

"We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday," he wrote. "She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic."

Camp Mystic, where 27 children are missing, is a nearly century-old Christian summer camp for girls on the banks of the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas.

Operated by generations of the same family since the 1930s, the camp's website bills itself as a place for girls to grow "spiritually" in a "wholesome" Christian atmosphere "to develop outstanding personal qualities and self-esteem".

Jane Ragsdale

Heart O' the Hills Jane RagsdaleHeart O' the Hills
Jane Ragsdale was described as the "heart and soul" of Heart O' the Hills camp

Heart O' the Hills is another all-girls' camp that sits along the Guadalupe River, and it was right in the path of Friday's flood.

Jane Ragsdale, described as the "heart and soul" of Heart O'Hills, "did not make it", a post shared on the camp's official website said on Saturday.

Ragsdale, who started off as a camper then a counsellor, became the director and co-owner of the camp in 1976.

"We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful," the camp website post said.

Heart O' the Hills wasn't in session and "most of those who were on camp at the time have been accounted for and are on high ground", the statement said.

"Access to the site is difficult, and authorities are primarily focused on locating the missing and preventing further loss of life and property".

Sarah Marsh

Camp Mystic Sarah MarshCamp Mystic

Sarah Marsh, a student at Cherokee Bend Elementary School in Texas, would have entered third grade in August.

She, too, was attending Camp Mystic when the floods struck, and reported as missing along with about two dozen other campers.

Her grandmother, Debbie Ford Marsh, took to Facebook on Friday asking for prayers. Just hours later she shared online that her granddaughter was among the girls killed.

"We will always feel blessed to have had this beautiful spunky ray of light in our lives. She will live on in our hearts forever!" Ms Ford Marsh wrote on Facebook.

In a post on Facebook, Alabama Senator Katie Britt said she's "heartbroken over the loss of Sarah Marsh, and we are keeping her family in our thoughts and prayers during this unimaginable time".

Lila Bonner

Nine-year-old Lila Bonner, a Dallas native was found dead after flooding near Camp Mystic, according to NBC News.

"In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time," her family said in a statement to the news outlet.

"We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly."

A boy saved by barbed wire, a 'destroyed' camp and missed warning signs in Texas floods

6 July 2025 at 07:17
BBC reports from the scene of floods in Kerr County

The warning signs were already flashing as hundreds of young people celebrated the Fourth of July public holiday at Camp Mystic, an all-girls' Christian summer retreat, nestled on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Texas.

There had not been a drop of rain in the area recently until the inundation, when the river rose 26ft (8m) in less than an hour, according to state officials.

By Saturday afternoon, at least 43 people were dead, including 15 children.

The first hint of the devastation to come appeared on Thursday morning as rain and thunderstorms soaked a number of central Texas counties.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a common warning called a flood watch at 13:18 that afternoon for parts of the region, including Kerr County.

In the early hours of Friday, the outlook became more dire as the NWS issued a series of upgraded warnings. The San Saba river, the Concho River and the Colorado River were rising.

Watch: Deadly Texas flooding causes destruction

At 04.03, the NWS sent a "particularly dangerous situation" alert, reserved for the most urgent and potentially deadly scenarios such as wildfires.

Another "particularly dangerous situation" warning was issued for the city of Kerrville at 05.34, before dawn on Friday.

"Residents and campers should SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW! Life threatening flash flooding along the river is expected," forecasters said.

"Automated rain gauges indicate a large and deadly flood wave is moving down the Guadalupe River. Flash flooding is already occurring."

Getty Images Muddy bunk bedsGetty Images

Such alerts are shared on NWS social media accounts and by broadcast news outlets, but most people were asleep.

Elinor Lester, 13, said younger campers at Camp Mystic were bunked in cabins closer to the riverbank and those were the first to flood.

"The camp was completely destroyed," Elinor, who was evacuated by helicopter, told the Associated Press news agency. "It was really scary."

Just outside Kerrville, the BBC met Jonathan and Brittany Rojas as they came to see what was left of a relative's home. Only the foundations remain.

Getty Images Man overlooks flooding riverGetty Images

Five people were in the house the night of the deluge - the mother and her baby are still missing.

The teenage son, Leo, survived after he became snared in barbed wire, preventing him from being swept away. The boy is recovering in hospital.

As the BBC was interviewing the Rojas couple, a neighbour walked up to present them with an item salvaged from the house.

It was the teenager's money jar. The label on it read, "Leo's survival kit".

Getty Images People look at muddied bridgeGetty Images

Desperate Camp Mystic parents took to social media looking for news of their children.

One Facebook group - Kerrville Breaking News - turned into a missing persons page.

Some parents have since updated their social media pleas to say their missing family members did not survive.

Reuters Drone view of flooded streetsReuters

Kerr County is in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, a getaway destination because of its scenic rolling hills, countless rivers and lakes and abundance of wineries.

But the region is also known as "Flash Flood Alley", because of the recurring threat that has devastated local communities over the years.

When asked why the riverside summer camp was not evacuated, officials said the sudden scale of the deluge caught them unawares.

"No-one knew this kind of flood was coming," Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said.

Reuters Woman looks at flooded roadReuters

现金买黄金,10万元以上要上报,意味着限购吗?|说政经事

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文件中一个重要前提,即“现金交易”。也就是说,如果使用银行卡交易,则不受此要求影响。

南方周末记者 梁婷

责任编辑:张玥

“这个政策不会对普通人正常购买黄金产生多大影响。”视觉中国/图

“这个政策不会对普通人正常购买黄金产生多大影响。”视觉中国/图

黄金在过去两年涨势猛烈。2024年全年上涨27%,今年最高涨幅已经突破了30%。围绕黄金的任何变动都会引起巨大的舆论反应。

近日,央行发布《贵金属和宝石从业机构反洗钱和反恐怖融资管理办法》(下称“办法”),要求自8月1日起,客户单笔或日累计金额人民币10万元以上的现金交易,从业机构需在5个工作日内向中国反洗钱监测分析中心提交大额交易报告。

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很多人对此感到疑惑,该办法是否预示着要限购黄金?

这里需要指出文件中一个重要前提,即“现金交易”。也就是说,如果使用银行卡交易,则不受此要求影

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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。

【CDT关注】民间档案馆|《被眼泪浸湿的土地》:一部维吾尔族“右派”的苦难史

6 July 2025 at 12:37
CDT 档案卡
标题:《被眼泪浸湿的土地》:一部维吾尔族“右派”的苦难史
作者:Oguzkhan
发表日期:2025.6.26
来源:中国民间档案馆
主题归类:新疆
CDS收藏:公民馆
版权说明:该作品版权归原作者所有。中国数字时代仅对原作进行存档,以对抗中国的网络审查。详细版权说明

CDT编辑注:中国民间档案馆(China Unofficial Archives)是前驻华记者、普利策新闻奖得主张彦(Ian Johnson)创办的公益组织,致力于收集、保存和传播被审查、被压制的中国民间历史,2023年12月在美国成立。网站为中英双语,馆藏资料免费向公众开放。

《被眼泪浸湿的土地》一书,是海外维吾尔社会最早用维吾尔语出版的回忆录之一。该书详细描述了维吾尔知识分子在1957年“反右运动”中的悲惨经历,填补了这一领域历史资料的空白。作者苏云古丽·恰尼谢夫以自己的亲身经历为主线,记录了1957年至1982年间,在新疆的维吾尔青年知识分子的动荡经历和悲剧命运。

苏云古丽·恰尼谢夫1940年出生于乌鲁木齐一个知识分子家庭。1957年9月,年仅17岁的她被录取进新疆医学院。此时,毛泽东在全中国范围内发起的“双百”运动(指“百花齐放,百家争鸣”,号召对党提意见)刚刚结束,整风运动开始,新疆维吾尔自治区官方正在紧锣密鼓地准备开展“反对地方民族主义”运动。

苏云古丽就这样在政治风暴中开始了大学生活,这为她后来的命运翻开了意想不到的黑暗篇章。当时的她,与其他维吾尔族同学一起被迫参加“鸣放”和整风会议,公开表达对共产党的看法。这群朝气蓬勃、对未来充满希望但政治阅历尚浅的纯真学生,当时因为对眼前一些残酷的政治现实深感失望,同时相信了党会采纳意见,而大胆提出了自己的观点和要求。

她和其他一些同学,认为应该效仿当时苏联的模式,建立加盟共和国式的高度自治制度,以保障维吾尔、藏族、蒙古等少数民族的高度自治权,并对中共的民族区域自治制度深感不满。他们主张在新疆建立东突厥斯坦加盟共和国,而非作为省级行政区的新疆维吾尔自治区。他们在“鸣放”会议上提出的这些观点和要求,后来成为他们无法摆脱的严重政治罪行。

在随后的“大跃进”和“反对地方民族主义”运动期间,包括苏云古丽在内的这些新疆当地学生遭受了严厉的批判和迫害,承受着巨大的政治压力和精神折磨。“反右运动”不久,大饥荒随之降临。经历了如此严酷的考验,他们认识到了中国共产党少数民族自治政策的欺骗性和虚假本质。

最终,他们决定成立地下组织,开展秘密政治斗争活动,计划在时机成熟时发动当地民众,形成大规模的民族解放阵线,以摆脱殖民统治,实现东突厥斯坦独立。1962年2月5日,他们在新疆医学院的学生宿舍秘密集会,成立了“东突厥斯坦劳动人民党”,由苏云古丽·恰尼谢夫担任秘书。然而,仅仅几个月后,由于中共公安机关安插在学生中的密探告密,该组织被揭发。同年4月29日,包括苏云古丽在内的数十名维吾尔族学生被逮捕。

img

作者苏云古丽·恰尼谢夫于1957年。

从此,苏云古丽和她的同学们开始了长期的监狱和强制劳动生活。在乌鲁木齐监狱度过了长达4年的酷刑折磨和黑暗的牢狱生活后,苏云古丽和她的同学萨吉德被送往乌鲁木齐周边的劳改营接受强制劳动。在此期间,她们遭受了难以想象的迫害,每天十几个小时的繁重劳动,忍受着饥饿和精神的双重折磨。

文化大革命开始后,他们的处境更加艰难。苏云古丽被戴上政治犯的帽子,安置在乌鲁木齐周边的一个人民公社,在群众监督下接受劳动改造。她在这里经历了比监狱更为艰难的日子,在精神和肉体上遭受严重摧残。长期的监禁、强制劳动和折磨,摧毁了苏云古丽和她狱中同学这一代维吾尔青年的青春、理想和追求。

1976年毛泽东去世,文化大革命结束,1978年开始为大批的“右派”平反,同时中共的民族政策也开始“软化”,但是像苏云古丽这样被贴上政治犯标签的维吾尔族学生,案件始终未得到平反。1980年代初,在中国改革开放的政治氛围下,苏云古丽也未能获得任何形式的“平反”。她最终带着全家离开故土,移民澳大利亚。就这样,在结束了在东突厥斯坦(新疆)18年的监狱和囚禁生活后,苏云古丽开始了她在自由世界的新生活。

img

《被眼泪浸湿的土地》一书维吾尔语版封面。

这部回忆录是苏云古丽·恰尼谢夫在流亡期间,根据她的日记、狱中笔记,以及回忆整理记录而成。全书近700页,文笔朴实,风格清新优美,故事情节紧凑,引人入胜。全书不仅仅是作者个人经历的简单叙述,更是记录了从1950年代末到1980年代初,一代维吾尔族大学生动荡的生活,以及知识分子,尤其是维吾尔族知识分子在中共政权下的悲惨命运。除了这部回忆录之外,苏云古丽还出版了一本记述自己家族历史的专著——《玛纳斯河畔的囚徒》。

在《被眼泪浸湿的土地》一书前言中,作者这样写道:“我对这18年因组织独立团体被捕,而后在监狱和监视下生活的经历做了简短记录,一直秘密保存。这本书就是根据这些回忆写成的。书中所记载的事件都是我亲身经历、亲眼所见和亲耳所闻的真实事件。”

伊斯坦布尔大学的维吾尔族教授苏丹·马赫穆德·喀什噶里,在为本书所写的推荐序中指出:

“《被眼泪浸湿的土地》中记载的事件并非虚构故事或想象情节,而是苏云古丽亲身经历和亲眼目睹的真实事件。本书通过确凿事实深刻揭露了中共在东突厥斯坦实施的惨无人道的政策,尤其生动地展现了文化大革命和国家恐怖主义的残酷。”

该书于2006年首次由伊斯坦布尔的塔克拉玛干维吾尔出版社出版,并在海外维吾尔读者中产生重大影响,成为畅销书。2015年以更大印数再版。2018年英译缩写本在英国出版。民间档案馆提供该书维语版的PDF,英文缩写版《The Land Drenched in Tears》可于此处购买。

Ozzy Osbourne Plays His ‘Final Song’ With Black Sabbath

6 July 2025 at 12:13
The metal luminary, 76, took the stage with his original bandmates at a farewell festival in his Birmingham, England, hometown on Saturday night.

© Andy Buchanan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Fans filled Villa Park, a stadium in Birmingham, England, on Saturday to honor Ozzy Osbourne.

Why the Dalai Lama’s Succession Is Complicated

Just before the Dalai Lama turned 90, he announced that his successor would be selected through the traditional process of reincarnation. Mujib Mashal, The New York Times’s South Asia bureau chief, explains why this process could increase tensions with China.

Can Australia Pull Off Barring Children From Social Media?

6 July 2025 at 12:01
A law that restricts social media use to people 16 and over goes into effect in December, but much about it remains unclear or undecided.

© Matthew Abbott for The New York Times

Australia hopes, by December, to remove more than a million young teens from social media.

Albert Ojwang Was Killed in Police Custody. Kenyans Are Not About to Let It Go.

At the funeral for Albert Ojwang, protesters in Kenya said his death was a call to action for the country’s youth.

© Brian Otieno for The New York Times

Young men carried Albert Ojwang’s coffin at his funeral in Kakoth village, Kenya, on Friday.

Search for survivors as Texas floods kill 43, including 15 children

6 July 2025 at 09:08
BBC reports from the scene of floods in Kerr County

A frantic search for survivors is under way in central Texas after flash floods killed at least 32 people, including 14 children.

Many were asleep when the Guadalupe River rose more than 26 ft (8m) in less than an hour in the early hours of Friday.

Officials in Kerr County have said 27 children are missing from a Christian youth camp located along the river. Some 850 people were rescued.

Weather forecasts suggest that more rain and, potentially, more flooding could be on the horizon for the area.

Among the areas most severely hit by the floods were mobile homes, summer camps and camping sites where many had gathered for 4 July holiday celebrations.

At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he had signed an expanded disaster declaration to boost search efforts.

He said officials would be relentless in ensuring they locate "every single person who's been a victim of this event", adding that "we will stop when job is completed".

It remains a search and rescue mission, officials said, not a recovery effort.

They said rescuers were going up and down the Guadalupe River to try to find people who may have been swept away by the floods.

Much of the rescue has focused on a large all-girls Christian summer camp called Camp Mystic.

The camp, where 27 remain missing, is on the banks of the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told the BBC's Radio 4 PM programme that of the 27 children missing from Camp Mystic "many of these girls are younger girls under the age of 12".

He also said that many more people were likely to remain unaccounted for across the region, because some were visiting for the holiday weekend.

In an email to parents of the roughly 750 campers, Camp Mystic said that if they haven't been contacted directly, their child is considered missing.

Some of the families have already stated publicly that their children were among those who were found dead.

US President Donald Trump has said his administration is working closely with local authorities to respond to the emergency.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the president was "devastated" by the loss of life and promised full federal support.

Noem joined Governor Abbott at Saturday afternoon's press conference and said the federal government would soon be deploying the Coast Guard to help search efforts.

Elsewhere in central Texas, in Travis County, officials say another two people have died and 10 are missing because of the flooding.

Forecasters have warned that central Texas may see more flooding this weekend.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said the area could see 2 to 5in (5cm to 12cm) of rain on Saturday.

Up to 10in of rain was possible in some areas that are still reeling from Friday's deluge.

How Trump is using the 'Madman Theory' to try to change the world (and it's working)

6 July 2025 at 07:09
BBC Treated image of Donald TrumpBBC

Asked last month whether he was planning to join Israel in attacking Iran, US President Donald Trump said "I may do it. I may not do it. Nobody knows what I'm going to do".

He let the world believe he had agreed a two-week pause to allow Iran to resume negotiations. And then he bombed anyway.

A pattern is emerging: The most predictable thing about Trump is his unpredictability. He changes his mind. He contradicts himself. He is inconsistent.

"[Trump] has put together a highly centralised policy-making operation, arguably the most centralised, at least in the area of foreign policy, since Richard Nixon," says Peter Trubowitz, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics.

"And that makes policy decisions more dependent on Trump's character, his preferences, his temperament."

Getty Images Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding the Marine One presidential helicopter and departing the White House on 24 June 2025 in Washington DC. Getty Images
Trump has learned to put his unpredictability to political use, making it a key strategic and political asset

Trump has put this to political use; he has made his own unpredictability a key strategic and political asset. He has elevated unpredictability to the status of a doctrine. And now the personality trait he brought to the White House is driving foreign and security policy.

It is changing the shape of the world.

Political scientists call this the Madman Theory, in which a world leader seeks to persuade his adversary that he is temperamentally capable of anything, to extract concessions. Used successfully it can be a form of coercion and Trump believes it is paying dividends, getting the US's allies where he wants them.

But is it an approach that can work against enemies? And could its flaw be that rather than being a sleight of hand designed to fool adversaries, it is in fact based on well established and clearly documented character traits, with the effect that his behaviour becomes easier to predict?

Attacks, insults and embraces

Trump began his second presidency by embracing Russian President Vladimir Putin and attacking America's allies. He insulted Canada by saying it should become the 51st state of the US.

He said he was prepared to consider using military force to annex Greenland, an autonomous territory of America's ally Denmark. And he said the US should retake ownership and control of the Panama Canal.

Article 5 of the Nato charter commits each member to come to the defence of all others. Trump threw America's commitment to that into doubt. "I think Article 5 is on life support" declared Ben Wallace, Britain's former defence secretary.

Conservative Attorney General Dominic Grieve said: "For now the trans-Atlantic alliance is over."

A series of leaked text messages revealed the culture of contempt in Trump's White House for European allies. "I fully share your loathing of European freeloaders," US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told his colleagues, adding "PATHETIC".

AFP via Getty Images JD Vance and Pete Hegseth salute as the National Anthem is played at the Memorial Amphitheatre in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on 26 May 2025.AFP via Getty Images
Pete Hegseth, right, called European leaders "freeloaders" in leaked messages while JD Vance, left, said the US would no longer be the guarantor of European security

In Munich earlier this year, Trump's Vice-President JD Vance said the US would no longer be the guarantor of European security.

That appeared to turn the page on 80 years of trans-Atlantic solidarity. "What Trump has done is raise serious doubts and questions about the credibility of America's international commitments," says Prof Trubowitz.

"Whatever understanding those countries [in Europe] have with the United States, on security, on economic or other matters, they're now subject to negotiation at a moment's notice.

"My sense is that most people in Trump's orbit think that unpredictability is a good thing, because it allows Donald Trump to leverage America's clout for maximum gain…

"This is one of of his takeaways from negotiating in the world of real estate."

Trump's approach paid dividends. Only four months ago, Sir Keir Starmer told the House of Commons that Britain would increase defence and security spending from 2.3% of GDP to 2.5%.

Last month, at a Nato summit, that had increased to 5%, a huge increase, now matched by every other member of the Alliance.

The predictability of unpredictability

Trump is not the first American president to deploy an Unpredictability Doctrine. In 1968, when US President Richard Nixon was trying to end the war in Vietnam, he found the North Vietnamese enemy intractable.

"At one point Nixon said to his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger, 'you ought to tell the North Vietnamese negotiators that Nixon's crazy and you don't know what he's going to do, so you better come to an agreement before things get really crazy'," says Michael Desch, professor of international relations at Notre Dame University. "That's the madman theory."

Getty Images Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger confer aboard Air Force One as it heads towards Brussels, Belgium, for Nato talks on 26 June 1973.Getty Images
The madman theory has been associated with the foreign policy of Richard Nixon, seen here speaking to Henry Kissinger

Julie Norman, professor of politics at University College London, agrees that there is now an Unpredictability Doctrine.

"It's very hard to know what's coming from day to day," she argues. "And that has always been Trump's approach."

Trump successfully harnessed his reputation for volatility to change the trans-Atlantic defence relationship. And apparently to keep Trump on side, some European leaders have flattered and fawned.

Last month's Nato summit in The Hague was an exercise in obsequious courtship. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte had earlier sent President Trump (or "Dear Donald") a text message, which Trump leaked.

"Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran, it was truly extraordinary," he wrote.

On the forthcoming announcement that all Nato members had agreed to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP, he continued: "You will achieve something NO president in decades could get done."

Getty Images Donald Trump and Mark Rutte laugh while speaking to the media at the Nato summit on 25 June 2025 in The Hague, Netherlands.Getty Images
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte sent Trump a congratulatory message ahead of the summit

Anthony Scaramucci, who previously served as Trump's communications director in his first term, said: "Mr Rutte, he's trying to embarrass you, sir. He's literally sitting on Air Force One laughing at you."

And this may prove to be the weakness at the heart of Trump's Unpredictability Doctrine: their actions may be based on the idea that Trump craves adulation. Or that he seeks short-term wins, favouring them over long and complicated processes.

If that is the case and their assumption is correct, then it limits Trump's ability to perform sleights of hand to fool adversaries - rather, he has well established and clearly documented character traits that they have become aware of.

The adversaries impervious to charm and threats

Then there is the question of whether an Unpredictability Doctrine or the Madman Theory can work on adversaries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, an ally who was given a dressing down by Trump and Vance in the Oval Office, later agreed to grant the US lucrative rights to exploit Ukrainian mineral resources.

Vladimir Putin, on the other hand, apparently remains impervious to Trump's charms and threats alike. On Thursday, following a telephone call, Trump said he was "disappointed" that Putin was not ready to end the war against Ukraine.

Reuters Zelensky, Trump and Vance looking tense in the Oval Office
Reuters
Zelensky was given a dressing down in the Oval Office but later agreed to grant the US rights to exploit Ukrainian mineral resources

And Iran? Trump promised his base that he would end American involvement in Middle Eastern "forever wars". His decision to strike Iran's nuclear facilities was perhaps the most unpredictable policy choice of his second term so far. The question is whether it will have the desired effect.

The former British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, has argued that it will do precisely the opposite: it will make Iran more, not less likely, to seek to acquire nuclear weapons.

Prof Desch agrees. "I think it's now highly likely that Iran will make the decision to pursue a nuclear weapon," he says. "So I wouldn't be surprised if they lie low and do everything they can to complete the full fuel cycle and conduct a [nuclear] test.

"I think the lesson of Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi is not lost on other dictators facing the US and potential regime change...

"So the Iranians will desperately feel the need for the ultimate deterrent and they'll look at Saddam and Gaddafi as the negative examples and Kim Jong Un of North Korea as the positive example."

Reuters People celebrate what they say is Iran's victory, after Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, in Beirut, Lebanon, on 25 June 2025.Reuters
Many have argued that Iran is now more likely to try and acquire nuclear weapons after the US strikes

One of the likely scenarios is the consolidation of the Islamic Republic, according to Mohsen Milani, a professor of politics at the University of South Florida and author of Iran's Rise and Rivalry with the US in the Middle East.

"In 1980, when Saddam Hussein attacked Iran his aim was the collapse of the Islamic Republic," he says. "The exact opposite happened.

"That was the Israeli and American calculation too... That if we get rid of the top guys, Iran is going to surrender quickly or the whole system is going to collapse."

A loss of trust in negotiations?

Looking ahead, unpredictability may not work on foes, but it is unclear whether the recent shifts it has yielded among allies can be sustained.

Whilst possible, this is a process built largely on impulse. And there may be a worry that the US could be seen as an unreliable broker.

"People won't want to do business with the US if they don't trust the US in negotiations, if they're not sure the US will stand by them in defence and security issues," argues Prof Norman. "So the isolation that many in the MAGA world seek is, I think, going to backfire."

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for one has said Europe now needs to become operationally independent of the US.

"The importance of the chancellor's comment is that it's a recognition that US strategic priorities are changing," says Prof Trubowitz. "They're not going to snap back to the way they were before Trump took office.

"So yes, Europe is going to have to get more operationally independent."

AFP via Getty Images Friedrich Merz speaks with Donald Trump at the Nato summit in The Hague on 25 June 2025.AFP via Getty Images
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says Europe now needs to become operationally independent of the US

This would require European nations to develop a much bigger European defence industry, to acquire kit and capabilities that currently only the US has, argues Prof Desch. For example, the Europeans have some sophisticated global intelligence capability, he says, but a lot of it is provided by the US.

"Europe, if it had to go it alone, would also require a significant increase in its independent armaments production capability," he continues. "Manpower would also be an issue. Western Europe would have to look to Poland to see the level of manpower they would need."

All of which will take years to build up.

So, have the Europeans really been spooked by Trump's unpredictability, into making the most dramatic change to the security architecture of the western world since the end of the Cold War?

"It has contributed," says Prof Trubowitz. "But more fundamentally, Trump has uncorked something… Politics in the United States has changed. Priorities have changed. To the MAGA coalition, China is a bigger problem than Russia. That's maybe not true for the Europeans."

And according to Prof Milani, Trump is trying to consolidate American power in the global order.

"It's very unlikely that he's going to change the order that was established after World War Two. He wants to consolidate America's position in that order because China is challenging America's position in that order."

But this all means that the defence and security imperatives faced by the US and Europe are diverging.

The European allies may be satisfied that through flattery and real policy shifts, they have kept Trump broadly onside; he did, after all, reaffirm his commitment to Article 5 at the most recent Nato summit. But the unpredictability means this cannot be guaranteed - and they have seemed to accept that they can no longer complacently rely on the US to honour its historic commitment to their defence.

And in that sense, even if the unpredictability doctrine comes from a combination of conscious choice and Trump's very real character traits, it is working, on some at least.

Top image credit: Getty Images

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Guru Dutt: The tragic life of an Indian cinematic genius

6 July 2025 at 07:08
Alamy A black and white photo of Guru DuttAlamy
Guru Dutt invited the audience to confront uncomfortable realities through hauntingly beautiful cinema

Iconic Indian director and actor Guru Dutt was just 39 years old when he died in 1964 but he left behind a cinematic legacy that continues to resonate decades later.

Born on 9 July 1925 in the southern state of Karnataka, next week marks his birth centenary. But the man behind the camera, his emotional turmoil and mental health struggles remain largely unexplored.

Warning: This article contains details some readers may find distressing.

The maker of classic Hindi films such as Pyaasa and Kaagaz Ke Phool - film school staples for their timeless themes - Dutt forged a deeply personal, introspective style of filmmaking that was novel in the post-independence era.

His complex characters often reflected his personal struggles; his plots touched upon universal motifs, inviting the audience to confront uncomfortable realities through hauntingly beautiful cinema.

Dutt's beginnings were humble and his childhood was marked by financial hardship and a turbulent family life. After his family shifted to Bengal in eastern India for work, a young Dutt became deeply inspired by the region's culture and it would shape his cinematic vision later in life.

He dropped his surname - Padukone - after entering the Bombay film industry in the 1940s. He made his debut not as a director but as a choreographer, and also worked as a telephone operator to make ends meet. The turbulence and uncertainty of the decade - India's independence struggle had intensified - impacted the aspiring filmmaker's prospects.

It was during this phase that he penned Kashmakash, a story rooted in artistic frustration and social disillusionment, ideas that would later shape his cinematic masterpiece Pyaasa.

Simon & Schuster Guru Dutt is surrounded by fans who are clamouring to get his autographSimon & Schuster
Pyaasa, a commercial triumph, propelled Guru Dutt to stardom

Dutt's friendship with fellow struggler Dev Anand - who soon rose to fame as an actor - helped him get the chance to direct his first film in 1951. The noir thriller, Baazi, propelled him into the spotlight.

He soon found love with celebrated singer Geeta Roy, and by many accounts, these early years were his happiest.

After Dutt launched his own film company, he scored back-to-back hits with romantic comedies Aar-Paar and Mr & Mrs 55, both featuring him in lead roles. But yearning for artistic depth, he set out to make what would become his defining film - Pyaasa.

The hard-hitting, haunting film explored an artist's struggle in a materialistic world and decades later, it would go on to be the only Hindi film in Time magazine's list of the 20th Century's 100 greatest movies.

Dutt's late younger sister, Lalitha Lajmi, who collaborated with me when I wrote his biography, said that Pyaasa was her brother's "dream project" and that "he wanted it to be perfect".

As a director, Dutt was fond of 'creating' the film as it took shape on the sets, making a lot of changes in the script and dialogues and experimenting with camera techniques. While he was known for scrapping and reshooting scenes, this reached worrying levels during Pyaasa - for instance, he shot 104 takes of the now famous climax sequence.

He would shout and get bad-tempered when things did not go right, Lajmi said.

"Sleep evaded him. The misuse of and dependence on alcohol had begun. At his worst, he started experimenting with sleeping pills, mixing them in his whiskey. Guru Dutt gave his all to make Pyaasa - his sleep, his dreams, and his memories," she said.

In 1956, as his dream project neared completion, 31-year-old Dutt attempted suicide.

"When the news came, we rushed to Pali Hill [where he lived]," Lajmi said. "I knew he was in turmoil. He often called me, saying we need to talk but wouldn't say a word when I got there," she added.

But following his discharge from hospital, no professional support was sought by the family.

Mental health was a "socially stigmatised" topic at the time, and with big money riding on Pyaasa, Lajmi said that the family tried to move on, without fully confronting the reasons behind her brother's internal struggles.

Released in 1957, Pyaasa was a critical and commercial triumph that catapulted Dutt to stardom. But the filmmaker often expressed a sense of emptiness despite his success.

Pyaasa's chief cinematographer VK Murthy recalled Dutt saying, "I wanted to be a director, an actor, make good films - I have achieved it all. I have money, I have everything, yet I have nothing."

There was also a strange paradox between Dutt's films and his personal life.

His films often portrayed strong, independent women but off screen, as Lajmi recalled, he expected his wife to embrace more traditional roles and wanted her to sing only in films produced by his company.

Simon & Schuster A black and white still of Guru Dutt and his co-star Madhubala from the film Mr & Mrs 55Simon & Schuster
Guru Dutt and Madhubala in Mr & Mrs 55

To keep his company thriving, Dutt had a simple rule: each artistic gamble should be followed by a bankable commercial film.

But buoyed by the success of Pyaasa, he ignored his own rule and dived straight into making his most personal, expensive and semi-autobiographical film: Kaagaz Ke Phool.

It tells the story of a filmmaker's unhappy marriage and confused relationship with his muse. It eerily ends with the death of the filmmaker after he fails to come to terms with his acute loneliness and doomed relationships.

Though now hailed as a classic, it was a commercial failure at the time, a blow Dutt reportedly never overcame.

In the Channel 4 documentary In Search of Guru Dutt, his co-star Waheeda Rehman remembered him saying, "Life mein do hi toh cheezen hai - kamyaabi aur failure. (There are only two things in life: success and failure) There is nothing in between."

After Kagaz Ke Phool, he never directed a film again.

But his company recovered over time, and he made a strong comeback as a producer with Chaudhvin Ka Chand, the most commercially successful film of his career.

He then launched Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam directed by his trusted screenwriter Abrar Alvi. By this time, Lajmi said, his personal life was in severe turmoil, marked by mood swings.

The film delved into the loneliness of a woman trapped in a loveless marriage to a philandering, often tyrannical landlord in an opulent yet feudal world.

Writer Bimal Mitra recalls that Dutt told him about his struggle with sleeplessness and reliance on sleeping pills during this time. By then, his marriage had collapsed and mental health had worsened. Mitra recalled many conversations with Guru Dutt's constant refrain: "I think I will go crazy."

One night, Dutt attempted to take his own life again. He was unconscious for three days.

Lajmi says that after this, on the doctor's advice, his family called a psychiatrist to inquire about treatment for Dutt but they never followed up. "We never called the psychiatrist again," she added with regret.

Simon & Schuster A black and white still from the film Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, starring Guru Dutt and Meena KumariSimon & Schuster
A still from Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, starring Guru Dutt and Meena Kumari

For years, she believed her brother was silently crying for help, perhaps feeling trapped in a dark space where no one could see his pain, so dark that even he could not find a way out of it.

A few days after Dutt was discharged, the shooting for Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam resumed as if nothing had happened.

When Mitra asked him about the incident, Dutt said, "Nowadays, I often wonder what unrest was this, what was the restlessness that I was hell-bent on committing suicide? When I think about this, I get terrorised with fear. But that day, I felt no dilemma in swallowing those sleeping pills."

The film was a success, became India's official entry to the 1963 Berlin Film Festival and also won a national award.

But Dutt's personal struggles continued to mount. He separated from his wife and even though he continued acting in films, he battled profound loneliness, often turning to alcohol and sleeping pills for respite.

On 10 October 1964, Dutt, 39, was found dead in his room.

"I know that he had always wished for it [death], longed for it... and he got it,' his co-star Waheeda Rehman wrote in the Journal of Film Industry, 1967.

Like the protagonist of Pyaasa, true acclaim came to Dutt only after he was gone.

Cinema enthusiasts often wonder what might have been had he lived longer; perhaps he would have continued to reshape India's cinematic landscape with his visionary, poetic works.

Yasser Usman is the author of the biography Guru Dutt: An Unfinished Story

Search for survivors continues as Texas floods kill 43, including 15 children

6 July 2025 at 09:08
BBC reports from the scene of floods in Kerr County

A frantic search for survivors is under way in central Texas after flash floods killed at least 32 people, including 14 children.

Many were asleep when the Guadalupe River rose more than 26 ft (8m) in less than an hour in the early hours of Friday.

Officials in Kerr County have said 27 children are missing from a Christian youth camp located along the river. Some 850 people were rescued.

Weather forecasts suggest that more rain and, potentially, more flooding could be on the horizon for the area.

Among the areas most severely hit by the floods were mobile homes, summer camps and camping sites where many had gathered for 4 July holiday celebrations.

At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he had signed an expanded disaster declaration to boost search efforts.

He said officials would be relentless in ensuring they locate "every single person who's been a victim of this event", adding that "we will stop when job is completed".

It remains a search and rescue mission, officials said, not a recovery effort.

They said rescuers were going up and down the Guadalupe River to try to find people who may have been swept away by the floods.

Much of the rescue has focused on a large all-girls Christian summer camp called Camp Mystic.

The camp, where 27 remain missing, is on the banks of the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told the BBC's Radio 4 PM programme that of the 27 children missing from Camp Mystic "many of these girls are younger girls under the age of 12".

He also said that many more people were likely to remain unaccounted for across the region, because some were visiting for the holiday weekend.

In an email to parents of the roughly 750 campers, Camp Mystic said that if they haven't been contacted directly, their child is considered missing.

Some of the families have already stated publicly that their children were among those who were found dead.

US President Donald Trump has said his administration is working closely with local authorities to respond to the emergency.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the president was "devastated" by the loss of life and promised full federal support.

Noem joined Governor Abbott at Saturday afternoon's press conference and said the federal government would soon be deploying the Coast Guard to help search efforts.

Elsewhere in central Texas, in Travis County, officials say another two people have died and 10 are missing because of the flooding.

Forecasters have warned that central Texas may see more flooding this weekend.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said the area could see 2 to 5in (5cm to 12cm) of rain on Saturday.

Up to 10in of rain was possible in some areas that are still reeling from Friday's deluge.

England playing catch-up - what went wrong against France?

6 July 2025 at 07:50

England playing catch-up - what went wrong against France?

England players reactImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

England became the first defending champions to lose their first match of the next tournament at a women's Euros

It did not go to plan in England's Euro 2025 opener as the holders fell to defeat by France. So where did it all go wrong?

Pundits said the Lionesses were "bullied" and "played into France's hands", while manager Sarina Wiegman felt they "created their own problems" and defender Jess Carter said they "played like they were a little bit scared".

First-half goals from Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore were enough to carry the French to victory, despite a late response from Keira Walsh.

Overloaded in midfield, outpaced in defence and second best in one-v-ones, England were given a taste of the level they need to reach if they are to retain their crown.

'Bullied all over the pitch'

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'We have to do better' - Wiegman on England defeat

The bulk of England's issues seemed to stem from midfield as Georgia Stanway and Walsh were overrun and their opponents were devastating on the break.

Wiegman admitted sloppiness in possession played into France's hands as they pressed hard and took advantage of individual errors.

Captain Leah Williamson was visibly frustrated at full-time and described the errors as "some cheap sort of emotional defending".

France winger Sandy Baltimore won her individual battles with her Chelsea team-mate Lucy Bronze - the England defender losing six duels, the most by any player.

And until Walsh's 87th-minute strike, the Lionesses had not achieved a shot on target.

"I think we played like we were a little bit scared," said Carter.

"Maybe we weren't aggressive enough, maybe we were worrying about their threats in behind and what they can do rather than doing what we can do.

"We didn't do as well on the ball, or off the ball. The only positive to take is the last 10 minutes. I really believed we would get a [second] goal."

England's level seemed to surprise French media, who had largely written off their side's chances when key centre-back Griedge Mbock was ruled out through injury.

"I didn't think the French could play at this level already and I didn't think England could be so disappointing like they were for an hour," French journalist Julien Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live.

France manager Laurent Bonadei admitted England's explosive start, that saw Lauren James create a handful of chances, took them by surprise. But he felt his side controlled proceedings after that and "physically it was not easy for England".

James' apparent free role certainly looked exciting at the start - but did it leave her side exposed in midfield?

Wiegman's response to that question was emphatic.

"[James] didn't have a total free role. We got exposed by losing balls in moments where we didn't want to lose the ball," she said. "That was the main topic we wanted to find a solution for."

Following the introductions of Chloe Kelly, Grace Clinton and Michelle Agyemang, the Lionesses responded, but too late to change the outcome, and former midfielder Karen Carney was far from impressed.

"It wasn't good enough. We were bullied all over the pitch. We didn't win enough duels. We looked like we've never played together," she told ITV.

"This is our trophy and that wasn't good enough. We played into their hands a little bit too much."

Can England fix things going forward?

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Defending champions England defeated by France

Williamson said England left themselves "open to waves" of France's attacking onslaught due to their sloppiness in possession.

But she is confident their gameplan was the right one.

This was their toughest match on paper of the group stage and previous battles with France in Euro 2025 qualifying highlighted their opponents' pedigree.

Ranked 10th in the world, France have largely underwhelmed at major tournaments but manager Bonadei is leading a new era and they are hungry for success.

"I'm just frustrated because I think the football that we played near the end, and the gameplan, could've worked," Williamson told BBC Sport.

"We just didn't execute [the gameplan] exceptionally well. It doesn't look great from the table point of view - but it was two heavyweights going up against each other and we came up short.

"There's still every chance [of winning]. The goal doesn't change."

Defender Alex Greenwood described England's next two matches against the Netherlands and Wales as ones they "must win" - so can they?

They looked much better in the final 10 minutes when they were able to play through France's midfield.

With Baltimore, Katoto and Delphine Cascarino off the pitch, along with their electric pace and skill, England's full-backs were less exposed.

Midfielder Clinton looked assured in her short cameo, teenage forward Agyemang was a menace and Manchester United's Ella Toone played with healthy frustration having been left out of the starting XI for James.

And the bursts of creativity displayed by James in the opening 15 minutes will have given supporters a glimpse of what they can do when it comes together.

Had Clinton replaced Stanway and Toone replaced James earlier, could England have found more security in midfield? If the ball had fallen for Agyemang in stoppage-time, could they have grabbed an equaliser? Had Alessia Russo's disallowed goal stood early on, would England have played less 'scared?'

'We know how to play the game'

Defeat leaves England already playing catch-up in Group D.

With three points on the board for both France and the Netherlands, who beat Wales 3-0, the Lionesses must respond if they hope to reach the quarter-finals.

Only the top two qualify for the knockout stages and England will face 2017 champions the Netherlands on Wednesday, knowing France will be heavy favourites to claim victory against the lowest-ranked nation in the tournament, Wales.

If teams finish on the same points after three matches, it will come down to head-to-head records, putting greater emphasis on England's next match.

"If we play our game to the best, everyone knows that sometimes we're untouchable," said Clinton.

"Obviously getting our passes where they need to go, just the little details, then that would have been able to break down France a little bit more.

"It's tournament football and these things are going to happen."

It was France manager Bonadei, though, who reminded everyone not to write off England.

"England are a really good team. They are fifth in the world rankings and won the last Euros, so we have to respect this team," he said.

And midfielder Toone added they have a "strong mentality" that puts them in good stead for their final group matches.

"We know what it takes to win tournaments and to get to finals in tournaments. We know how to play the game," she added.

"We knew that we always had to win two of these group games to get out, so nothing changes.

"Obviously you want to win all three, but France were good. We conceded goals that by our standards aren't good enough but we have the mentality to go again."

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Russo goal disallowed as Mead is offside

As Floods Hit, Key Roles Were Vacant at Weather Service Offices in Texas

6 July 2025 at 11:08
Some experts say staff shortages might have complicated forecasters’ ability to coordinate responses with local emergency management officials.

© Carter Johnston for The New York Times

Texas officials have blamed the Weather Service for issuing forecasts on Wednesday that underestimated how much rain was coming. But the staffing shortages present a more complicated picture.

【CDT关注】季风播客|国家叙事之外,如何讲述一个多元的中国社会?

6 July 2025 at 08:00

CDT编辑注:季风播客是一档人文对谈节目,依托华盛顿特区的季风书园,旨在通过访谈“向更广阔的华语世界传递人文、理性、求真之声”。点击这里阅读全文。

你怎么爱一个不爱你的国家?

CDT 档案卡
标题:北同十五周年纪念:我们曾这样努力驱散偏见,将温暖编织成网
作者:何流、Emily Feng
发表日期:2025.7.1
来源:JF Pod
主题归类:新闻自由
CDS收藏:公民馆
版权说明:该作品版权归原作者所有。中国数字时代仅对原作进行存档,以对抗中国的网络审查。详细版权说明

写在前面

看到Emily Feng的新书标题“红花独秀”(Let Only Red Flowers Bloom),我瞬间就明白了背后的隐喻。“红花独秀”的反面是“百花齐放”,在中文语境里,这是个颇具威胁意义的词语。人们会很自然地联想到毛泽东的“百花齐放、百家争鸣”政策,看似鼓励社会各界批评政党与时政,实则是为“引蛇出洞”的铺垫,并最终演化成了反右运动,让大量的知识分子落难。“红花独秀”是“百花齐放”政策的实质,看似倡导多元灿烂,但在中国的政治环境里,社会只能有一种声音、一个样貌,这个声音和样貌是被官方所定义的,脱离官方叙事的个人往往要付出政治代价,即使大量的人与那个官方倡导的形象格格不入。

Emily是一名美国全国公共广播电台(NPR)的华裔记者,目前常驻华盛顿特区。她2015年本科毕业就来到北京,开始了她的记者生涯。2022年,她被迫离开中国,亲眼见证了一个时代的落幕。作为美籍华裔的她带着好奇心与某种对于自我身份的寻找,来到中国。七年间,她为纽约时报、金融时报和美国全国公共广播电台(NPR)工作,报道了中国社会的诸多侧面:被拐卖和性剥削的铁链女、“绝不打工”的网红周立齐、维权律师杨斌、包头商人王永明、盲人律师陈光诚、香港书商林荣基、山东现代大学学生李家宝、香港抗议者Kenny、陕西回民Yusuf,等等。

七年的时间让她逐渐从中国的地表进入内核,并通过新闻媒体,揭露着在宏大叙事和坚硬外壳之下这个国家与社会柔软、脆弱与多样的部分。这些生动的故事成为了这本新书的主题:在国家权力的强压和定义之下,中国人究竟是一群怎样的人?个人与国家的关系是怎样的?个人如何在一台强力政治机器之下,进行个体化的抵抗、坚持做自己?

我一直想和Emily聊聊。从2015到2019年的中国,在今天看来是个有些让人怀念的时间。那不是个乌托邦,但是个更有生机、能量和看点的时代。作为一名外媒记者,见证这段时间中国家与个人的冲突和博弈在一个个具体而生动的故事中展开,Emly有她独特的视角和观察。

借新书发布的机会,我联系到Emily。那时季风播客尚未发布,前期嘉宾邀请不断遇阻。Emily爽快地答应了我的邀请,给了播客关键的支持。作为在美国长大的华裔,用中文做公共表达需要付出很多勇气和努力。很感激Emily对我和季风的信任,相信读者们会喜欢这期富有温度和细节的对话。感兴趣的朋友也欢迎点击链接购买Emily的新书Let Only Red Flowers Bloom

Enjoy!

何流

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红花独秀的时代,需要记录什么样的中国人?

HL:Emily,你刚刚出版了新书,

Let Only Red Flowers Bloom,这个书名很自然地让我想到毛泽东当年说的“百花齐放”。这本书相对应的中文题目,你当时是怎么想的?

EM:2022年,我采访了一个中国穆斯林女人,她跟我说,

中国共产党以前让各种颜色的百花齐放,但现在只允许红花独放。

我当时立刻就觉得这句话可以作为书名。

HL:我挺喜欢这个书名,简单明了。可以清晰地感受到你在描述一个怎样的中国,以及这样的中国会发生什么故事。这本书讲了中国社会各种人物的故事,比如杨斌律师包头商人王永明网红“不打工哥”周立齐铁链女小花梅陈光诚、维吾尔人、陕西回民、香港书商、香港占中事件中的抗议者。从作者的角度出发,你会怎么描述这本书?这本书关于什么?为什么选择这些故事?

EM:这本书是讲人的故事,我唯一的目的就是讲人的故事。我平常写抓热点头条的新闻和新闻分析的文章更多,但我希望可以有空间去深刻挖掘中国人心里在想什么,他们如何经验当代习近平时代的中国。因为我的母语是英文,所以我想为那些从未去过中国、没有机会真正接触中国人的读者介绍中国人的生活、梦想和想法,不只是依靠新闻头条的角度去挖掘故事。

我选择的这些人物大多不是名人,不会出现在新闻里。有些当然是比较有声望的知识分子或商人,但大部分主角都是我认为非常有代表性的人物。如果你住在中国,或者亲身经历过过去十年中国的政治运动,你一定遇到过类似的人。这些人的生活反映了许多在中国的大趋势。

比如“铁链女”的故事,我从来没有见过她,也不认识她,但这个缺乏她视角的故事,也告诉我们很多关于中国当下发生的事情。

[…]

在山东报道农村拆迁,几百个村民要求接受采访

HL:那些年你在中国、北京、新疆做报道的时候,有什么让你印象很深刻的事情吗?

EM:有一次我们去了山东一个被拆迁的小村庄,当地书记主张先拆除破旧农房,然后将村民集中安置到统一建设的高楼里。但问题是,拆房子已经把建新楼的钱花掉了房,导致村民们没有新房住,只能暂时住在棚子里。这背后也涉及贪污问题。

我平常的经验是,在到达当地的几个小时内,我们就会被公安或宣传部门发现并阻拦,当地居民也会有点害怕接受外媒采访。但我到这个村以后,

村民一发现我们是媒体、是记者,马上就找到了两三个受访者,因为他们真的已经没有家了。村民带着大麦克风很快就叫来了十几个居民,半小时以内变成了几百个的居民要做采访,他们也带来了一些证据。

有一个村民提出,我们应该一起走到书记的办公室,要求获得一个回应,现场很快就变成了一个大party。

最后当然没有好结果,我们又被拦住了。当时是疫情期间,宣传部工作人员穿着那种医生的衣服(防护服)找到我们,把我们关在车里面,说要把我们隔离在山东两个礼拜,不能离开这个村子。最后我联系了北京的外交部,他们帮助了我们离开。所以中央政府跟当地政府有时也会用不同的手段跟外媒接触。

90年代,中国改革开放早期,整体氛围很欢迎媒体,当地政府觉得媒体可以帮助他们把一些信息传递给中央。媒体在中国社会是一个可以被发掘的角色,但不可幸的是现在是被限制的角色。

[…]

采访“不打工哥”周立齐,警察监视和律师威胁

HL:你的书里有一些人物是让我有点震惊的。比如周立齐,或是杨斌律师——我不确定他现在是在海外还是在国内。但书中也有一些人目前还生活在中国。我很好奇,当你写下这些故事时,会不会担心让当事人面临风险?

不仅是写书,在平时的报道中你应该也常常面临类似的矛盾。一方面是希望更多人听到这些故事,另一方面却可能因此让受访者陷入危险。你是怎么做出这种判断的?

EM:第一,所有接受采访的人都知道我是谁,我为NPR工作,我会录音,我最后会写出一个什么样的报道,我不会偷偷采访。第二,如果他们有可能因此面临风险,尤其是那些还在中国的受访者,我会改用化名。比如你提到那位陕西的回民Yusuf,他的家人还在中国,我就用了他的阿拉伯语名字,这样外界很难将他与真实身份对应上。

总的来说,这是个“case by case”(视情况而定)的判断。我会根据每位受访者的具体情况,和他们一起做判断,要用什么名字、用什么身份接受采访。

HL:有没有发生过,一开始受访者说可以用名字,但后来遇到了一些问题?

EM:书里有一个例子是周立齐。他当时接受了采访,但过程中他被很多警察盯着,没有太多自由去进行自我表达。后来报道发表后,他的律师给我发来威胁,说如果不把故事删掉,他们会投诉我们,但最终他们并没有投诉,所以他的故事还是保留在书里。其他出现在书里的人没有改变过主意。

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2012年,周立齐因为盗窃电瓶车而被判有罪

在报道新闻时,很多事件中,很多受访者接受采访时都会选择匿名,我们会记录声音,但不会泄露身份,只把必要的信息放在报道里。即便如此,有时候官方还是会查出他们接受了NPR的采访,进而以各种方式去威胁他们删掉采访。

控制外媒最有效的手段是什么?

HL:他们怎么能够控制呢?毕竟你是外媒,报道什么是你的自由。他们或许可以从外部条件上施加影响,但如果你已经准备好要发一篇报道,甚至已经发出去了,他们还会尝试控制吗?

EM:有一次《华尔街日报》要写一个关于习近平表哥在澳大利亚的故事。外交部和公安局发现他们要写这篇调查,就开始跟《华尔街日报》的编辑打电话说,你们还是不要写这篇文章比较好。文章最后还是发出来了,但发表后,那篇报道的两位记者就无法再续签他们的签证。

所以签证是最可以控制外媒的工具。没有记者签证,你就无法在中国开展深度报道。

剩下的记者的工作量就更多了,他们就没有时间去深度调查比如习近平家属的的财产,只有时间去报道头条新闻。

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中国外交部发布的《外国记者和外国常驻新闻机构管理条例》图源:外交部网站

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《外国记者和外国常驻新闻机构管理条例》规定外国常驻记者每年都需办理《外国记者证》送检。图源:外交部网站

为什么我们总用一个框架去定义一个国家的人?

HL:你在中国做报道的时候,有没有特别想找到的故事?是你一旦遇到就一定要跳上去的?

EM:我没找到,所以我没法明确告诉你。我总是在寻找一个值得拍成纪录片或电影的故事。但是挑战在于中国越来越管控记者,电子监控系统也已经非常发达。

没有机会去靠近一个人物,一旦靠拢他们就会遇到麻烦。采访就无法继续。所以一直没有机会去了解一个人真正在想什么,是什么样的一个人。我写这本书其实也是给自己的一道“功课”——我可不可以通过书写,呈现给读者一个陌生人的画像。

HL:我认为这一点是成功的。在书里,很多时候不是只有一个人在一个故事里,而是一群人。比如讲维权律师的故事,有杨斌,还有许志永逃出来后住在杨 家里,故事之间彼此穿插,有很多层次。

我不知道外国读者读完是什么感受,每个人理解可能不同。对我来说,这本书像是一个图谱,把很多人放在一起。中国有很多人,大家都有自己的处境,在官方的坚硬外壳之下,有一个非常多元、有活力的中国社会。很多人可能原本带着希望,想要改变中国,想要改变自己的未来。然后习近平上台,对国家对社会的控制变得更加严格。个人开始反思,对党国祛魅,慢慢放弃幻想,最终希望破灭。我感觉这是一条共同的故事线。不知道我这样理解准不准确——这是不是你看待这些故事的方式?

EM:

我总在寻找universal narratives,普遍的真理,普遍的真相。

每个社会、每个国家都有好有坏。在美国,大家会用“美国梦”这样的词,或者像Joseph Campbell提出的“英雄模式”(hero’s journey),英雄去打败黑暗势力的模式。我的目标是,能让国外的读者从中国人的经验中,看到一些朴实的真相,一些能让人们共鸣的故事。

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“英雄旅程”是一种主角历经冒险、成长、归来的叙事结构 图源:Esbjorn Jorsater/Wikimedia Commons

很简单明显的事实就是:中国人也是人。我希望美国人读了这些故事以后能意识到,中国人值得我们真正把他们当作“人”来理解。

尤其是在当下的政治环境里,美国正在制裁中国,限制所有中国学生的签证申请。我们为什么要把一个国家的所有人都当成一样的?把他们放进一个框架里去看?这不符合逻辑,也没有意义。

HL:这本书在美国出版之后,在老外群体里有什么反馈?

EM:我想读我书的大多数人,原本就对中国有一些好奇。他们最常问我的问题是:你是怎么报道出这些故事的?因为在他们的想象里,中国是一个非常恐怖的地方,好像你一出门就会被警察拦下来。但当时其实并不是那样。我也希望通过我的书,能让他们看到:在中国,其实仍然有很多空间可以做事情。

(节选)

Frantic search for survivors of Texas floods that killed 43, including 15 children

6 July 2025 at 07:44
BBC reports from the scene of floods in Kerr County

A frantic search for survivors is under way in central Texas after flash floods killed at least 32 people, including 14 children.

Many were asleep when the Guadalupe River rose more than 26 ft (8m) in less than an hour in the early hours of Friday.

Officials in Kerr County have said 27 children are missing from a Christian youth camp located along the river. Some 850 people were rescued.

Weather forecasts suggest that more rain and, potentially, more flooding could be on the horizon for the area.

Among the areas most severely hit by the floods were mobile homes, summer camps and camping sites where many had gathered for 4 July holiday celebrations.

At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he had signed an expanded disaster declaration to boost search efforts.

He said officials would be relentless in ensuring they locate "every single person who's been a victim of this event", adding that "we will stop when job is completed".

It remains a search and rescue mission, officials said, not a recovery effort.

They said rescuers were going up and down the Guadalupe River to try to find people who may have been swept away by the floods.

Much of the rescue has focused on a large all-girls Christian summer camp called Camp Mystic.

The camp, where 27 remain missing, is on the banks of the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told the BBC's Radio 4 PM programme that of the 27 children missing from Camp Mystic "many of these girls are younger girls under the age of 12".

He also said that many more people were likely to remain unaccounted for across the region, because some were visiting for the holiday weekend.

In an email to parents of the roughly 750 campers, Camp Mystic said that if they haven't been contacted directly, their child is considered missing.

Some of the families have already stated publicly that their children were among those who were found dead.

US President Donald Trump has said his administration is working closely with local authorities to respond to the emergency.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the president was "devastated" by the loss of life and promised full federal support.

Noem joined Governor Abbott at Saturday afternoon's press conference and said the federal government would soon be deploying the Coast Guard to help search efforts.

Elsewhere in central Texas, in Travis County, officials say another two people have died and 10 are missing because of the flooding.

Forecasters have warned that central Texas may see more flooding this weekend.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said the area could see 2 to 5in (5cm to 12cm) of rain on Saturday.

Up to 10in of rain was possible in some areas that are still reeling from Friday's deluge.

How Trump is using the 'Madman Theory' to try to change the world (and it's working)

6 July 2025 at 07:09
BBC Treated image of Donald TrumpBBC

Asked last month whether he was planning to join Israel in attacking Iran, US President Donald Trump said "I may do it. I may not do it. Nobody knows what I'm going to do".

He let the world believe he had agreed a two-week pause to allow Iran to resume negotiations. And then he bombed anyway.

A pattern is emerging: The most predictable thing about Trump is his unpredictability. He changes his mind. He contradicts himself. He is inconsistent.

"[Trump] has put together a highly centralised policy-making operation, arguably the most centralised, at least in the area of foreign policy, since Richard Nixon," says Peter Trubowitz, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics.

"And that makes policy decisions more dependent on Trump's character, his preferences, his temperament."

Getty Images Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding the Marine One presidential helicopter and departing the White House on 24 June 2025 in Washington DC. Getty Images
Trump has learned to put his unpredictability to political use, making it a key strategic and political asset

Trump has put this to political use; he has made his own unpredictability a key strategic and political asset. He has elevated unpredictability to the status of a doctrine. And now the personality trait he brought to the White House is driving foreign and security policy.

It is changing the shape of the world.

Political scientists call this the Madman Theory, in which a world leader seeks to persuade his adversary that he is temperamentally capable of anything, to extract concessions. Used successfully it can be a form of coercion and Trump believes it is paying dividends, getting the US's allies where he wants them.

But is it an approach that can work against enemies? And could its flaw be that rather than being a sleight of hand designed to fool adversaries, it is in fact based on well established and clearly documented character traits, with the effect that his behaviour becomes easier to predict?

Attacks, insults and embraces

Trump began his second presidency by embracing Russian President Vladimir Putin and attacking America's allies. He insulted Canada by saying it should become the 51st state of the US.

He said he was prepared to consider using military force to annex Greenland, an autonomous territory of America's ally Denmark. And he said the US should retake ownership and control of the Panama Canal.

Article 5 of the Nato charter commits each member to come to the defence of all others. Trump threw America's commitment to that into doubt. "I think Article 5 is on life support" declared Ben Wallace, Britain's former defence secretary.

Conservative Attorney General Dominic Grieve said: "For now the trans-Atlantic alliance is over."

A series of leaked text messages revealed the culture of contempt in Trump's White House for European allies. "I fully share your loathing of European freeloaders," US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told his colleagues, adding "PATHETIC".

AFP via Getty Images JD Vance and Pete Hegseth salute as the National Anthem is played at the Memorial Amphitheatre in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on 26 May 2025.AFP via Getty Images
Pete Hegseth, right, called European leaders "freeloaders" in leaked messages while JD Vance, left, said the US would no longer be the guarantor of European security

In Munich earlier this year, Trump's Vice-President JD Vance said the US would no longer be the guarantor of European security.

That appeared to turn the page on 80 years of trans-Atlantic solidarity. "What Trump has done is raise serious doubts and questions about the credibility of America's international commitments," says Prof Trubowitz.

"Whatever understanding those countries [in Europe] have with the United States, on security, on economic or other matters, they're now subject to negotiation at a moment's notice.

"My sense is that most people in Trump's orbit think that unpredictability is a good thing, because it allows Donald Trump to leverage America's clout for maximum gain…

"This is one of of his takeaways from negotiating in the world of real estate."

Trump's approach paid dividends. Only four months ago, Sir Keir Starmer told the House of Commons that Britain would increase defence and security spending from 2.3% of GDP to 2.5%.

Last month, at a Nato summit, that had increased to 5%, a huge increase, now matched by every other member of the Alliance.

The predictability of unpredictability

Trump is not the first American president to deploy an Unpredictability Doctrine. In 1968, when US President Richard Nixon was trying to end the war in Vietnam, he found the North Vietnamese enemy intractable.

"At one point Nixon said to his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger, 'you ought to tell the North Vietnamese negotiators that Nixon's crazy and you don't know what he's going to do, so you better come to an agreement before things get really crazy'," says Michael Desch, professor of international relations at Notre Dame University. "That's the madman theory."

Getty Images Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger confer aboard Air Force One as it heads towards Brussels, Belgium, for Nato talks on 26 June 1973.Getty Images
The madman theory has been associated with the foreign policy of Richard Nixon, seen here speaking to Henry Kissinger

Julie Norman, professor of politics at University College London, agrees that there is now an Unpredictability Doctrine.

"It's very hard to know what's coming from day to day," she argues. "And that has always been Trump's approach."

Trump successfully harnessed his reputation for volatility to change the trans-Atlantic defence relationship. And apparently to keep Trump on side, some European leaders have flattered and fawned.

Last month's Nato summit in The Hague was an exercise in obsequious courtship. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte had earlier sent President Trump (or "Dear Donald") a text message, which Trump leaked.

"Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran, it was truly extraordinary," he wrote.

On the forthcoming announcement that all Nato members had agreed to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP, he continued: "You will achieve something NO president in decades could get done."

Getty Images Donald Trump and Mark Rutte laugh while speaking to the media at the Nato summit on 25 June 2025 in The Hague, Netherlands.Getty Images
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte sent Trump a congratulatory message ahead of the summit

Anthony Scaramucci, who previously served as Trump's communications director in his first term, said: "Mr Rutte, he's trying to embarrass you, sir. He's literally sitting on Air Force One laughing at you."

And this may prove to be the weakness at the heart of Trump's Unpredictability Doctrine: their actions may be based on the idea that Trump craves adulation. Or that he seeks short-term wins, favouring them over long and complicated processes.

If that is the case and their assumption is correct, then it limits Trump's ability to perform sleights of hand to fool adversaries - rather, he has well established and clearly documented character traits that they have become aware of.

The adversaries impervious to charm and threats

Then there is the question of whether an Unpredictability Doctrine or the Madman Theory can work on adversaries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, an ally who was given a dressing down by Trump and Vance in the Oval Office, later agreed to grant the US lucrative rights to exploit Ukrainian mineral resources.

Vladimir Putin, on the other hand, apparently remains impervious to Trump's charms and threats alike. On Thursday, following a telephone call, Trump said he was "disappointed" that Putin was not ready to end the war against Ukraine.

Reuters Zelensky, Trump and Vance looking tense in the Oval Office
Reuters
Zelensky was given a dressing down in the Oval Office but later agreed to grant the US rights to exploit Ukrainian mineral resources

And Iran? Trump promised his base that he would end American involvement in Middle Eastern "forever wars". His decision to strike Iran's nuclear facilities was perhaps the most unpredictable policy choice of his second term so far. The question is whether it will have the desired effect.

The former British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, has argued that it will do precisely the opposite: it will make Iran more, not less likely, to seek to acquire nuclear weapons.

Prof Desch agrees. "I think it's now highly likely that Iran will make the decision to pursue a nuclear weapon," he says. "So I wouldn't be surprised if they lie low and do everything they can to complete the full fuel cycle and conduct a [nuclear] test.

"I think the lesson of Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi is not lost on other dictators facing the US and potential regime change...

"So the Iranians will desperately feel the need for the ultimate deterrent and they'll look at Saddam and Gaddafi as the negative examples and Kim Jong Un of North Korea as the positive example."

Reuters People celebrate what they say is Iran's victory, after Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, in Beirut, Lebanon, on 25 June 2025.Reuters
Many have argued that Iran is now more likely to try and acquire nuclear weapons after the US strikes

One of the likely scenarios is the consolidation of the Islamic Republic, according to Mohsen Milani, a professor of politics at the University of South Florida and author of Iran's Rise and Rivalry with the US in the Middle East.

"In 1980, when Saddam Hussein attacked Iran his aim was the collapse of the Islamic Republic," he says. "The exact opposite happened.

"That was the Israeli and American calculation too... That if we get rid of the top guys, Iran is going to surrender quickly or the whole system is going to collapse."

A loss of trust in negotiations?

Looking ahead, unpredictability may not work on foes, but it is unclear whether the recent shifts it has yielded among allies can be sustained.

Whilst possible, this is a process built largely on impulse. And there may be a worry that the US could be seen as an unreliable broker.

"People won't want to do business with the US if they don't trust the US in negotiations, if they're not sure the US will stand by them in defence and security issues," argues Prof Norman. "So the isolation that many in the MAGA world seek is, I think, going to backfire."

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for one has said Europe now needs to become operationally independent of the US.

"The importance of the chancellor's comment is that it's a recognition that US strategic priorities are changing," says Prof Trubowitz. "They're not going to snap back to the way they were before Trump took office.

"So yes, Europe is going to have to get more operationally independent."

AFP via Getty Images Friedrich Merz speaks with Donald Trump at the Nato summit in The Hague on 25 June 2025.AFP via Getty Images
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says Europe now needs to become operationally independent of the US

This would require European nations to develop a much bigger European defence industry, to acquire kit and capabilities that currently only the US has, argues Prof Desch. For example, the Europeans have some sophisticated global intelligence capability, he says, but a lot of it is provided by the US.

"Europe, if it had to go it alone, would also require a significant increase in its independent armaments production capability," he continues. "Manpower would also be an issue. Western Europe would have to look to Poland to see the level of manpower they would need."

All of which will take years to build up.

So, have the Europeans really been spooked by Trump's unpredictability, into making the most dramatic change to the security architecture of the western world since the end of the Cold War?

"It has contributed," says Prof Trubowitz. "But more fundamentally, Trump has uncorked something… Politics in the United States has changed. Priorities have changed. To the MAGA coalition, China is a bigger problem than Russia. That's maybe not true for the Europeans."

And according to Prof Milani, Trump is trying to consolidate American power in the global order.

"It's very unlikely that he's going to change the order that was established after World War Two. He wants to consolidate America's position in that order because China is challenging America's position in that order."

But this all means that the defence and security imperatives faced by the US and Europe are diverging.

The European allies may be satisfied that through flattery and real policy shifts, they have kept Trump broadly onside; he did, after all, reaffirm his commitment to Article 5 at the most recent Nato summit. But the unpredictability means this cannot be guaranteed - and they have seemed to accept that they can no longer complacently rely on the US to honour its historic commitment to their defence.

And in that sense, even if the unpredictability doctrine comes from a combination of conscious choice and Trump's very real character traits, it is working, on some at least.

Top image credit: Getty Images

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Excellent or awful - why Lifetime ISAs divide opinion

6 July 2025 at 07:09
Getty Images Man and woman look at laptop in a living room surrounded by cardboard boxes. The woman is sitting on a dining chair, the man is standing behind her, leaning on the back of her chair, the laptop is on top of a big cardboard box.Getty Images

Liam Roberts had only just finished university, but he was already thinking ahead to how to buy a home and fund retirement.

In 2018, he was looking for a way to build up some savings, and so he chose a Lifetime ISA (LISA).

Anyone under 40 can open a LISA to either help save towards retirement or buy a first home. Savers can put in up to £4,000 a year and the government will top it up by 25%.

"It is an excellent product," says Liam, now aged 28. "The government paid £4,000 towards my first home."

Liam Roberts Liam Roberts headshotLiam Roberts
Liam is delighted with his Lifetime ISA

He bought a two-bedroom home in Manchester in 2022, using the cash savings and government bonus to help pay the mortgage deposit.

That LISA was automatically closed, and so, after getting his job as an asset manager, he opened another one.

This time it was a stocks and shares LISA, for even longer-term retirement plans. Again, he puts in the maximum £4,000 a year, and gets the 25% government bonus. He can start making withdrawals, without a penalty, from the age of 60.

"They are designed for long-term planning," he says.

In a job that involves reading financial products, he knew what he was signing up for, and that it would work well for his circumstances.

Not everyone has the same knowledge, though, or the same opportunity to make the most of the benefits of the LISA. There remains a limited number of providers, with High Street banks and building societies not among them.

The influential Treasury Committee of MPs has said the LISA is ripe for reform, as the commitment of taxpayer funds is involved.

Many of you have got in touch via Your Voice, Your BBC to express your dismay about the product's pitfalls.

At the heart of these concerns are two issues:

  • the penalty involved in withdrawing money early, which means people face losing 6.25% of their own savings
  • the cut-off which means LISA savings can only be used when purchasing a property up to a value of £450,000 - a threshold that has been unchanged since LISAs were launched in 2017, despite rising house prices particularly in south-east England

Those who have been in touch have hit out at the penalty, particularly after being caught out by the £450,000 limit.

'Upset and annoyed'

One of those was Holly from London. The 28-year-old says she lost around £750 when she bought her home in 2023.

"I was very upset because I'd been using it to save for a house since I was 19 and I did actually use the money to buy my first home as the scheme intended."

She says at 19 the chances of buying a house over £450,000 felt very remote but then her career was going well and she met her future husband.

"What annoys me is that I bought the home with my now husband and my share is well under £450,000 but of course that wasn't taken into account," she says.

Lucy Slavin Lucy and Daniel Slavin stand with woodland seen behind them. Lucy is carrying their young baby in a baby carrier on her chest.Lucy Slavin
Lucy and Daniel Slavin say the rules around LISAs need to change

Daniel Slavin set up a LISA in his 20s. At the time, as a single person, he understood why the thresholds were there and thought it was a good product.

But fast-forward a few years, and now married, when it came to buying a house, he and his wife Lucy fell foul of the £450,000 limit.

While they were still able to buy without needing to use their LISA, Lucy says it put them in a difficult financial position.

"It is incredibly frustrating knowing that if we need to withdraw the money our only option is to lose part of our savings," says the 32-year-old, who works as a research specialist for a charity.

"I can understand losing the bonus if you withdraw early but the penalties are awful."

Daniel, 33, who's a doctor, has since stopped paying into his LISA.

"The current government wants us to buy houses and increase growth and I don't think they should penalise us for doing the right thing and saving money," he says.

They need to take inflation into account, he says. "They should change the rules."

Barrier to new savers

Commentators and campaigners are keen to see changes.

Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert, says the £450,000 threshold is "unjust, unfair and the rules need changing".

"If a LISA is used to buy a property above the threshold, there should be no fine, they should get back at least what they put in," he said.

"And this flaw doesn't just hurt those with LISAs. It puts off many young people, especially from lower income backgrounds, who tend to be more risk averse, from opening LISAs in the first place."

Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis at investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown, says that LISAs had proven popular among the self-employed, who can save for retirement despite not having access to a workplace pension.

However, she called for the penalty for early withdrawal to be eased, and the age limit for opening a LISA to be extended.

Savings habit

LISAs were launched under the then-Conservative government in April 2017.

Since then, 6% of eligible adults have opened one, with about 1.3 million accounts still open, according to the most recent figures.

Opinions are clearly divided among those account holders about how well they work.

The government says the LISA is a source of celebration but, in time, it could well address some of their concerns.

"Lifetime ISAs aim to encourage younger people to develop the habit of saving for the longer term, helping them to purchase their first home or build a nest egg for when they are older," a Treasury spokesperson said.

"We welcome the committee's report and will now review its findings and respond in due course."

Additional reporting by Alex Emery, Kris Bramwell and Shanaz Musafer

Not getting a summer job? Here are eight ways to change that

6 July 2025 at 07:09
Grace Pickett A woman with long blonde hair and brown glasses in sat inside a building with yellow walls. She is smiling at the cameraGrace Pickett
Grace is still struggling to find a summer job without previous paid work experience

Grace Pickett has been applying for part-time jobs for two years now - with no luck.

The 18-year-old from Corby is hoping to head to Liverpool John Moores University to study history in September, and now her A-levels are over, she's ramped up her job hunt.

But she's found herself facing the same issue many other young people across the UK say makes it hard for them to get their first part-time or summer job - not having enough previous experience.

"It is very frustrating," says Grace, who has been told by several companies they cannot hire her due to a lack of prior work experience.

Lauren Mistry, from charity Youth Employment UK, which helps young people find jobs, says it's "a vicious cycle".

"To have experience, you need experience."

Grace volunteered at a charity shop for six months and says she doesn't understand why some employers don't think this is enough. She's been dropping off her CV in pubs, emailing potential employers, and filling in applications on job site Indeed - but hasn't found anything yet.

Some of Grace's friends have "given up" on their job hunts because they don't think they'll ever find anything, she says. She's not reached that stage yet, but she's started to feel pessimistic about whether she'll find a job before the summer ends.

Oliver Holton, a 17-year-old college student in Retford, is also struggling to find a summer job, despite nearly four years' experience doing a paper round. Many employers in the retail and hospitality sectors want him to have more specific experience, he says.

Summer jobs are more competitive than they were 20 years ago because online applications mean there are generally more candidates for each job, says Chris Eccles, from jobs site Employment 4 Students. Increases in the minimum wage and National Insurance have also affected hiring, according to Lauren Mistry.

Oliver Holton A selfie of a man in a black and white patterned bucket hat. He is stood outside and in the background there is a building and the skyOliver Holton
Oliver is trying to find a summer job, but it's not easy

As well as earning money, working part-time while at school, college or university, or during holidays can also help boost your CV when the time comes to apply to full-time jobs.

But figures from the Office for National Statistics show fewer young people have jobs while studying than 30 years ago. From 1992, when records began, to 2004, more than 35% of 16-17 were employed while in full-time education each summer, compared to fewer than 20% in summer 2024.

For those aged 18 to 24, about a third had jobs last summer, which is also lower than in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

We asked careers experts what you need to do to to land a summer job, and how you can stand out - even with no work experience.

Where can I find jobs?

Getty Images A young woman with long wavy hair and a red checked shirt is decorating a cup of cappuccino. A young bearded male barista, wearing a beige apron and grey t-shirt, is working in the background amidst steam rising from an espresso machine. The café has a sleek black-tiled wall and modern coffee-making equipment, creating a warm and inviting workspace atmosphere. Getty Images

Many young people get their first job in retail or hospitality. There are also part-time roles in healthcare, warehousing and offices.

Though many jobs get posted on jobs boards like Indeed, LinkedIn and Reed, some employers only advertise them directly on their websites or social-media profiles.

Is it old-fashioned to drop your CV off speculatively at local pubs and cafes? Careers experts think it's still worth trying, especially at smaller businesses.

"I actually prefer it when people come in," says Edward Frank, manager of the Brewers Arms pub in Berwick-upon-Tweed. "It shows initiative."

Jane Meynell, owner of Olive and Bean cafe in Newcastle, agrees. She says when candidates pop in with their CV it doesn't just show their interest in the role, it also allows her to find out more about their personality than she might over email. And if she doesn't have any vacancies, she often keeps the CVs on record, she says.

Show off your volunteering or teamwork experience

Getty Images A young male football coach talking to group of children in sports groundGetty Images

Even if employers list previous work experience as desirable or required, they might be flexible if you find other ways to prove you've acquired the same skills, according to Matt Burney, an advisor at Indeed.

"You're not going to be expected to have a really packed CV at 16, 17, 18," he says.

Think about how you can show you've learned the skills employers are looking for -like teamwork, communication, problem-solving and team management.

Careers experts say this could be through volunteering at a charity shop, being on a football team, delivering a presentation or even taking on caring responsibilities at home.

Keep your CV simple

Getty Images Woman holds CV of a young woman sat in front of her in an office settingGetty Images

If you've never written a CV before, there are countless examples online demonstrating how to format them, as well as templates.

Include your contact details, then list your work experience, if you have any, followed by your education and any volunteering or extra-curriculars. Matt Burney recommends keeping it to one page. "Don't pad it out just for the sake of it," he says.

"Make it easy for them to find your best skills and achievements without having to wade through large blocks of waffly text," Chris Eccles says.

Show some personality but keep the appearance simple. Go for a size 11 or 12 font and "stay away from highly-designed PDFs", which CV-scanning software may struggle to read, Lauren Mistry recommends.

And make the document easy for the employer to find by saving it with an appropriate title, which includes your name, she adds.

Don't waffle in your cover letter

Some jobs also require a cover letter. This should summarise why you're interested in the role and why you're suitable for it.

"It's very easy to waffle," Matt Burney says, but people should keep it "short and specific" instead.

Cover letters a bit like exams with marking criteria, according to Chris Eccles. Study the job advert carefully to see which skills and experience the employer is looking for - and make sure you include this information, he says.

You should address the letter to the person recruiting, if you can find their name on the job listing or company website, Matt Burney says. Otherwise, open with "Dear Hiring Manager", and end with "Sincerely" or "Best", he recommends.

Use AI carefully

Some people use generative AI to craft CVs and cover letters. Attitudes towards that vary between companies, Lauren Mistry says - some big companies scan CVs for AI and automatically reject candidates who've used it. But others don't mind.

Sam Westwood, people experience director at KFC UK and Ireland, says AI is a "really good starting point" for writing a CV or cover letter, and that recruiters at his company "actively embrace" the technology.

Careers experts recommend that if you do opt to use AI, you should check for accuracy and make sure you refine results to show your personality.

Don't worry about your grades

Don't stress too much about your GCSE and A-Level grades when you're applying for a summer job. For part-time roles in retail and hospitality, "maths and English GCSEs shouldn't be a barrier", though the importance of exam results varies by employer, Lauren Mistry says.

Most employers just want to know that an applicant has good numeracy and literacy skills, which they can demonstrate through their CV, emails and job interview, she says.

You can never be too prepared for an interview

Matt Burney advises people ask friends or family to conduct a mock interview with them or get an AI platform to generate some questions, and think of specific examples for your answers. Chris Eccles recommends structuring your answers using the STAR answer method - situation, task, action, result.

Research both the role and the company as much as possible too. If you can, visit the place you're applying to before your interview - cafe owner Jane says the first question she always asks candidates is whether they've been there before.

Present well at the interview

Getty Images Young man waiting for a job interview. He is neatly dressed in a jacket, trousers and smart shoesGetty Images

It can be hard to know what to wear for an interview because dress codes vary so much by company. Lauren Mistry advises against wearing trainers, and recommends keeping your shoulders covered and avoiding blue jeans. If you're unsure what's appropriate, ask the company how you should dress, she says.

Careers experts say interviews are a two-way process. It's not just an opportunity for an employer to find out about you, it's also an opportunity for the candidate to learn more about the role and the company. Asking questions shows your interest in the role too.

You can ask about training, the company culture, and what a typical day in the job looks like. You can also ask about the next steps in the application process and when you're likely to hear about the outcome.

And don't just save your own questions until the end - asking them throughout the interview shows curiosity, Lauren Mistry advises.

Make sure you're polite when you're speaking to other staff at the company. Managers often ask other workers, like receptionists, what they thought of the candidates, she says.

Matt Burney recommends sending a short, polite follow-up email after your interview and says this will help set you apart from other candidates.

The Papers: 'You'll never walk alone' and 'swept away'

6 July 2025 at 07:04

"Axe sickness benefits for foreigners, Tories urge," is the main headline on the Sunday Telegraph
The joint funeral of footballers Diogo Jota and André Silva are dominating Sunday's front pages. The Sunday Telegraph covers the story with its main image, showing Virgil van Dijk and Andrew Robertson - Liverpool teammates of Jota - leading mourners in Portugal. Jota, 28, was laid to rest alongside his brother, Silva, 25, after they died in a car crash on Thursday. Leading the front page is the Conservatives' attempt to draw a "clear dividing line" with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Reform's Nigel Farage on welfare. "Axe sickness benefits for foreigners, Tories urge," the paper declares, reporting that the party has called on the Labour government to restrict personal independence payments (Pips) and sickness top-ups to Universal Credit to UK citizens only.
"You'll never walk alone," is the main headline on the front page of the Sunday Mirror
"You'll never walk alone," says the Sunday Mirror, in reference to Liverpool FC's anthem. It reports that Liverpool players gathered on Saturday along with hundreds of locals and supporters for the funeral of Jota, which was held at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar church. Also featured on the front page is Spice Girls member Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B, who got married to hairstylist Rory McPhee on Saturday.
'With us forever,' is the headline on the Sun on Sunday
Van Dijk and Robertson are also pictured on the front page of the Sun on Sunday, with the players holding the brothers' shirt numbers on wreaths at the funeral. Leading the paper is a tribute from Portugal's manager Roberto Martinez, who said: "Their spirit will be with us forever."
"Farewell quiet hero," is the headline on the front page of the Sunday People.
"Farewell quiet hero," says the Sunday People, with van Dijk and Robertson featuring again on the front page at the funeral. Mel B's "joy at wedding" is also pictured, with the 50-year-old singer tying the knot at St Paul's Cathedral after a three-year engagement with McPhee, 37.
"A whole Jota love," is the headline on the Daily Star's front page
The Daily Star also bids "farewell to Anfield Ace", with Van Dijk and Robertson again splashed across the front page at Jota's funeral - alongside a headline that references Led Zeppelin's hit Whole Lotta Love.
"Two-child cap 'to stay' despite welfare retreat," is the headline on the Sunday Times
The main image on the front of the Sunday Times features Renee Smajstria, an eight-year-old girl who was among 32 people killed in flash flooding in Texas. Fourteen children were among those who died in the disaster on Friday, with a frantic search under way for survivors. Officials in Kerr County have said 27 children are still missing from a Christian youth camp located along the river. In its top story, the paper reports that "plans to shelve the two-child benefit cap are 'dead' after Labour's £5bn retreat on welfare, according to Downing Street sources".
"Rayner to put 'banter police' in your office," is the headline on the front page
"Rayner to put 'banter police' in your office," declares the Mail on Sunday, with its exclusive revealing that "under new laws drawn up by the deputy prime minister, firms will be pressured into bankrolling 'diversity officers', whose jobs would include protecting staff from the content of overheard conversations."
The main headline on the Observer is "The real Salt Path', a report on Raynor Winn's bestselling memoir and the subsequent film.
The Observer takes a look at the Salt Path - and how the film and Raynor Winn's bestselling memoir were "spun from lies, deceit and desperation". The book tells the story of Winn's journey with her husband Moth walking the route from Somerset to Dorset, after being evicted from their farm and her husband receiving a devastating health diagnosis.
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Girls in Africa Aren’t Asking for Pity. They’re Asking for a Chance.

5 July 2025 at 19:15
I went to West Africa to report on girls’ education. I left convinced that the Western feminist movement has grown far too comfortable fighting only for itself.

© Saidu Bah for The New York Times

Young women listen to a reproductive health rights discussion in a Sierra Leone village.

Julian McMahon, ‘Nip/Tuck’ and ‘Fantastic Four’ Star, Dies at 56

6 July 2025 at 08:25
He played the half-human, half-demon Cole Turner in the WB supernatural series “Charmed” and a self-destructive playboy in the FX series “Nip/Tuck.”

© Kobal, via Shutterstock

Julian McMahon as Dr. Christian Troy in the FX series “Nip/Tuck.” Mr. McMahon died on Wednesday at 56.

Frantic search for survivors of Texas floods that killed 32, including 14 children

6 July 2025 at 06:09
BBC reports from the scene of floods in Kerr County

A frantic search for survivors is under way in central Texas after flash floods killed at least 32 people, including 14 children.

Many were asleep when the Guadalupe River rose more than 26 ft (8m) in less than an hour in the early hours of Friday.

Officials in Kerr County have said 27 children are missing from a Christian youth camp located along the river. Some 850 people were rescued.

Weather forecasts suggest that more rain and, potentially, more flooding could be on the horizon for the area.

Among the areas most severely hit by the floods were mobile homes, summer camps and camping sites where many had gathered for 4 July holiday celebrations.

At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he had signed an expanded disaster declaration to boost search efforts.

He said officials would be relentless in ensuring they locate "every single person who's been a victim of this event", adding that "we will stop when job is completed".

It remains a search and rescue mission, officials said, not a recovery effort.

They said rescuers were going up and down the Guadalupe River to try to find people who may have been swept away by the floods.

Much of the rescue has focused on a large all-girls Christian summer camp called Camp Mystic.

The camp, where 27 remain missing, is on the banks of the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told the BBC's Radio 4 PM programme that of the 27 children missing from Camp Mystic "many of these girls are younger girls under the age of 12".

He also said that many more people were likely to remain unaccounted for across the region, because some were visiting for the holiday weekend.

In an email to parents of the roughly 750 campers, Camp Mystic said that if they haven't been contacted directly, their child is considered missing.

Some of the families have already stated publicly that their children were among those who were found dead.

US President Donald Trump has said his administration is working closely with local authorities to respond to the emergency.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the president was "devastated" by the loss of life and promised full federal support.

Noem joined Governor Abbott at Saturday afternoon's press conference and said the federal government would soon be deploying the Coast Guard to help search efforts.

Elsewhere in central Texas, in Travis County, officials say another two people have died and 10 are missing because of the flooding.

Forecasters have warned that central Texas may see more flooding this weekend.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said the area could see 2 to 5in (5cm to 12cm) of rain on Saturday.

Up to 10in of rain was possible in some areas that are still reeling from Friday's deluge.

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