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Today — 5 July 2025News

特朗普“贸易信函”拉响新一轮全球关税警报

5 July 2025 at 17:47
德正
2025-07-05T09:26:50.683Z
特朗普向12个国家再次亮起了贸易的红灯

(德国之声中文网) 在对多个主要贸易伙伴加征关税的最后期限日益迫近之际,美国总统特朗普周五(格林威治标准时间7月4日)透露,他已签署了多封旨在通知相关国家其将面临关税的信函。此举无疑加剧了全球对贸易冲突升级的担忧。

特朗普当天在空军一号上向记者表示:“我签署了一些信函,它们将在周一(7月7日)发出。”他补充说,信函数量“大概会有十二封”,但并未透露具体的收件国。特朗普称,相关国家的名单将在周一公布。

“发送一封信函,告诉他们:‘听着,我们知道我们存在一定的逆差,或者在某些情况下存在盈余,但数额不大。这就是你们在美国开展业务需要支付的费用’,这更简单。”特朗普表示。他还提及,美方曾与英国和中国采取类似做法,并认为这“对双方都非常好”。

关税威胁:从10%到70%的冲击

此前在周四(7月3日),特朗普已预告将通过信函通知贸易伙伴其面临的惩罚性关税,并透露关税税率将在10%至70%之间。目前,欧盟与美国之间的关税争议仍未达成任何协议。

特朗普政府系统性地利用关税作为杠杆,试图迫使其他国家在其他领域做出让步。今年4月初,美国曾对多个国家征收高额附加关税,但随后在90天内将大部分国家的关税降至10%,以便进行谈判。

欧盟的关税豁免期限将于7月9日到期,而其他许多国家的期限更早,在7月8日便告截止。受影响的国家目前正竭力与美国达成协议,以避免更高的关税。美国官员曾暗示,未来几天可能会宣布多项贸易协议。

相关图集:特朗普关税战2.0时间线梳理

2025年2月1日 |对墨、加、中加征关税:特朗普上任后首次大规模加征关税:自2月1日开始对美国三大贸易伙伴加拿大、墨西哥和中国加征关税。特朗普宣布对邻国加拿大和墨西哥进口商品加征25%的关税,指责两国未能阻止非法移民进入美国;对来自中国商品加征10%的关税,指责中国在芬太尼生产中扮演重要角色。
2025年2月10日 |加征钢铝关税 无例外豁免:特朗普2月10日签署行政令,对所有进口至美国的钢铁和铝制品加征25%关税,并取消加拿大、墨西哥和巴西等钢铝主要供应国的免税额度。
2025年3月26日|宣布对进口汽车全面征税:特朗普于3月26日宣布,自4月3日起,对所有进口汽车与轻型卡车征收25%的关税。全球汽车供应链受冲击,日韩汽车产业首当其冲。受此消息影响,丰田、本田、现代和起亚等汽车制造商股价大幅下跌,总市值蒸发约165亿美元。
2025年4月2日|宣布“对等关税”:特朗普4月2日在白宫玫瑰花园举行“让美国再次富有”(Make America Wealthy Again)记者会,宣布“对等关税”措施。美国对大多数国家征收10%的基准关税,但针对特定国家征收更高税额。中国、欧盟和越南分别面临34%、20%和46%的关税; 日本、韩国、印度、柬埔寨和台湾,分别受到24%、25%、26%、49%和32%进口关税的打击。
2025年4月9日|暂缓关税90日 中国除外:特朗普4月9日在大规模“对等关税”上路不到24小时后出现政策大转弯,宣布暂缓征收“对等关税”90天,在此期间,税率将统一降至10%的基准关税。但中国被排除在暂缓名单之外,不仅如此,还将对中国的关税加码至145%,其中包含了美国此前指控中国打击芬太尼不力而征收的20%关税。
2025年5月4日 | 对美国境外制作的电影征收100%关税:特朗普5月4日以“国安威胁”为由,宣布将对非美国制作的电影征收100%关税,理由是要“拯救美国电影业”。
2025年5月12日|中美关税战90天“停火协议”:美中高层在瑞士进行谈判后于5月12日发布联合声明,就90天的“暂停期”达成协议:美国对大多数中国输美商品加征145%的关税将在5月14日前下调至30%,30%关税里包括针对芬太尼问题额外施加的20%惩罚性关税;中国对美产品加征的125%关税则将降至10%。美中双边早前不断叠加的报复性关税,在这波协商中几乎都被取消。(图为美财政部长贝森特与贸易谈判代表格里尔出席美中贸易会谈)
2025年5月13日|美大幅下调中国“小包裹”关税:白宫5月13发布行政命令,将从5月14日起将对中国低价值货物(不超过800美元)征收的“最低限度”关税从120%下调至54%,原计划的200美元固定费用征税方案被搁置,现行的100美元固定费用将继续执行。
5月23日 对阵欧盟:特朗普威胁自6月1日起对欧盟商品加征50%的统一关税。他同时警告苹果公司,若其在美国销售的手机是在海外生产的,将面临25%的关税。两天后,特朗普收回了对欧盟加征50%关税的威胁,他表示,与欧委会主席冯德莱恩通电话后,同意将美国和欧盟的谈判期限延长至7月9日。
5月28日 美国法院裁定特朗普对等关税“越权”:美国联邦国际贸易法庭裁定,特朗普今年4月2日对多国征收的对等关税,以及早前向中国、加拿大和墨西哥加征的报复性关税都属于“非法”。判决认定,特朗普征收全球关税的行为超出了《国际经济紧急权力法》(IEEPA)赋予总统的权限。美政府表示将对该裁决提出上诉。
5月29日 美国上诉法院暂准特朗普关税恢复执行:美国联邦上诉法院一天后推翻该判决,让特朗普的关税政策得以持续实施。上诉法院指出,为了审理特朗普政府的上诉,将先暂缓此前法院的裁决,并命令原告及特朗普政府分别在6月5日和6月9日前提交回应文件。
5月30日 特朗普全面上调钢铝关税:美国总统特朗普宣布将对全球钢铁和铝产品的进口关税提高至50%。中国是美国的第三大铝供应国。他指责中国未按约降低关税,取消针对稀土等产品的贸易限制。他说:“中国完全违反了与我们达成的协议。不能再做好好先生了!”
6月10日 美中谈判双方宣布原则上达成贸易框架协议:中国和美国官员在英国伦敦举行贸易谈判,经过两天的会议,6月10日,双方宣布原则上已达成贸易框架协议,以落实5月在瑞士日内瓦的共识、还有两国领袖上周的通话内容。特朗普在社交媒体Truth Social上表示,按照美中达成的新的贸易协议,美国将从中国获得稀土磁体。他还表示,将允许中国学生在协议达成后继续留在美国大学学习。

欧盟面临50%关税重压 美中领导人互动引关注

特朗普曾威胁欧盟,如果不能在7月9日前与美国达成协议,可能面临50%的关税上调。这比目前适用的10%的基准税率高出五倍。尽管如此,他也暗示了延长最后期限的可能性。值得注意的是,特朗普推行的10%基本关税税率,已经远高于此前的关税水平。

欧盟贸易委员谢夫乔维齐 (Maros Sefcovic) 本周在华盛顿进行了进一步谈判,并形容这是一次“富有成效的工作周”。

特朗普的关税政策已在全球范围内引发了与贸易伙伴的争议。针对某些特定产品,如汽车,美国已适用25%的更高关税税率,而钢铁和铝产品的关税税率更是高达50%。

在贸易紧张气氛日益加剧之际,有消息指出,美国总统特朗普周五(7月4日)表示,他可能会访问中国与中国国家主席习近平会晤,或者邀请习近平访问美国。两位领导人上个月曾相互发出访问邀请。

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© 2025年德国之声版权声明:本文所有内容受到著作权法保护,如无德国之声特别授权,不得擅自使用。任何不当行为都将导致追偿,并受到刑事追究。

特朗普称美中TikTok磋商即将开始

5 July 2025 at 17:47

2025-07-05T09:36:45.820Z
特朗普:美国已经就TikTok出售交易“相当程度上”达成了协议

(德国之声中文网)美国总统特朗普7月4日表示,他将从下周一(7月7日)或者周二开始与中国就TikTok交易进行磋商。特朗普称,美国已经就TikTok出售交易“相当程度上”达成了协议。在被问及是否对中国批准协议有信心时,特朗普则表示:“我没有信心,但我认为会。我和习近平主席关系很好,我认为这对他们有利。我认为这项协议对中国有利,对我们也有利。”

特朗普是在“空军一号”专机上对媒体进行这一表态的。就在今年6月,特朗普刚刚将TikTok“不卖就禁”期限第三度延长到9月17日

一周前,特朗普接受福克斯新闻台采访时,也谈到围绕TikTok争议的进展,表示已“找到了买家”。“一群非常富有的人”提出收购TikTok。这位美国总统还表示,该交易可能需要“中方的批准”。“顺便说一句,TikTok已有买家了,”特朗普说。“我想我大概需要中国的批准,我认为习近平主席很可能会批准。”

中国是否批准成关键

此前,法新社曾援引知情人士称,潜在方案包括让现有美国投资者接手字节跳动在TikTok中的股份,组建一个独立的新公司。此外,甲骨文(Oracle)与黑石集团(Blackstone)可能加入成为新投资者,进一步稀释中国母公司的股权。不过,TikTok的核心资产——推荐算法的归属仍存不确定性。TikTok的大部分美国用户数据目前已托管在甲骨文服务器上。该公司董事长埃里森(Larry Ellison)是特朗普长期以来的盟友。

2024年4月,时任美国总统拜登签署一项法案,要求TikTok母公司字节跳动在270天内将TikTok出售给非中国企业,否则这款应用程序将在2025年1月19日后在美国被禁用。1月20日,特朗普上任后立即签署行政令,给予TikTok75天宽限期,之后又第2次延期至今年6月19日。

特朗普今年4月曾表示,如果不是因为华盛顿对北京征收关税而引发争议,中国本会同意出售TikTok。字节跳动证实正在与美国政府谈判,表示仍有关键问题需要解决,而且任何交易都必须“根据中国法律获得批准”。

#中美关系

(路透社、法新社)

DW中文有Instagram!欢迎搜寻dw.chinese,看更多深入浅出的图文与影音报道。

© 2025年德国之声版权声明:本文所有内容受到著作权法保护,如无德国之声特别授权,不得擅自使用。任何不当行为都将导致追偿,并受到刑事追究。



Texas floods kill 24 people and leave many missing from girls' summer camp

5 July 2025 at 14:12
KSAT via AP Debris is pictured at the side of a large pool of floodwater with trees and a fire engine seen in the background, in a grab from footage following flooding along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas on 4 July.KSAT via AP

Several people have died and others are missing after flash flooding hit parts of central Texas on Friday morning.

Disaster declarations have been issued for the Hill Country and Concho Valley regions.

Rescues and evacuations have been underway since the early morning, but there are warnings of more potential flash flooding to come.

"Even if the rain is light, more flooding can occur in those areas," Acting Governor Dan Patrick said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the state was providing "all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods".

The region is to the north-west of the Texas city of San Antonio.

Pictures show the deep flood waters swamping bridges and fast moving water swirling down roads.

Exactly how many people have died or are missing has not yet been confirmed by authorities.

"Folks, please don't take chances. Stay alert, follow local emergency warnings, and do not drive through flooded roads," Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said.

Kerr County Sheriff's Office said the area had suffered a "catastrophic flooding event" and confirmed that fatalities had been reported.

It told residents near creeks, streams and the Guadalupe River to move to higher ground.

Hamas says it delivered 'positive response' on US Gaza ceasefire plan

5 July 2025 at 06:42
Reuters A Palestinian looks on at the site of an Israeli strike that destroyed residential buildings at al-Shati refugee camp, in northern Gaza (4 July 2025)Reuters
A Palestinian man looks at buildings destroyed by Israeli strikes in al-Shati refugee camp, northern Gaza

Hamas says it is consulting other Palestinian groups before giving a formal response to the latest proposal for a new Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal put forward by the US.

President Donald Trump said on Friday morning that expected to know within 24 hours whether Hamas has agreed to the plan.

On Tuesday, Trump said Israel had accepted the conditions necessary for a 60-day ceasefire, during which the parties would work to end the 20-month war.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military is continuing to bomb targets across the Gaza Strip.

Local journalists reported hearing explosions and gunfire as Israeli helicopter gunships and artillery struck the southern Khan Younis area on Friday morning.

Overnight, at least 15 Palestinians were killed in strikes on two tents housing displaced people in Khan Younis, the local Nasser hospital said.

The Israeli military has not yet commented on the strikes, but it did say its forces were "operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities".

In a statement issued early on Friday, Hamas said it was discussing with the leaders of other Palestinian factions the ceasefire proposal that it had received from regional mediators Qatar and Egypt.

Hamas said it would deliver a "final decision" to the mediators once the consultations had ended and then announce it officially.

The proposal is believed to include the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages and the bodies of 18 other hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Fifty hostages are still being held in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

One of Hamas's key demands is the resumption of unrestricted food and medical aid into Gaza, and the proposal reportedly says sufficient quantities would enter the territory immediately with the involvement of the United Nations and Red Cross.

It is said the plan would also include a phased Israeli military withdrawal from parts of Gaza.

Above all, Hamas wants a guarantee that Israeli air and ground operations will not resume after the end of the 60-day ceasefire.

The proposal is believed to say that negotiations on an end to the war and the release of the remaining hostages would begin on day one.

Donald Trump told reporters early on Friday that he expected to know "over the next 24 hours" whether the proposals would be accepted by Hamas.

The hope then would be the resumption of formal, indirect, talks ahead of a planned visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington next week.

"We sure hope it's a done deal, but I think it's all going to be what Hamas is willing to accept," US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Israel's Channel 12 TV on Thursday.

"One thing is clear: The president wants it to be over. The prime minister wants it to be over. The American people, the Israeli people, want it to be over."

Netanyahu meanwhile promised to secure the release of all the remaining hostages during a visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community near the Israel-Gaza border where a total of 76 residents were abducted during the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023 that triggered the war.

"I feel a deep commitment, first of all, to ensure the return of all of our hostages, all of them," he said. "We will bring them all back."

He did not, however, commit to ending the war. He has insisted that will not happen until the hostages are freed and Hamas's military and governing capabilities are destroyed.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 57,130 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

River Seine reopens to swimmers in Paris after century-long ban

5 July 2025 at 15:35
Reuters People swim in the River Seine at the Bras Marie siteReuters
There are now three designated areas in Paris for swimming in the Seine

The River Seine in Paris has reopened publicly to swimmers for the first time since 1923 after a century-long ban.

The seasonal opening of the Seine for swimming is viewed as a key legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics, when open water swimmers and triathletes competed in its waters which were specially cleaned for the event.

On Saturday morning at 08:00 local time (07:00 BST) a few dozen swimmers arrived ahead of the opening and dived into the water when they were able to do so.

There are three designated areas for public swimming in the Seine - one near the Eiffel Tower, another close to Notre Dame Cathedral and a third in eastern Paris.

Zones have changing rooms, showers, and beach-style furniture, which allow for up to 300 people to lay out their towels.

Until the end of August, the three swimming sites will be open for free at scheduled times to anyone with a minimum age of 10 or 14 years, depending on the location.

Lifeguards will also be present keeping an eye on those in the river.

The promise to lift the swimming ban dates back to 1988, when then-mayor of Paris and future president Jacques Chirac first advocated for its reversal.

Improvements over the last 20 years have already led to a sharp reduction in faecal bacteria entering the river.

For 100 years swimming was banned in the river because of the levels of water pollution that could make people ill.

A map of central Paris showing the river seine flowing through the city and three areas plotted as to where the open swimming will be allowed during seasons

Ahead of last summer's Olympics more than €1.4bn (£1.2bn; $1.6bn) was invested into cleaning up the Seine.

But, in the lead up to the games there were doubts as to whether the River Seine would be ready for the Olympics after it was revealed it failed water quality tests.

Organisers blamed rainfall for the increased pollution which limited athletes' abilities to train for the triathlon, marathon swimming and paratriathlon.

Last July, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and other members of the Olympic committee went into the Seine to prove that it was safe to swim in.

Last summer BBC correspondent Hugh Schofield was among those who took a dip in the Seine.

Australian actor Julian McMahon dies aged 56

5 July 2025 at 14:52
Reuters Julian McMahon wearing a white shirt and lined grey blazer in 2016Reuters
"We rode this wave together and I loved him," said co-star Dylan Walsh in his tribute

Australian actor Julian McMahon, famed for roles in popular series like Nip/Tuck and Charmed, has died aged 56.

His wife said the actor passed away in Clearwater, Florida, on Wednesday. He had been diagnosed with cancer.

"Julian loved life. He loved his family. He loved his friends. He loved his work, and he loved his fans. His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible," Kelly Paniagua said in a statement carried by Deadline.

McMahon's career took off with the hit supernatural television series Charmed before he gained wider recognition with Nip/Tuck, the medical drama in which he played the role of plastic surgeon Dr Christian Troy.

Running for six seasons from 2003 to 2010, the show earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

Co-star Dylan Walsh told Dealine he was "stunned".

"We rode this wave together and I loved him.

"Jules! I know you'd want me to say something to make you smile — all the inside jokes. All those years you had my back, and my god, we laughed. My heart is with you. Rest in peace."

McMahon also played Doctor Doom in two Fantastic Four films in 2005 and 2007 and later appeared in three seasons of FBI: Most Wanted.

Dick Wolf, the producer of FBI: Most Wanted, said McMahon's death was "shocking news".

McMahon was the son of a former Australian prime minister and went on to play an Australian prime minister's role in Netflix's The Residence - one of his recent appearances.

McMahon married three times - the first to Australian singer-actress Dannii Minogue, sister of Kylie Minogue.

Notorious Swedish gang leader arrested in Turkey

5 July 2025 at 03:19
Interpol Interpol mugshot of Ismail Abdo. He has very short dark hair and a thick but short dark beard.Interpol
A red notice on Ismail Abdo was issued by Interpol last year

One of Sweden's most wanted gang leaders, Ismail Abdo, has been arrested in Turkey, the Swedish prosecutor's office said on Friday.

The dual Swedish-Turkish national has an extensive list of drug-related charges against him according to the global police agency, Interpol.

The 35-year-old, nicknamed The Strawberry, is a well-known leader of the Rumba crime gang in Sweden. He is accused of orchestrating illegal operations from abroad and has been the subject of an Interpol red notice since last year.

Swedish police did not identify him, but confirmed the arrest of a man "suspected of having engaged in serious drug trafficking and inciting serious violent crimes" for many years in Sweden.

He was one of 19 people who were arrested during raids in Turkey, where officers seized more than a tonne of drugs, state broadcaster TRT reported. Exactly where the raids took place has not been revealed.

Arrest warrants were issued for a further 21 suspects, of whom 14 were believed to be abroad and three already in custody on other charges. Four are still at large, TRT added.

Turkish authorities reportedly seized assets worth around 1.5bn Turkish lira (£27.8m; $38m), including 20 vehicles, bank accounts and 51 real estate properties.

Gang violence in Sweden has escalated in recent years, in part because Abdo's former friend, Rawa Majida, is the leader of a rival gang, Foxtrot.

Many people have been killed since their deadly turf war began. It entered a new, violent chapter in 2023 when Abdo's mother was murdered in her home in Uppsala, north of the capital, Stockholm.

The escalation prompted the government to bring in the army to help tackle the surge in gang killings.

In 2024, Turkish police arrested Abdo during a traffic stop, but released him on bail despite the active Interpol red notice against him - a move which drew criticism from Swedish authorities who were seeking to extradite Abdo.

The increase in gang violence that has plagued some of Sweden's biggest cities and spread to quieter suburbs and towns has shattered its reputation as a safe and peaceful nation.

Lat year, Sweden's security service, Sapo, accused Iran of recruiting Swedish gang members to carry out attacks on Israeli or Jewish interests. In October, a 13-year-old boy fired shots outside the offices of Israeli tech firm Elbit Systems. Israel's embassies in Sweden and Denmark were also both targeted.

Sweden's centre-right governing coalition, which promised to end the gang crime wave when it was elected in 2022, will see Abdo's capture as a win. However the fact that he is also a Turkish citizen could complicate the extradition process.

An estimated 14,000 people in Sweden are caught up in criminal gangs, according to a police report last year, and a further 48,000 people are said to be connected to them.

Namibia halts all state funerals amid criticism of the high cost

4 July 2025 at 22:57
Reuters An official speaks during a memorial service of Sam Nujoma, Namibia's founding president, ahead of his state funeral. Nujoma's coffin, draped with the Namibian flag, is seen atop a red-covered podiumReuters
Namibia reportedly spent 30m Namibian dollars ($1.7m; £1.25m) on transport costs during founding President Sam Nujoma's funeral

The Namibian government has announced a temporary ban on state funerals amid criticism over the rising costs of these burials.

Only President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has the power to exempt funerals from the moratorium, the government said.

Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofelus made the announcement following a Cabinet meeting earlier this week.

She said the moratorium would last until April 2026, while a review committee looks into the "criteria and processes associated with bestowing official funerals".

Ms Theofelus told the BBC that a committee consisting of "no more than seven members" would be established to lead the review.

The government has not said whether the decision was related to mounting criticism of the increasing costs of the numerous state funerals as reported by local media.

The BBC has asked the presidency for comment.

The Windhoek Observer, a privately owned publication, said calls for the moratorium had been made as far back as 2021 when the rising cost of official burials came under scrutiny, especially at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It quoted Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare, who earlier this year revealed that official funerals had cost the government 38.4m Namibian dollars ($2.2m; £1.6m) in the 2024/2025 financial year.

By comparison, only 2.1m Namibian dollars was spent on 23 funerals during the 2022/2023 financial year, according to the news site.

The Observer said the state had spent 30m Namibian dollars just to transport the body of founding President Sam Nujoma around the country ahead of his state funeral in February this year.

Nujoma, who died at the age of 95, led the long fight for independence from South Africa after helping found Namibia's liberation movement, the South West Africa People's Organisation (Swapo), in the 1960s.

After independence, Nujoma became president in 1990 and led the country until 2005.

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Trump signs sweeping tax and spending bill into law

5 July 2025 at 06:57
Anthony Zurcher: Passage of megabill is big win for Trump

US President Donald Trump is to sign his landmark policy bill into law, a day after it was narrowly passed by Congress.

The signing event at the White House on Friday afternoon, coinciding with 4 July celebrations, enacts key parts of the Trump agenda including tax cuts, spending boosts for defence and the immigration crackdown.

Trump began his victory lap at an Iowa rally on Thursday night, telling supporters it will unleash economic growth, but he must now convince sceptical Americans as polling suggests many disapprove.

Several members of his own Republican party were opposed because of the impact on rising US debt and Democrats warned the bill would reward the wealthy and punish the poor.

The 870-page package includes:

  • extending 2017 tax cuts of Trump's first term
  • steep cuts to Medicaid spending, the state-provided healthcare scheme for those on low incomes and the disabled
  • new tax breaks on tipped income, overtime and Social Security
  • a budget increase of $150bn for defence
  • a reduction in Biden-era clean energy tax credits
  • $100bn to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The bill signing will precede 4 July American Independence Day fireworks and a military picnic attended by the pilots who recently flew into Iran to try to dismantle three nuclear sites.

The celebratory mood follows days of tense negotiations with Republican rebels in Congress and days of cajoling on Capitol Hill, sometimes by the president himself.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries delayed the final vote in the lower chamber of Congress on Thursday by speaking for nearly nine hours.

He called the bill an "extraordinary assault on the healthcare of the American people" and quoted testimony from individuals anxious about its impact.

But his marathon speech only postponed the inevitable. As soon as he sat down, the House moved to a vote.

Getty Images U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) celebrates with fellow House Republicans during an enrollment ceremony of H.R. 1, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act at the U.S. Capitol on July 3, 2025 in Washington, DC.Getty Images
Republican lawmakers celebrated after narrowly passing Trump's sweeping budget bill before a self-imposed deadline of 4 July

Only two Republicans went against, joining all 212 Democrats united in opposition. The bill passed by 218 votes to 214.

Earlier this week, the Senate passed the bill but US Vice-President JD Vance was required to cast a tiebreaking vote after three Republicans held out.

Hours after the House passed the bill, the president was in a triumphant mood as he took to the stage in Iowa to kick off a years long celebration of 250 years since American independence.

"There could be no better birthday present for America than the phenomenal victory we achieved just hours ago," he told supporters in Des Moines.

"Very simply the One Big, Beautiful Bill will deliver the strongest border on Earth, the strongest economy on Earth [and] the strongest military on Earth."

The White House believes the various tax cuts will help stimulate economic growth, but many experts fear that will not be sufficient to prevent the budget deficit - the difference between spending and tax revenue in any year - from ballooning, adding to the national debt.

Analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) suggests the tax cuts could produce a surplus in the first year but will then cause the deficit to rise sharply.

Chart showing steep rises in US budget deficit each year

According to the Tax Policy Center, the tax changes in the bill would benefit wealthier Americans more than those on lower incomes, About 60% of the benefits would go to those making above $217,000 (£158,000), its analysis found.

The BBC spoke to Americans who may see a cut in the subsidies that help them pay for groceries.

Jordan, a father of two, is one of 42 million Americans who benefits from the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) scheme targeted by the bill.

He and his wife get about $700 a month to feed their family of four and the 26-year-old said if this bill reduces what he can claim he would get a second job. "I'm going to make sure that I can do whatever I can to feed my family," he says.

Watch: what will Trump’s tax and spending bill do to the US national debt?

Along with cuts to SNAP, the changes to Medicaid - a programme that covers healthcare for low-income, elderly and disabled Americans - would result in nearly 12 million losing coverage in the next decade, the CBO estimates.

Republicans defend their changes to Medicaid, saying that by toughening up work requirements they are tackling abuse and fraud.

Polling taken before the bill passed in Congress suggests public support is low and dwarfed by numbers opposed. A recent Quinnipiac University survey pointed to only 29% endorsing the legislation, which rose to two-thirds among Republicans.

But knowledge of the bill may be low too. Reuters reported there was little awareness of the legislation among Trump supporters they spoke to at the Iowa rally on Thursday night.

US debt is now $37trn – should we be worried?

5 July 2025 at 05:27
Getty Images Donald Trump waves wearing a baseball cap and suit in front of a huge US flag posterGetty Images

As Donald Trump cheered the passage of his self-styled, and officially named, Big Beautiful Budget Bill through Congress this week, long-sown seeds of doubt about the scale and sustainability of US borrowing from the rest of the world sprouted anew.

Trump's tax-cutting budget bill is expected to add at least $3 trillion (£2.2 trillion) to the US's already eye-watering $37tn (£27tn) debt pile. There is no shortage of critics of the plan, not least Trump's former ally Elon Musk, who has called it a "disgusting abomination".

The growing debt pile leaves some to wonder whether there is a limit to how much the rest of the world will lend Uncle Sam.

Those doubts have been showing up recently in the weaker value of the dollar and the higher interest rate investors are demanding to lend money to America.

It needs to borrow this money to make up the difference between what it earns and what it spends every year.

Since the beginning of this year, the dollar has fallen 10% against the pound and 15% against the euro.

Although US borrowing costs have been steady overall, the difference between the interest rates paid on longer-term loans versus shorter-term loans - what's known as the yield curve - has increased, or steepened, signalling increased doubts about the long-term sustainability of US borrowing.

And that is despite the fact that the US has lowered interest rates more slowly than the EU and the UK, which would normally make the dollar stronger because investors can get higher interest rates on bank deposits.

The founder of the world's biggest hedge fund, Ray Dalio, believes that US borrowing is at a crossroads.

On its current trajectory he estimates the US will soon be spending $10tn a year in loan and interest repayments.

"I am confident that the [US] government's financial condition is at an inflection point because, if this is not dealt with now, the debts will build up to levels where they can't be managed without great trauma," he says.

So what might that trauma look like?

The first option is a drastic reduction in government spending, a big increase in taxes or both.

Ray Dalio suggests that cutting the budget deficit from its current 6% to 3% soon could head off trouble in the future.

Trump's new budget bill did cut some spending, but it also cut taxes more, and so the current political trajectory is going the other way.

Secondly, as in previous crises, the US central bank could print more money and use it to buy up government debt - as we saw after the great financial crisis of 2008.

But that can end up fuelling inflation and inequality as the owners of assets like houses and shares do much better than those who rely on the value of labour.

The third is a straightforward US default. Can't pay won't pay. Given that the "full faith and credit of the US Treasury" underpins the entire global financial system, that would make the great financial crisis look like a picnic.

'Cleanest dirty shirt'

So how likely is any of this?

Right now, mercifully, not very.

But the reasons why are not actually that comforting. The fact is, whether we like it or not, the world has few alternatives to the dollar.

Economist and former bond supremo Mohamed El-Erian told the BBC that many are trying to reduce dollar holdings, "the dollar is overweight and the world knows it, which is why we have seen a rise in gold, the euro and the pound, but it's hard to move at scale so there's really very few places to go".

"The dollar is like your cleanest dirty shirt, you have to keep wearing it."

Nevertheless, the future of the dollar and the world's benchmark asset - US government bonds - is being discussed at the highest levels.

The governor of the Bank of England recently told the BBC that the levels of US debt and the status of the dollar is "very much on [US Treasury] Secretary Bessent's mind. I don't think the dollar is fundamentally under threat at the moment but he is very aware of these issues and I don't think it is something that he underestimates."

Debt of $37tn is an unfathomable number. If you saved a million dollars every day, it would take you 100,000 years to save up that much.

The sensible way to look at debt is as a percentage of a country's income. The US economy produces income of around $25tn a year.

While its debt to income level is much higher than many, it's not as high as Japan or Italy, and it has the benefit of the world's most innovative and wealth creating economy behind it.

At home I have a book called Death of the Dollar by William F Rickenbacker in which he warns of the risks to the dollar's status as the world's reserve currency. It was written in 1968. Mr Rickenbacker is no longer with us - the dollar is.

But it doesn't mean that its status and value is a divine right.

Tennis hero Arthur Ashe's South African legacy: 'The first free black man I'd ever seen'

5 July 2025 at 07:13
Sports Illustrated/Getty Images Arthur Ashe, in a blue tracksuit top, smiles as he holds up the Wimbledon trophy after winning the men's final on 5 July 1975.Sports Illustrated/Getty Images
The Wimbledon title was the third of Arthur Ashe's Grand Slam crowns

Fifty years ago Arthur Ashe pulled off an amazing feat, upsetting the odds and becoming the first black man to win the Wimbledon Men's final when he beat fellow American Jimmy Connors - but it was not something he wanted to define his life.

His fight to break down barriers around racial discrimination was closer to his heart - and apartheid South Africa became one of his battle grounds.

"I don't want to be remembered in the final analysis for having won Wimbledon... I take applause for having done it, but it's not the most important thing in my life - not even close," he said in a BBC interview a year before his death in 1993.

Nonetheless his Centre Court victory on 5 July 1975 was hailed as one of those spine-tingling sporting moments that stopped everyone in their tracks, whether a tennis fan or not, and it is being commemorated with a special display at the Wimbledon museum.

Ashe was already in his 30s, tall, serene and with a quiet and even-tempered demeanour. Connors, 10 years younger and the defending champion, was an aggressive player and often described as "brattish".

Ashe's achievements and the skills and courage he displayed on the court were certainly matched by his actions off it.

Sports Illustrated/Getty Images Jimmy Connors and Arther Ashe - both in tennis whites - shake hands over the net after Ashe's victory in the Wimbledon final of 5 July 2025. The clapping crowd can be seen behind themSports Illustrated/Getty Images
Ashe's victory at Wimbledon was an iconic moment in sport

In the early 1970s, South Africa repeatedly refused to issue a visa for him to travel to the country alongside other US players.

The white-minority government there had legalised an extreme system of racial segregation, known as apartheid - or apartness - in 1948.

The authorities said the decision to bar him was based on his "general antagonism" and outspoken remarks about South Africa.

However, in 1973, the government relented and granted Ashe a visa to play in the South African Open, which was one of the top tournaments in the world at the time.

It was Ashe's first visit to South Africa, and although he stipulated he would only play on condition that the stadium be open to both black and white spectators, it sparked anger among anti-apartheid activists in the US and strong opposition from sections of the black community in South Africa.

British journalist and tennis historian Richard Evans, who became a life-long friend of Ashe, was a member of the press corps on that South Africa tour.

He says that Ashe was "painfully aware" of the criticism and the accusation that he was in some way giving legitimacy to the South African government - but he was determined to see for himself how people lived there.

"He felt that he was always being asked about South Africa, but he'd never been. He said: 'How can I comment on a place I don't know? I need to see it and make a judgment. And until I go, I can't do that.'"

Evans recalls that during the tour, the South African writer and poet Don Mattera had organised for Ashe to meet a group of black journalists, but the atmosphere was tense and hostile.

"As I passed someone," Evans told the BBC, "I heard someone say: 'Uncle Tom'" - a slur used to disparage a black person considered servile towards white people.

"And then one or two very vociferous journalists stood up and said: 'Arthur, go home. We don't want you here. You're just making it easier for the government to be able to show that they allow someone like you in.'"

Gerry Cranham / Offside Arthur Ashe in red shirt and navy blue tracksuit bottoms serves as a crowd of South African children in tennis whites watch him from behind a tennis court fence in Soweto - November 1973.Gerry Cranham / Offside
Arthur Ashe went to Soweto in November 1973 to hold tennis clinics for children in the township

But not all black South Africans were so vehemently opposed to Ashe's presence in the country.

The South African author and academic Mark Mathabane grew up in the Alexandra township - popularly known as Alex - in the north of Johannesburg. Such townships were set up under apartheid on the outskirts of cities for non-white people to live.

He first became aware of Ashe as a boy while accompanying his grandmother to her gardening job at a British family's mansion in a whites-only suburb.

The lady of the house gifted him a September 1968 edition of Life magazine from her collection, and there, on the front cover, was a bespectacled Arthur Ashe at the net.

Mathabane was mesmerised by the image and its cover line "The Icy Elegance of Arthur Ashe" - and he set out to emulate him.

When Ashe went on the 1973 tour, Mathabane had only one mission - to meet Ashe, or at least get close to him.

The opportunity came when Ashe took time off from competing to hold a tennis clinic in Soweto, a southern Johannesburg township.

The 13-year-old Mathabane made the train journey to get there and join scores of other black - and mostly young - people who had turned out to see the tennis star, who they had given the nickname "Sipho".

"He may have been honorary white to white people, but to us black people he was Sipho. It's a Zulu word for gift," Mathabane, now aged 64, told the BBC.

"You know, a gift from God, from the ancestors, meaning that this is very priceless, take care of it. Sipho is here, Sipho from America is here."

Gerry Cranham / Offside Young girls, some in in tennis whites and sunglasses, pose with racquets as boys in suits and hats walk by. They are part of crowd gathered in Soweto to see Arthur Ashe in November 1973.Gerry Cranham / Offside
Gerry Cranham / Offside Arthur Ashe in red shirt and navy blue tracksuit bottom and white tennis shoes, holds three white tennis balls in one hand and a grey tennis racquet in the other as he talks to children in front of him during a tennis clinic in Soweto. Others are watching from behind a tennis court fence - November 1973. Gerry Cranham / Offside

Excited crowds descended on the tennis clinic to catch a glimpse of the superstar tennis player...
By 1973 Arthur Ashe had already won the US Open and Australian Open...

The excitement generated at the Soweto clinic was not just contained to that township but had spread across the country, he said.

From rural reservations to shebeens or speakeasies (bars) - wherever black people gathered, they were talking about Ashe's visit.

"For me, he was literally the first free black man I'd ever seen," said Mathabane.

After the 1973 tour, Ashe went back to South Africa a few more times. In early 1976 he helped to establish the Arthur Ashe Soweto Tennis Centre (AASTC) for budding players in the township.

But not long after it opened, the centre was vandalised in the student-led uprisings against the apartheid regime that broke out in June of that year.

It remained neglected and in disrepair for several years before undergoing a major refurbishment in 2007, and was reopened by Ashe's widow Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe.

The complex now has 16 courts, and hosts a library and skills development centre.

AFP/Getty Images US tennis player Serena Williams (left) in a yellow top and white cap flanked by her sister Venus in a white  top and cap pose with children in red caps and white T-shirts, some holding rackets after a two-hour tennis clinic at the Arthur Ashe Soweto Tennis Centre - November 2012.AFP/Getty Images
The Arthur Ashe Soweto Tennis Centre has big ambitions - and Serena and Venus Williams have held tennis clinics there

The ambition is to produce a tennis star and Grand Slam champion from the township - and legends such as Serena and Venus Williams have since run clinics there.

For Mothobi Seseli and Masodi Xaba, who were once both South African national junior champions and now sit on the AASTC board, the centre goes beyond tennis.

They feel that fundamentally it is about instilling a work ethic that embraces a range of life skills and self-belief.

"We're building young leaders," Ms Xaba, a successful businesswoman, told the BBC.

Mr Seseli, an entrepreneur born and raised in Soweto, agrees that this would be Ashe's vision too: "When I think about what his legacy is, it is believing that we can, at the smallest of scales, move the dial in very big ways."

Ashe was initially inclined to challenge apartheid through conversations and participation, believing that by being visible and winning matches in the country he could undermine the very foundation of the regime.

But his experience within South Africa, and international pressure from the anti-apartheid movement, persuaded him that isolation rather than engagement would be the most effective way to bring about change in South Africa.

He became a powerful advocate and supporter of an international sporting boycott of South Africa, speaking before the United Nations and the US Congress.

In 1983, at a joint press conference set up by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and UN, he spoke about the aims of the Artists and Athletes Against Apartheid, which he had just co-founded with the American singer Harry Belafonte.

Getty Images US tennis player Arthur Ashe (centre in dark blue shirt, aviator sunglasses and holding a stick) links arms with others, including US singer Harry Belafonte (in white with a 'USA for Africa' sweatshirt march during a demonstration against US support of apartheid in South Africa outside the UN in New York - August 1985.Getty Images
Arthur Ashe and US singer Harry Belafonte (R), seen here during an anti-apartheid protest outside the UN in New York, founded Artists and Athletes Against Apartheid

The organisation lobbied for sanctions against the South African government, and at its height had more than 500 members.

Ashe joined many protests and rallies, and when he was arrested outside the South African embassy in Washington DC in 1985, it drew more international attention to the cause and helped to amplify global condemnation of the South African regime.

He was the captain of the US Davis Cup team at the time, and always felt that the arrest cost him his job.

Ashe used his platform to confront social injustice wherever he saw it, not just in Africa and South Africa, but also in the US and Haiti.

He was also an educator on many issues, and specifically HIV/Aids, which he succumbed to, after contracting the disease from a blood transfusion during heart surgery in the early 1980s.

But he had a particular affinity with South Africa's black population living under a repressive regime.

He said that he identified with them because of his upbringing in racially segregated Richmond in the US state of Virginia.

No wonder then that Ashe was one of the key figures that South African anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela was keen to meet on a trip to New York, inviting him to a historic townhall gathering in 1990 shortly after his release from 27 years in prison.

The pair met on a few occasions, however Ashe did not live to see Mandela become president of South Africa following the 1994 election, which brought in democratic rule and the dismantling of apartheid.

But like Ashe, Mandela was able to use sport to push for change - by helping unify South Africa - notably during the 1995 Rugby World Cup when he famously wore the Springbok jersey, once a hated symbol of apartheid.

To celebrate this year's anniversary of Ashe's victory, the Wimbledon Championships have an installation in the International Tennis Centre tunnel and a new museum display about him. They are also taking a trailblazer workshop on the road to mark his achievement.

His Wimbledon title was the third of his Grand Slam crowns, having previously won the US and Australian Opens.

But to many people like Mathabane - who in 1978 became the first black South African to earn a tennis scholarship to a US university - Arthur Ashe's legacy was his activism, not his tennis.

"He was literally helping to liberate my mind from those mental chains of self-doubt, of believing the big lie about your inferiority and the fact that you're doomed to repeat the work of your parents as a drudge," he said.

"So that was the magic - because he was showing me possibilities."

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'Do they have gold in them?': The Indian artisans up in arms over Prada's sandals

5 July 2025 at 07:12
BBC The image shows Kolhapuri sandals in different shades of brown displayed at a shop. BBC
The earliest records of Kolhapur sandals date back to the 12th Century.

The Western Indian town of Kolhapur has found itself in an unlikely global spotlight, as thousands of local artisans who hand-craft traditional leather footwear are mounting a collective attack on luxury fashion label Prada for plagiarising their designs without credit.

The rhythmic pounding of the hammer in 58-year-old Sadashiv Sanake's dimly lit workshop bears witness to the hard grind behind handcrafting the iconic Kolhapuri leather sandals.

"I learnt the craft as a child," he tells the BBC. A day's toil goes into making just "eight to 10 pairs" of these sandals he says, that retail at a modest $8-10

Barely 5,000 artisans in Kolhapur are still in the profession – a cottage industry that struggles to compete in a mechanised world, caught in the funk of dismal working conditions and low wages.

It's no surprise then that when Italian luxury brand Prada released a new line of footwear that bore a striking resemblance to the Kolhapuri sandals - but didn't mention the design origins - local artisans were up in arms.

Reuters A model wearing Prada walks on the runway at the Milan Fashion Week in June.Reuters
Prada's leather footwear at the Milan Fashion Week sparked a major controversy

The backlash was swift. Social media was flooded with accusations of cultural appropriation, prompting Prada to issue a statement acknowledging the sandals' roots.

Now local politicians and industry associations have thrown their weight behind the artisans who want better recognition of the craft and its cultural legacy.

Mr Sanake was not aware of Prada's show until the BBC showed him a video of it. When told that that the sandals could retail for hundreds of pounds in luxury markets, he scoffed. "Do they have gold in them?" he asked.

Prada hasn't revealed the price tag but its other sandals retail at between £600 to £1,000 in the UK as per its website.

Women browse through Kolhapuri sandals at a store in Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Women try on Kolhapuri sandals at a store in Kolhapur

The earliest records of Kolhapur sandals date back to the 12th Century.

"These sandals were originally crafted by members of the marginalised Charmakar (cobbler) community, also known as chamars," said Kavita Gagrani, a history professor at the New College in Kolhapur.

Chamar is a pejorative caste term used to describe Dalits (formerly known as untouchables) who work with animal hides.

"But in the early 20th Century, the craft flourished when the then ruler of Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj granted royal patronage to this community," Ms Gagrani said.

Today, nearly 100,000 artisans across India are engaged in the trade with an industry worth over $200m, according to the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (MACCIA), a prominent industry trade group.

Yet, most of them continue to work in unorganised setups under dismal conditions.

"I was never educated. This is all I know, and I earn about $4-5 a day, depending on the number of orders," said 60-year-old Sunita Satpute.

Women like her play a critical role, particularly in engraving fine patterns by hand, but are not compensated fairly for their long hours of labour, she said.

That's why Sunita's children don't want to continue the craft.

A short distance away from her workshop lies Kolhapur's famous chappal gully, or sandal lane, a cluster of storefronts - many of them struggling to stay afloat.

"Leather has become very expensive and has pushed up our costs," said Anil Doipode, one of the first sellers to open a shop here.

Traditionally, artisans would use cow and buffalo hide to make these sandals. But since 2014, when the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power, there have been several reports of vigilantes - self-appointed protesters or activists - cracking down on alleged cow slaughter, sometimes with physical violence. The cow is considered sacred by Hindus.

In 2015, Maharashtra state banned the slaughter of cows and the sale and consumption of beef, forcing artisans to rely on buffalo leather sourced from neighbouring states, pushing up their production costs.

Traditional sellers are also struggling to compete with synthetic copies flooding the market.

"Customers want cheaper sandals and can't always tell the difference," said Rohit Balkrishna Gavali, a second-generation Kolhapuri sandal seller.

A women threads a needle through a leather Kolhapuri slipper in a workshop in Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Women artisans engrave fine patterns in the leather sandals by hand

Industry experts say the controversy highlights the need for a better institutional framework to protect the rights of artisans.

In 2019, the Indian government had awarded Kolhapuri sandals the Geographical Indication (GI) - a mark of authenticity which protects its name and design within India, preventing unauthorised use by outsiders.

Globally, however, there is no binding law that stops other countries or brands from aesthetic imitation.

Aishwarya Sandeep, a Mumbai-based advocate, says that India could raise the issue at the World Trade Organization under its TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) agreement, of which it is a signatory.

But the system is cumbersome, expensive and often lacks enforceability, both in India and abroad, she adds.

Lalit Gandhi, the president of MCCIA, says his organisation is planning to patent the Kolhapuri sandal design, hoping to create a legal precedent for future cases.

But some say real change can only happen when India starts seeing its traditional heritage in a different light.

"It's about ethical recognition. India must push for royalty-sharing and co-branding," says Ritu Beri, a renowned designer. "The more we take pride in our culture, the less we will be exploited."

Two artisans make leather sandals at their workshop in Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Kolhapur is home to thousands of artisans who have been making these sandals for generations

Of course, this isn't the first time a global fashion brand has been accused of appropriating Indian handicrafts.

Many big labels have featured Indian fabrics and embroidery work with little to no artist collaboration. "Take Chikankari (a delicate hand-embroidery style from the northern Indian city of Lucknow), Ikat (a cloth-dyeing technique), mirror work; they've all been used repeatedly. The artisans remain invisible while brands profit from their inspiration," Ms Beri says.

Mr Gandhi, however, says that Prada's endorsement of Kolhapuri sandals could also be beneficial for artisans.

"Under their label, the value [of Kolhapuri sandals] is going to increase manifold," he says. "But we want some share of that profit to be passed on to artisans for their betterment."

Rohit Balkrishna Gavali, a sandal-seller in Kolhapur, agrees - he has already begun to see the difference.

"The design Prada used wasn't even very popular, but now people are asking for it, with clients from Dubai, the US and Qatar" placing orders, he says.

"Sometimes, controversy can help," he adds. "But it would be nice if it also brought respect and better prices for those keeping this tradition alive."

The issue is unlikely to die down soon.

For now, a plea has been filed in a high court, demanding Prada pay damages and compensation to artisans, along with a court-supervised collaboration between the luxury label and artisan associations.

Prada has told BBC in a statement that it is in talks with the MCCIA on this matter.

Mr Gandhi, its chief, says a meeting between the two sides is going to take place next week.

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夏季达沃斯:中国AI无处不在

“未来18个月到24个月,中国会出现成百个像DeepSeek这样的软件产品。”

“技术是在与人类认知的不断冲突中逐渐进化迭代。机器出现不可控的意外让人害怕,引人反思,但不能因为害怕而停滞不前,不去拥抱未来。”

100家“科技先锋”企业中,中国有11家,数量继续排名全球第二,其中涉及AI的公司多达6家。

南方周末研究员 李鹤鸣

发自:天津

责任编辑:丰雨

2025年6月24-26日,天津,犹如炙烤的天气,第16届夏季达沃斯论坛(全称“世界经济论坛新领军者年会”)会场亦是人声鼎沸。全球90多个国家和地区的1700多名政要、企业家和学者等汇聚于此。

作为经济的风向标,夏季达沃斯参会企业备受关注。南方周末研究员基于参会现场调研和对该论坛参会机构名单梳理发现,今年参加夏季达沃斯论坛的各类企业和机构超1000家,较2024年增加近1倍,创下新高。其中近500家中国公司报名参会,占全部参会机构的半壁江山。信息技术类和信息通信类参会公司数量最多,占全部参会机构总数的约1/10,是本届夏季达沃斯论坛的主力军。

两天半的会期中,150多场分论坛对话让人应接不暇。其中,尤以中国人工智能技术最为热门。无论是嘉宾的发言还是现场展示的科技新发明,抑或每个参会者手机里的App,“DeepSeek们”无处不在。

“AI+时代”来了

作为本届夏季达沃斯的开场论坛之一,“AI+时代”成为热议的话题。“DeepSeek为人工智能应用的发展开拓了巨大的空间。”国际货币基金组织(IMF)前副总裁、世界经济论坛董事会成员、中国国际经济交流中心(CCIEE)资深专家委员朱民预言,“未来18个月到24个月,中国会出现成百个像DeepSeek这样的软件产品。”他进而用数据佐证:中国拥有占全球30%的制造业规模、14亿人口的消费市场规模和数以几千万计的工程师人才规模,同时还拥有极为丰富的应用场景。这些都为AI应用软件业的发展提供了很好的空间。“人工智能AI+将成为中国经济发展的重要推动力。”

世界经济论坛董事会成员、中国国际经济交流中心(CCIEE)资深专家委员朱民(世界经济论坛供图)

附议之声在本届夏季达沃斯论坛上随处可闻。长江商学院院长李海涛在“解读中国AI发展路径”分论坛上表示,中国和美国是在全球AI革命中最具领跑潜力的两个国家,而DeepSeek等中国AI公司正是中国在教育、互联网经济、5G通信、电子支付、科技基础设施、可再生能源等多个领先行业长时间积累成果上产生的。他认为,“AI的本质是让智慧规模化,AI革命必将引发各个行业变革。”

长江商学院院长李海涛(世界经济论坛供图)

世界经济论坛创新者社区负责人薇瑞娜·库恩则表示,DeepSeek的成功证明,即便没有欧美顶尖高校和大型AI实验室的资深人才,中国的初创企业仅凭自身的研发实力也可以制作出媲美ChatGPT性能的人工智能产品。

康奈尔大学教授Eswar Prasad亦认为,“中国非常善于把技术突破成果大规模应用起来,转化为实际生产力。”他还建议,“中国的经济和金融系统必须为此进行调整,以确保资源准确流向所需要的领域。”

康奈尔大学教授Eswar Prasad(世界经济论坛供图)

中国AI军团初见端倪

诸多论坛高声量热议中国AI话题时,论坛期间发布的100家“科技先锋”企业名单,位列其中的中国企业亦备受关注。中国有11家企业上榜,数量继续排名全球第二,其中涉及AI的公司多达6家。中国AI军团已初见端倪。

南方周末研究员调研还发现,中国企业报名参会的数量和占比逐年提升的同时,参会者也呈现较高的更新率。一方面,绝大多数新进入者是初创型科技企业;另一方面,参会科技企业较为集中的赛道也在悄然变化。2019年前夏季达沃斯上热门的增强现实(VR)、大数据、云存储等领域的科技初创公司多已退出,取而代之的是以芯片研发制造、通用人工智能、具身机器人、脑机接口等更加硬核的科技赛道竞争者。

中国工程院外籍院士、清华大学智能产业研究院(AIR)院长张亚勤(世界经济论坛供图)

事实上,中国AI技术推动千行百业迎来“DeepSeek时刻”亦成为论坛的共识。中国工程院外籍院士、清华大学智能产业研究院(AIR)院长张亚勤认为,自动驾驶领域即将迎来 “DeepSeek时刻”。中国生物制药CEO、正大天晴董事长谢承润则认为,生物制药的“DeepSeek时刻”即将到来。西门子管理委员会委员、首席技术官兼首席战略官彼得·科尔特(Peter Koerte)也认为,DeepSeek等优质大模型降低了人工智能技术的使用门槛,可惠及更多用户和行业。“三五年内,西门子全线产品都将搭载AI技术。”当被问及未来1/3的IT研发预算分配方向时,他坦言,“当然是DeepSeek,更快更好更便宜,而且非常得灵活。”

西门子管理委员会委员、首席技术官兼首席战略官彼得·科尔特(世界经济论坛供图)

当然,AI将深刻改变就业市场。朱民称,在AI技术影响下,未来就业结构将发生根本变化,一线简单重复劳动的工作都可以被替代,但就业总需求不会减少。他认为,中国在AI时代来临后,服务业发展有很大空间,科技发展和人工智能化也有很大空间,未来的就业都会在这些新兴领域实现。瑞士人力资源巨头德科集团中国区CEO倪瀛也表示,中国是德科全球的第二大市场,AI崛起和经济挑战将影响千万级的就业岗位。

人机互信是长期过程

“杭州六小龙”中,4家亮相本次论坛,亦是论坛中的被追逐者。其中,宇树科技创始人兼CEO王兴兴和云深处科技创始人兼CEO朱秋国分别参加了一场公开分论坛讨论,群核科技董事长黄晓煌、强脑科技合伙人何熙昱锦则分别参加了夏季达沃斯论坛期间的场外活动。他们活跃在会场内外,所到之处皆是与会嘉宾和媒体竞相追逐的焦点。

宇树科技创始人兼CEO王兴兴(世界经济论坛供图)

6月26日,“解读中国AI发展路径”分论坛甫一结束,作为发言嘉宾之一的王兴兴立刻就被蜂拥而上的嘉宾团团围住。此次分论坛上,他首度公开披露宇树科技2024年度营收突破10亿元,员工规模从2016年的1人扩张至超1000人。此前不久,该公司完成C轮7亿元融资,估值已达120亿元。面对媒体和资本的追捧,王兴兴保持克制与冷静,他坦言,当下机器人在家庭场景应用上仍处于探索阶段,并主动特别提及一次事故:某客户采购的宇树机器人在外参加活动时,不慎踩掉了一个小女孩的鞋子。尽管未对小女孩造成实际身体伤害,但王兴兴强调,这一事件暴露出机器人在近距离与人交互时存在不容忽视的安全隐患。“在这类产品中,安全性问题比技术问题更为关键。”王兴兴如此表示。

同为机器人领域的领先企业,朱秋国在参加“谁更信任机器?”分论坛时表示,中国的消费者之所以比美国、日本等国更加信任AI,政府部门在推动AI科技发展方面起到了非常大的引领作用。同时,新一代年轻人更喜欢使用AI,民众更愿意尝试更新鲜的技术,尝试对生活的改变。谈及人机信任构建,他认为目前人们首先是把机器人当成替代人的劳动者来看待,但对未来机器人可能拥有自我意识和自我情绪仍害怕,担心机器人会跟人类产生冲突。“建立信任是长期过程。”朱秋国表示,“技术是在与人类认知的不断冲突中逐渐进化迭代。机器出现不可控的意外让人害怕,引人反思,但不能因为害怕而停滞不前,不去拥抱未来。”

校对:星歌

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从知到行,华润万象生活如何引领可持续生活新风尚|2025年度CSR观察案例⑤

华润万象生活通过打造可持续购物场所、创新可持续消费场景、共建可持续生活场域,引导商户为消费者提供更多可持续消费选择和便利,探索了大型购物中心如何推进可持续消费的有效路径。

南方周末中国企业社会责任研究中心

责任编辑:邹力

2025年5月16日-18日,西安万象城与时尚媒体《服饰与美容VOGUE》共同举办了“VOGUE Vintage锦衣妙集”可持续时尚活动,通过快闪市集、深度论坛、创意派对、特别版生命之树光影秀等多元形式,将可持续理念与时装美学深度融合,打造了城市级可持续时尚潮流事件。

这是在经济社会发展全面绿色转型背景下,大型购物中心打造可持续消费新场景的一次探索,也是华润万象生活自2022年制定ESG战略、确立“双碳”目标后,充分发挥自身可持续领导力,带动消费者、合作伙伴共赴可持续生活的众多项目之一。

西安万象成“VOGUE Vintage锦衣妙集”可持续时尚活动

可持续消费的“知行鸿沟”

在加快构建以国内大循环为主体、国内国际双循环相互促进的新发展格局背景下,消费对中国经济健康稳定发展的引领作用日益提升。

另一方面,消费端碳减排潜力巨大。根据中国科学院的研究数据,居民消费产生的碳排放量占总量的53%。培育和引导绿色消费、可持续消费既能直接降低消费环节的碳排放,也有助于推动生产供给端的绿色化。

因此,各国政府都非常重视推进可持续消费,通过出台政策支持社会各界传播可持续消费理念,将可持续消费与打造消费升级平台、提升传统消费能级和加快新型消费发展等有机融合起来,充分发挥消费对经济绿色转型的牵引带动作用。

在中国,如何发挥中国超大规模市场优势,在消费各领域全周期、全链条、全体系深度融入绿色理念,不断创新绿色消费场景,以消费端绿色升级带动生产端绿色转型,充分发挥绿色消费对高质量发展的支撑作用,成为实现经济发展方式绿色转型的有效路径。

为充分激发绿色消费的潜在需求,2022年1月,国家发展改革委、工业和信息化部等七部委联合印发《促进绿色消费实施方案》,旨在全面促进衣食住用行等消费领域实现绿色低碳转型升级。其中明确提出到2030年绿色消费方式成为公众自觉选择,绿色低碳产品成为市场主流。

2024年7月31日,《中共中央国务院关于加快经济社会发展全面绿色转型的意见》指出,中国将从绿色生活方式、绿色产品供给和绿色消费三大方面,全面推动消费模式绿色转型。

通过政府的政策推动、品牌企业的产品创新以及社会的传播,中国消费者,特别是年轻一代的消费者,对可持续消费的认同度不断提升。根据商道纵横发布的《中国可持续消费报告2024》,中国超过99.5%的Z世代(通常是指1995年至2009年出生的一代人)消费者认同开展低碳消费可以助力应对气候变化,其中超过20%的消费者认为开展低碳消费对应对气候变化有非常大的作用;超过八成(82.36%)受访者表示看到的低碳消费信息会影响他们的日常消费选择;消费者对于低碳产品溢价接受程度较高,80%左右的受访者表示愿意接受低碳产品溢价。

然而,与庞大的消费市场相比,中国当前的绿色消费水平不高,发展绿色低碳消费市场仍存在多重制约。整体来看,绿色消费政策、绿色产品供给、绿色消费认知等之间衔接不畅。具体来看,在绿色消费两端,同时存在着品牌企业的“行动困境”和消费者的“选择困境”,即如何向消费者展示产品和服务的绿色属性、唤醒绿色消费意识并转化为消费选择,是企业的难题;如何在铺天盖地的广告中选择一款性价比高的绿色商品,则是消费者的困境。

根据德勤发布的《从消费者看“可持续”的中西差异》报告,“价格过于昂贵”“可获取的信息较少”成为阻碍消费者购买可持续产品和服务的主要原因。

阻碍中国消费者购买可持续产品或服务的主要原因(数据来源:德勤)

在可持续消费市场,从“知”到“行”之间依然存在巨大鸿沟需要跨越。

消费决策虽然是个人行为,但会受到供给系统、购物环境、社会规范等外在因素影响,这些因素决定了可持续的消费意识能否转化为行动。

作为中国领先的物业管理及商业运营服务商,华润万象生活从场所(硬件)、场景(软件)和场域(生态)三个层面,探索了大型购物中心如何推进可持续消费的有效路径。

打造可持续购物场所

从最初的深圳万象城到如今多元化的商业布局,万象商业经历了三个重要阶段。2004年,首个商业项目深圳万象城开业,为城市带来全新的生活体验;2018年,随着深圳湾综合体落成,以及此后南昌红谷滩万象天地、义乌天地、大运天地等标杆项目相继入市,项目之于城市的公共属性愈发凸显;2024年,随着现象级、国际化、文商旅新地标西安万象城启幕,万象商业进入了对自然、文化与未来全新思考的新时期。

目前,万象商业已形成包含万象城、万象汇、万象天地核心产品品牌,覆盖多元创新产品线的业务模式。截至2024年12月底,万象商业在营购物中心达122座,销售额2,150亿元,零售额排名当地市场第一的购物中心数量达50座,连续5年蝉联商业地产榜首(观点机构发布)。

自首个购物中心项目入市以来,万象商业便将业务增长与城市可持续发展深度联结,通过整合优质资源,运营全业态城市空间,为全客户提供高品质服务,在赋能城市经济增长与活力迸发的同时,助力打造可持续城市和社区。

为加速应对气候变化,2022年,华润万象生活制定了系统的ESG战略,将绿色发展作为ESG战略的五大领域之一,并从以下四个方面推动绿色发展:一是建立并提升应对气候变化的能力;二是对项目开展能源自审计,识别节能降耗空间;三是加大清洁可再生能源使用;四是推进废弃物减量与再利用。

在具体目标上,公司承诺2030碳达峰、2050碳中和;并明确提出2030年前所有重奢购物中心实现绿电运营。

2024年,华润万象生活选取购物中心、社区代表性项目开展能源审计,加速节能措施复制与推广。购物中心实现试点项目能耗同比节降5.29%,基于诊断成果编制《华润万象生活商业项目机电低碳运维技术指引》,形成覆盖气密性、质量、供热、照明、动力以及停车场等系统的综合性技术指引。

在节能改造的同时,华润万象生活加速推进清洁能源应用,通过自建光伏、采购绿色电力等方式积极推进使用清洁能源。截至2024年底,累计在19个商业购物中心项目建设分布式光伏发电系统,总装机容量约10,513千瓦时,年发电总量1,165万千瓦时,同比增加76%;采购绿色电力和绿证总量18,987万千瓦时。

在深圳,深圳大运天地摒弃传统购物中心模式,依据地形布局低密度松弛街区,以“公园感”设计拉近与居民的距离,通过改造长期空置的场馆,融合环湖生态资源、文体场馆及公园景观,打造可呼吸的开放式商业街区。结合场馆特色,因地制宜打造低碳场馆、新能源停车场两大绿色低碳场景,两项举措预计年发电量102万千瓦时,节约标煤125吨,减少二氧化碳排放约328吨,减少二氧化硫排放约1.06吨。

在大连,大连乐都汇联动华润电力开展零碳商业探索,通过实施屋顶光伏、充电场站、双碳数字化管理平台等领域合作,落地电热储能、节能改造等项目,打造智慧零碳商业中心。该项目依托全套的能源管理系统,能够实时监测购物中心水、电的能耗情况,实现能源精益化管理,截至2024年底,项目已投运分布式光伏发电77.6万千瓦时、新能源充电桩16个。

大连乐都汇“智慧零碳商业中心”

在贵阳,贵阳万象汇以创建“无废商场”为目标,从组织保障、技术升级、材料创新和租户参与入手,积极推进绿色实践。在能源管理方面,引入智能化控制系统,对制冷机组、水泵、冷却塔等关键设备进行AI算法优化,精准识别能耗改进点并进行改进提升;在日常清洁材料、纸制品、推广物料方面,融入可降解、可再生等环保元素,以减少对环境的影响。2024年,租户对无废商场创建活动参与率从20%提升至80%,有效减少了一次性餐具、包装袋的使用,全年能耗同比降低4.74%。

在兰州,兰州万象城深入推进垃圾分类工作,通过修建围栏、增设管道、安装负离子空气净化器等举措解决建渣池围建、生活垃圾房上下水和异味等硬件问题,同时联动政府主管部门、业主、租户等利益相关方,建立“图示+现场指引+视频指引”全套垃圾投放动线指引流程,增强社会公众对垃圾分类重要性的认知与实践,构建绿色消费场景为商业空间场景赋能,获评省级生活垃圾分类示范单位和市级“无废商场”荣誉。

创新可持续消费场景

即使消费者愿意追求可持续的生活方式,但如果没有安全健康、品质优良、价格合理、易于购买的绿色产品和服务供给,可持续消费永远无法跨越从“知”到“行”的鸿沟。

因此,企业需要以消费者为中心,搭建可持续消费场景,提供便捷的可持续消费“入口”。

作为生活方式的提供者,华润万象生活以“可持续生活周”为牵引,围绕“可持续低碳生活、可持续循环体验、可持续时尚消费、可持续人文艺术”四大方面,利用更新潮、艺术、时尚的方式,将低碳行为融入消费者购物的各个触点,创新性搭建可持续消费场景。

发起“可持续生活周”。2022年,华润万象生活聚焦全国11座重奢购物中心,探索通过主题联动的方式,共同传递可持续消费理念;此后围绕链接品牌、公益组织、媒体等相关伙伴,打造了系列可持续活动,旗下93座商场举办“可持续生活周”,聚焦资源整合与价值链优化,打破商业企业与品牌、消费者之间的边界,实现全链条覆盖,推动行业向“绿”转型。 

打造可持续街区。2024年春,深圳万象天地发起mixtuRE: Sustainable Fest可持续生活季。引入9家首进可持续生活方式品牌入驻mxtr街区,涵盖了循环再生、绿色出行、轻户外、民艺永续、旧物恒久、慢时尚等内容,从“衣食住行”做起,为消费者提供“看得见”“买得到”的可持续消费体检。在通过可持续品牌传递可持续消费理念的同时,街区品牌实现了380万的零售额增量,创造了显著的经济、社会及环境价值。

深圳万象天地可持续生活季

打造青年友好社区。优化空间设计,在空间打造上,融入较多环保、健康及可持续发展元素,引入潮流品牌和举办多样化活动,吸引并服务年轻消费者。华润万象生活已在多个购物中心推出青年友好社区,营造多元、时尚、潮流、可持续的消费场景。如无锡万象城通过策划骑行、跑步、桨板、皮划艇、滑冰等运动社交活动,搭建“青年运动友好型社群”,共创社群可持续活动。

打造可持续文化窗口。珠海万象汇以世界地球日、世界海洋日为契机,每年春季发起“可持续艺术漫游企划”城市共鸣生活节,携手WWF世界自然基金会、深圳市一个地球自然基金会共同呈献“网里网外”海洋生态艺术展、城市农场计划生态展等。

珠海万象汇生态展

开展可持续巡展。2024年9月,华润万象生活与华润饮料携手举办的“2024宝贝重塑”可持续生活全国巡展活动在成都科幻馆启幕。活动以购物中心、社区、写字楼等多业态空间为载体,打造“塑料再生之路”科普展览及亲子互动体验,将“循环利用”和“低碳生活”的理念传递给消费者、业主、客户以及更多市民。截至2024年底,“宝贝重塑”巡展已陆续在成都、武汉、上海、重庆、深圳5个城市的9个购物中心、写字楼和社区项目落地。

“宝贝重塑”可持续巡展

推出“集食行乐WELLEAT”活动。2024年,华润万象生活旗下20座购物中心联合超150家商户推出“集食行乐WELLEAT”活动,参加商户根据WELL健康建筑标准中“营养”概念下的N02、N06、N09条款提供菜品,通过对健康餐食的披露与定制,将可持续理念融入消费者互动环节,提升大众对健康饮食重要性的认识,让更多人受益于科学的饮食选择。

共建可持续生活场域

经济社会绿色转型是一项系统工程,需要联动产业链上下游与合作伙伴,共同搭建平台,汇聚绿色发展合力。

为更好推动可持续生活方式转变,华润万象生活充分发挥领导力,积极联动品牌企业、第三方伙伴搭建合作平台,加强与消费者互动,共建可持续生活场域。

为引导品牌商户为消费者低碳消费行为提供更多便利和选择,2023年,华润万象生活面向购物中心租户发起《可持续发展倡议》,与超过2万家合作方达成可持续发展共识,并首次在《购物中心租户设计手册》中增加“可持续篇章”,包括鼓励采用环保装修材料、提供更多开放性空间、营造绿色健康环境等。

《华润万象生活可持续发展倡议》:2023年起,华润万象生活推动全国项目于《租户手册》中载明《可持续发展倡议》,包含17条可持续条款,覆盖6大租户生命周期领域,在建筑设计、装修施工、日常经营、顾客体验的全生命周期均充分考虑了可持续发展原则,在节能、节水、节材等方面采取相应低碳环保节能的运营措施,希望做到保护地球生态环境和减少污染。

2024年,华润万象生活正式发起“万象伙伴计划”,以可持续发展为核心引擎,构建多方协同、价值共创的合作新范式。

在合作伙伴选择环节,公司将可持续发展能力作为核心指标之一,综合考量品牌在绿色供应链建设、可持续消费实践、社区贡献等维度的表现,甄选出50余家兼具商业价值与社会责任担当的亿元生意规模品牌。在实施运营环节,公司建立从总部战略协同到区域精准执行的三级赋能体系,制定拓店策略时同频全生命周期绿色倡议,在市场活动中植入可持续主题,在会员运营中融入环保奖励机制等,实现商业增长与责任履行的共振。2024年,华润万象生活助力伙伴品牌全年业绩同比增长超20%,同时《可持续发展倡议》收悉率保持100%。

在机构合作方面,华润万象生活通过链接最具公信力的行业机构,吸引头部资源加入责任生态圈,为商业品牌注入可持续基因。如与头部时尚媒体开展环保时尚主题合作,联合时尚潮流展会开展可持续展览,让时尚先锋成为环保倡导者,通过艺术表达传递绿色价值。

2024年,在万象商业迎来20周年之际,华润万象生活与国际WELL建筑研究院(IWBI)联合开展WELL嘉年华活动,从强化可持续市场化标签、提升消费者感知角度出发,牵引市场头部资源,在全国20+购物中心围绕健康菜单、运动社群、可持续消费等开展主题活动,进一步激发消费者对健康、可持续生活方式的行动力。

WELL嘉年华主旨论坛

2025年4月30日,由沈阳万象城与SEE基金会发起的全民观鸟节正式启动,以培育科学观鸟文化为目标,推出《城市观鸟指南》,打造观鸟界“孤独星球”,为更多人参与观鸟活动提供专业、科学、有趣的指引。展区将结合艺术创作,深度解读城市鸟类与生态系统的共生关系,通过趣味科普活动引导公众关注生物多样性,为大众传递生态保护与可持续发展的美好理念。

消费者是践行可持续生活的重要环节。截至2024年,华润万象生活购物中心会员万象会在全国逾5700万人,年轻一代尤其90后与00后的占比正逐年提升。在共建可持续生活场域的过程中,华润万象生活尤其关注面向消费者宣传和普及可持续消费理念。

尤其在城市地标性购物中心,华润万象生活首创“可持续商业共生体”模式。整合独有的空间资源,与品牌伙伴共同打造可持续街区、艺术装置等交互区域;运用全渠道媒介矩阵,传播绿色消费理念;激活五千万级会员体系,建立可持续消费活动及粘性。

可持续领导力背后

华润万象生活通过打造可持续购物场所、创新可持续消费场景、共建可持续生活场域,引导商户为消费者提供更多低碳消费选择和便利,让可持续生活方式逐渐成为社会新风尚。在这个过程中,华润万象生活展示了强大的可持续领导力,成为整个可持续生活网络的推动者、促进者和贡献者。

作为大型购物中心的代表,华润万象生活沉淀出了一套包括场所(硬件)、场景(软件)和场域(生态)三个层面推动可持续消费的有效路径。在这背后,是华润万象生活对负责任经营、可持续发展的创新和思考。

1. 拥抱可持续理念

华润万象生活始终倡导负责任发展理念,重视相关方对可持续发展议题的参与,积极推动行业可持续发展进程。

2020年12月9日在港交所上市后,华润万象生活开始更加科学的履责之路,积极拥抱国际可持续发展理念,对标世界一流企业,希望成为可持续商业的典范。

2022年,华润万象生活制定了“153”ESG 战略,以“成为可持续发展表现引领行业的世界一流企业”为愿景,确立万象生态、以人为本、伙伴共赢、绿色发展、诚信经营五大领域,同时结合公司业务实际制定了 22 项优先议题。


华润万象生活ESG战略

表:2022年-2024年华润万象生活可持续发展里程碑事件

2. 放大可持续影响

在应对气候变化这一全球议题下,单一企业的作用是有限的,如何带动价值链上下游以及合作伙伴共同参与成为“领导型企业”需要解决的课题。

从企业业务模式角度来看,华润万象生活属于“轻资产”企业,主要业务是购物中心运营以及物业管理服务,其可持续商业实践的核心与能源、金融、汽车、电子等行业存在明显差异。

基于此,华润万象生活选择了另一条路径,将推动上下游价值链相关方参与作为重要策略,并纳入到公司2030可持续发展目标中进行持续管理。

在具体实践层面,华润万象生活充分发挥自身在品牌、组织、技术、资金等方面的优势,与合作伙伴在可持续消费领域进行开放合作,帮助合作伙伴找到社会价值和商业价值的结合点,让合作伙伴在践行绿色可持续消费的同时,获得更可持续的商业价值,充分放大自身的可持续影响力。

3. 善用可持续技术

数字技术对城市与社区发展的意义深远且广泛,有助于提升效率、优化资源配置、增强居民参与感和改善生活质量,推动社区向智能化、可持续化和人性化方向发展。华润万象生活按照“生产科技化、运营数字化、空间智慧化、数据资产化”的策略,积极推进参与智慧社区建设,利用物联网、大数据、云计算和人工智能等技术,推动能耗监测、环境传感器、智能垃圾分类、智能浇灌等设施落地,打通消费者与商户之间的连接,提供更方便的可持续消费“入口”,并探索搭建积分等激励机制。

4. 共建可持续生态

碳中和是一场广泛而深刻的系统性变革,推动经济社会发展全面绿色转型需要政府部门、商业机构、社会组织、媒介、消费者等各个市场主体的共同参与和相互协作,以实现绿色转型在政策制度、市场机构、技术创新、消费认知等方面的有效衔接,从而激发更大的绿色转型创新活力。

在落地“可持续发展”这个宏大命题的进程中,华润万象生活重点关注零售消费端。一方面与商户共同前进,“引入租户共同参与机制”,构建可持续消费“朋友圈”;另一方面,作为生活方式的提供者,强调将可持续理念渗透到消费者的生活日常。

围绕商户与消费者,华润万象生活在政府政策的支持下,积极联动专业机构、社会组织、媒介机构,初步搭建了以华润万象生活为节点的绿色开放合作网络,共同引导和培育可持续生活新风尚。

绿色开放合作网络

专家点评

华润万象生活的可持续发展管理与实践为商业地产及商管物业行业树立了标杆,其创新性与系统性在多个维度上展现出行业引领价值。

首先,创新建立“场所-场景-场域”三维体系,实现了从硬件设施到消费行为的可持续消费闭环。在硬件层面,通过绿电应用、节能改造等举措,显著降低了商业体的碳足迹,体现了央企在绿色转型中的责任担当;在场景层面,通过艺术化、年轻化的活动设计,将可持续理念转化为可感知的消费体验,有效消弭了“知易行难”的认知鸿沟;在生态层面,联动2万余家商户,构建起多方协同、价值共创的合作新范式,推动了商业生态的可持续发展。

其次,重新定义了商业综合体的社会功能。传统购物中心大多是交易平台的角色,而华润万象生活通过“可持续共生体”模式,将商业空间转化为绿色生活方式的孵化器。其购物中心试点项目实现能耗同比节降5.29%,采购绿色电力和绿证总量达18987万千瓦时。2024年,华润万象生活发起“万象伙伴计划”,将可持续发展能力作为商户选拔的核心指标,甄选兼具商业价值与社会责任担当的品牌伙伴,助力伙伴品牌全年业绩增长,这些量化成果从某种程度上说明了商业价值与社会价值的正相关关系。

华润万象生活的案例为业界的可持续发展提供了重要启示:ESG战略要与主营业务深度耦合,将可持续理念融入商户选拔、空间运营、会员体系等核心环节,形成可复制的管理标准;技术创新应服务于行为改变,通过智能控制系统、创新交互手段等方式,将抽象的环保理念具象为消费者的日常选择;构建多元共治生态,链接政府、NGO、消费者、媒体等多方主体,突破单个企业的资源瓶颈,共建绿色生态网络。

华润万象生活的案例证明,商业空间可以成为培育可持续生活方式的“社会实验室”,为城市绿色转型提供了新颖的解题思路。其通过系统性治理、绿色运营、社会责任实践,不仅实现了商业价值的提升,更推动了社会价值的创造,展现了可持续发展在商业与社会中的双重价值。

——王忠平

南方周末中国企业社会责任研究中心智库专家

北京林业大学经济管理学院ESG研究中心主任


华润万象生活有限公司是中国领先的物业管理及商业运营服务商,2020年12月9日于港交所上市。公司以“城市品质生活服务平台”为战略定位,坚持围绕“成为客户信赖和喜爱的城市品质生活服务商”的企业愿景,聚焦涵盖商业运营、物业服务、大会员体系的“2+1”业务模式,致力打造全业态、全客户、全产品、全服务一体化生态体系,截至2024年底,公司在营购物中心122座。

校对:赵立宇

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England & Wales bid to survive 'toughest group of all'

5 July 2025 at 15:10

England & Wales bid to survive 'toughest group of all'

Leah Williamson of England and Hannah Cain of WalesImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

England and Wales are in Group D along with France and the Netherlands

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England and Wales are flying the flag for the home nations at Euro 2025 this summer.

But the two teams have found themselves paired together in the trickiest group, alongside the Netherlands and France.

That means three of the four teams in the group are in the top 11 of Fifa's world rankings.

Wales take on the Dutch (17:00 BST on Saturday) in a game you can watch and listen to across the BBC, before England face France (20:00), with radio commentary on 5 Live and BBC Sounds, with live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.

But what makes Group D so difficult and who is most likely to make it through?

World rankings for teams in Euro 2025 Group D - England five, France 10, Netherlands 11, Wales 30

'The most lopsided draw I have ever seen'

Group D, according to Netherlands boss Andries Jonker, is the "toughest group of all" at Euro 2025.

And Opta have backed up his claim, with the stat experts' supercomputer predicting there's a 37% chance a Group D team will win the tournament.

That's 7% higher than the second-favourite group.

"It's the most lopsided draw I have ever seen," football journalist Tom Garry told the Football Daily podcast.

"The doomsday scenario for England and Wales is that they could both be out before they play each other in the third game."

Two former champions

Sarina Wiegman with Euro 2022 trophyImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Sarina Wiegman led the Netherlands to Euros success in 2017 before guiding the Lionesses to the trophy in 2022

England arrive in Switzerland as the defending champions while the Netherlands won the previous tournament in 2017 - both were managed by Sarina Wiegman.

Both teams won all three of their group-stage games when they won the title.

The defending champions have never failed to progress past the group stage at a European Championship.

"Straight from the beginning, we need to be really sharp and strong but that's also the case for the other teams," England head coach Wiegman said when the draw was made.

The Lionesses have won their past 14 group-stage matches at major tournaments while the Netherlands are unbeaten in their past 13.

Jonker said: "This is the toughest group of all with three top countries. We have to accept this and go for the challenge and believe in ourselves.

"We are not coming to participate, we think we can beat every country."

France on fine form

France have never won a major trophy but they have an impressive group-stage record, progressing in each of their past eight major tournament appearances.

And Laurent Bonadei's team have form on their side. They are on an eight-game winning run and have only conceded two goals since February while they last tasted defeat in December - to world champions Spain.

England full-back Lucy Bronze says Saturday's opening match between the sides is not to be missed.

"Both teams are full of exciting attacking talent and I think it's the game everyone is going to be watching because it's surely the most exciting group game coming into a Euros," right-back Bronze said.

Les Bleues left-back Selma Bacha also said she is "very happy" to play England first, adding: "That's going to put us straight into the thick of things for the Euros."

However, this will be the first time since 2005 that France have been at a Euros or World Cup without both Wendie Renard and all-time leading scorer Eugenie le Sommer, who were controversially left out of Bonadei's side.

"The experience and the amount of caps that Renard and Le Sommer have is absolutely huge," said former England forward Ellen White.

"To have that completely wiped from your squad is a really interesting dynamic to go into this tournament."

Former Scotland defender Jen Beattie said: "They've obviously seen something and made a big decision, and they were also quoted saying 'insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results'."

Wales will 'embrace' underdog status

Wales players, including Ceri Holland, left, and Josephine Green celebrate after their side's victory in the Uefa Women's Euro 2025 play-off Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Wales beat the Republic of Ireland in December's play-offs to qualify for Euro 2025

Competing in their first major tournament and as the lowest ranked team in the compteition, Wales are not only the underdogs for Group D but for the whole of Euro 2025.

"People can call us underdogs and write us off as much as they want but our belief in ourselves will be the most important thing," said Wales forward Jess Fishlock.

"I think we will embrace it and we will use it as an advantage."

Despite their lower ranking, Wales have shown they can compete with top teams under coach Rhian Wilkinson, claiming two impressive draws against Sweden earlier this year.

"It absolutely terrifies me playing Wales in the last game and trying to get points because it will be such a hard game," White said.

"It will be a European final for Wales. They've got enthusiasm, you don't know what to expect, they're competitive, the fans are going to be amazing. That's going to be a really hard test for England."

However, history isn't on Wales' side. Only one of the past six teams making their debut in the Euros have made it out of the group.

'Too many shots in dog collars': Booze culture at crisis-hit cathedral revealed

5 July 2025 at 14:15
X A blurry shot of the inside of Bangor Cathedral with multiple boxes and kegs of beers lining tables. A man with a red long-sleeved top on and dark brown hair is sitting with his back to the camera, other people are in the room but their faces have been blurred by the BBC for anonymity reasons. A  blue door can be seen in the background underneath what appears to be a pulpitX
Casks of beer were blessed at an Oktoberfest event in 2022 at Bangor Cathedral

Priests and choristers at a cathedral mired in controversy did a "seven last shots of Christ" drinking game at a pub on Good Friday after services at the Archbishop of Wales' cathedral.

People who sang with the choir at Bangor Cathedral have told the BBC there "seemed to be any excuse to bring out the wine" and "go to the pub" because of a "binge drinking culture".

The claims come days after Andrew John retired as Archbishop of Wales with immediate effect after two critical reports highlighted safeguarding concerns and misbehaviour at his Bangor diocese.

The Church in Wales said the "abuse of alcohol is always inappropriate" and said a policy regarding alcohol use was being developed.

Mr John will also retire as Bishop of Bangor on 31 August but the church has called for a series of reviews and investigations of his diocese and cathedral.

This comes after reports highlighted "a culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred", excessive alcohol consumption and governance and safeguarding weaknesses.

While there is no suggestion the then archbishop, the leader of the Church in Wales, behaved inappropriately, the church's representative body said there must be a "change in leadership, procedures and governance in the diocese of Bangor".

A picture of the outgoing Archbishop of Wales Andrew John wearing a purple top and a dog collar with a chain around his neck inside a cathedrawl with candles lit in the background
Andrew John retired as Archbishop of Wales last month and will retire as Bishop of Bangor on 31 August

Jessica, not her real name, said she was assaulted by someone who was trying to become a priest who had been drinking at a Bangor Cathedral Oktoberfest event in 2022.

"He had had considerably too much to drink," she told the BBC.

"I'd already warned people that night he's drinking a lot more than everyone else. So these warning signs were ignored and that led to that assault."

Jessica, now in her early 20s, said another person was also sexually assaulted by the man at the event in the 6th Century Gwynedd cathedral.

She reported it and he apologised, but she said the drinking culture did not change.

"Several bottles of prosecco would be gone through on a Sunday morning," Jessica added.

"Any sort of external event or big internal event there was prosecco or wine."

The Church in Wales confirmed that Jessica was one of two people who complained about the man's behaviour and his priest training was not taken forward.

'Seven last shots of Christ'

After a cathedral concert on Good Friday in 2023, members of the choir went for drinks.

"A few of the priests came out with the choir," recalled Jessica. "It was deemed appropriate to do the seven last shots of Christ."

The Seven Last Words of Christ refers to seven last sentences that Jesus spoke from the Cross on Good Friday as quoted in the Bible.

"Because Christ has seven last words, therefore we sang seven pieces of the seven last words in the concert - and that somehow translated into seven shots of Christ," she recalled.

"I think I left after the first shot because I was like 'I don't think this is appropriate'. There's too many people taking shots in dog collars for me to be comfortable."

Jessica said she went on a tour to Rome with the choir in June 2023.

"Every night we'd go to a bar first and then a restaurant," she recalled.

"At the time I was teetotal. I would be like I don't want wine, I don't want to drink in this situation. I don't want alcohol.

"That would not be an okay answer, that would be questioned beyond belief. Like, this alcohol is free. Why are you not taking it? You should have it."

Esme Byrd A picture of a person's face with brown wavy hair and circular glasses in front of a blue backgroundEsme Byrd
Esme Byrd said she left her position as a lay clerk at Bangor Cathedral because no-one listened to her concerns about the culture at the diocese

Esme Byrd was a lay clerk at Bangor Cathedral for six months and regularly sang with the choir until leaving in January 2023.

The 29-year-old said the culture and attitude to alcohol was "deeply unhealthy" with some people getting "really catastrophically drunk".

"There was a culture of binge drinking," said Esme.

"Not necessarily all the time, but certainly there was a lot of alcohol around almost all the services or various events. It seemed to be any excuse to bring out the wine, any excuse to go to the pub."

Esme, who sometimes worked directly with the children in the choir, said she became concerned about the wellbeing of younger members of the choir, especially the language used around them.

"It was the level of 18-rated sexual jokes, crude sexual humour done in front of children as young as six or seven," said Esme.

"In terms of safeguarding training, there was absolutely nothing. There was no training, so in terms of certainly me starting and me doing my job, there was no training of anything whatsoever."

Esme Byrd A picture of a person's face with brown wavy hair and circular glasses with a garden trellis behind and trees climbing up itEsme Byrd
Esme Byrd sometimes worked directly with the children in the choir at Bangor Cathedral

Esme said she was only asked to do a DBS check a couple of weeks after starting, despite being appointed months in advance.

"I looked around and I just thought, this is not safe," Esme told BBC Wales Investigates. "This is not a safe and nurturing and good environment for children to be in."

She added: "It felt a lot more like a badly run after school club rather than a professional organisation."

Esme said she raised her concerns but eventually left because she became frustrated with the lack of action.

"It's not a sense of malevolence, but a huge sense of negligence and neglect and not following good practice," added Esme.

"Creating the space where a malevolent actor could have done almost whatever they wanted."

The Church in Wales said "concerns about a drinking culture" prompted them to investigate and said alcohol was "not now generally available" after services.

A spokesperson said they did not believe that Bangor Cathedral was unsafe for children, but said improvements to policy and practice were required.

The spokesperson said: "Previous concerns about a drinking culture at the Cathedral contributed to the decision to undertake a Bishop's visitation.

"The Implementation Group who are addressing the recommendations from the visitation are developing a policy concerning alcohol use. Alcohol is not now generally available after services.

"The inappropriate use of alcohol within and during cathedral-related activities included encouragement by some towards others to consume alcohol.

"This inappropriate behaviour is addressed in the actions which are required following the visitation process.

"DBS checks are required and safeguarding training delivered in line with UK legislation, and the Church in Wales policies."

Regarding the blessing of beer, the spokesperson said this was occasionally practised in churches but that "the abuse of alcohol is always inappropriate".

Australian actor Julian McMahon dies aged 56

5 July 2025 at 14:52
Reuters Julian McMahon wearing a white shirt and lined grey blazer in 2016Reuters
"We rode this wave together and I loved him," said co-star Dylan Walsh in his tribute

Australian actor Julian McMahon, famed for roles in popular series like Nip/Tuck and Charmed, has died aged 56.

His wife said the actor passed away in Clearwater, Florida, on Wednesday. He had been diagnosed with cancer.

"Julian loved life. He loved his family. He loved his friends. He loved his work, and he loved his fans. His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible," Kelly Paniagua said in a statement carried by Deadline.

McMahon's career took off with the hit supernatural television series Charmed before he gained wider recognition with Nip/Tuck, the medical drama in which he played the role of plastic surgeon Dr Christian Troy.

Running for six seasons from 2003 to 2010, the show earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

Co-star Dylan Walsh told Dealine he was "stunned".

"We rode this wave together and I loved him.

"Jules! I know you'd want me to say something to make you smile — all the inside jokes. All those years you had my back, and my god, we laughed. My heart is with you. Rest in peace."

McMahon also played Doctor Doom in two Fantastic Four films in 2005 and 2007 and later appeared in three seasons of FBI: Most Wanted.

Dick Wolf, the producer of FBI: Most Wanted, said McMahon's death was "shocking news".

McMahon was the son of a former Australian prime minister and went on to play an Australian prime minister's role in Netflix's The Residence - one of his recent appearances.

McMahon married three times - the first to Australian singer-actress Dannii Minogue, sister of Kylie Minogue.

Mother of 2 Rescued Campers in Texas Relays Their Story

5 July 2025 at 16:06
Serena Hanor Aldrich said her daughters were trapped by floodwaters for a couple of hours at Camp Mystic, where as many as 25 girls are missing. She criticized camp officials.

© Carter Johnston for The New York Times

Serena Hanor Aldrich, a mother of two children who were rescued from floodwaters while at Camp Mystic, on Friday.

Violence at Synagogue and Restaurant Unnerves Jews in Melbourne

5 July 2025 at 15:19
Local leaders denounced the episodes, which both took place on Friday evening: arson at a synagogue and a disturbance at an Israeli eatery.

© James Ross/AAP, via Reuters

Rabbi Dovid Gutnick walking past fire damage to the exterior of the East Melbourne Synagogue on Saturday.

Texas floods kill 24 people and leave many missing from girls' summer camp

5 July 2025 at 14:12
KSAT via AP Debris is pictured at the side of a large pool of floodwater with trees and a fire engine seen in the background, in a grab from footage following flooding along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas on 4 July.KSAT via AP

Several people have died and others are missing after flash flooding hit parts of central Texas on Friday morning.

Disaster declarations have been issued for the Hill Country and Concho Valley regions.

Rescues and evacuations have been underway since the early morning, but there are warnings of more potential flash flooding to come.

"Even if the rain is light, more flooding can occur in those areas," Acting Governor Dan Patrick said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the state was providing "all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods".

The region is to the north-west of the Texas city of San Antonio.

Pictures show the deep flood waters swamping bridges and fast moving water swirling down roads.

Exactly how many people have died or are missing has not yet been confirmed by authorities.

"Folks, please don't take chances. Stay alert, follow local emergency warnings, and do not drive through flooded roads," Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said.

Kerr County Sheriff's Office said the area had suffered a "catastrophic flooding event" and confirmed that fatalities had been reported.

It told residents near creeks, streams and the Guadalupe River to move to higher ground.

Hamas says it delivered 'positive response' on US Gaza ceasefire plan

5 July 2025 at 06:42
Reuters A Palestinian looks on at the site of an Israeli strike that destroyed residential buildings at al-Shati refugee camp, in northern Gaza (4 July 2025)Reuters
A Palestinian man looks at buildings destroyed by Israeli strikes in al-Shati refugee camp, northern Gaza

Hamas says it is consulting other Palestinian groups before giving a formal response to the latest proposal for a new Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal put forward by the US.

President Donald Trump said on Friday morning that expected to know within 24 hours whether Hamas has agreed to the plan.

On Tuesday, Trump said Israel had accepted the conditions necessary for a 60-day ceasefire, during which the parties would work to end the 20-month war.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military is continuing to bomb targets across the Gaza Strip.

Local journalists reported hearing explosions and gunfire as Israeli helicopter gunships and artillery struck the southern Khan Younis area on Friday morning.

Overnight, at least 15 Palestinians were killed in strikes on two tents housing displaced people in Khan Younis, the local Nasser hospital said.

The Israeli military has not yet commented on the strikes, but it did say its forces were "operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities".

In a statement issued early on Friday, Hamas said it was discussing with the leaders of other Palestinian factions the ceasefire proposal that it had received from regional mediators Qatar and Egypt.

Hamas said it would deliver a "final decision" to the mediators once the consultations had ended and then announce it officially.

The proposal is believed to include the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages and the bodies of 18 other hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Fifty hostages are still being held in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

One of Hamas's key demands is the resumption of unrestricted food and medical aid into Gaza, and the proposal reportedly says sufficient quantities would enter the territory immediately with the involvement of the United Nations and Red Cross.

It is said the plan would also include a phased Israeli military withdrawal from parts of Gaza.

Above all, Hamas wants a guarantee that Israeli air and ground operations will not resume after the end of the 60-day ceasefire.

The proposal is believed to say that negotiations on an end to the war and the release of the remaining hostages would begin on day one.

Donald Trump told reporters early on Friday that he expected to know "over the next 24 hours" whether the proposals would be accepted by Hamas.

The hope then would be the resumption of formal, indirect, talks ahead of a planned visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington next week.

"We sure hope it's a done deal, but I think it's all going to be what Hamas is willing to accept," US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Israel's Channel 12 TV on Thursday.

"One thing is clear: The president wants it to be over. The prime minister wants it to be over. The American people, the Israeli people, want it to be over."

Netanyahu meanwhile promised to secure the release of all the remaining hostages during a visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community near the Israel-Gaza border where a total of 76 residents were abducted during the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023 that triggered the war.

"I feel a deep commitment, first of all, to ensure the return of all of our hostages, all of them," he said. "We will bring them all back."

He did not, however, commit to ending the war. He has insisted that will not happen until the hostages are freed and Hamas's military and governing capabilities are destroyed.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 57,130 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

How fake-will fraudsters stole millions from the dead

5 July 2025 at 07:10
Getty Images A close-up image of a hand holding a pen, signing a document titled 'This is The Last Will and Testament.' The document includes blank spaces for the name of the person making the will and their county. A partially visible signature appears at the bottom.Getty Images

In late 2023, sisters Lisa and Nicole were told they had inherited a substantial sum from their late Aunt Christine. But while they were absorbing this life-changing news, the windfall was just as quickly snatched away.

A man unknown to Christine's family, friends or neighbours, appeared - apparently from nowhere - and produced a will, naming him sole heir to her entire estate.

Doubts about the man's claim grew as troubling details emerged. However, the police and probate service said they would not investigate.

Lisa and Nicole's is one of several similar cases investigated by BBC News in the south of England.

We found mounting evidence that a criminal gang has been carrying out systematic will fraud by exploiting weaknesses in the probate system, stealing millions of pounds from the estates of dead people, and committing serious tax fraud.

'My dear friend'

Lisa and Nicole were upset to hear about the death of their aunt, Christine Harverson, whom they had not seen since their early childhood. They were also shocked to be told that they stood to inherit her entire estate, including a house in Wimbledon, south London, which could be worth nearly £1m. She had not left a will, and they were her closest living relatives.

The sisters were alerted to their inheritance by an "heir-finder" company, Anglia Research Services. Heir-finders use an official government register that lists estates where no will has been made. They research the dead person's family in order to identify, locate and contact the rightful heirs.

In return for a portion of the inheritance, these companies act on the heirs' behalf and apply for what's known as a grant of probate. This gives them the legal right to deal with a deceased person's estate – in other words, their property, money and possessions.

However, on this occasion, the application for probate on behalf of Lisa and Nicole was stopped in its tracks.

A Hungarian man by the name of Tamas Szvercsok contacted the probate service, and produced a will describing him as Christine's "dear friend".

It named him the beneficiary of her entire estate, as well as sole executor - the person legally responsible for carrying out the instructions in the will.

An extract from the will of Christine Harverson, which reads: I hereby revoke all former wills, codicils and testamentary instruments made by me and declare this to be my last Will. I appoint my dear friend Tamas Szvercsok to be my executor and direct that all my debts and funeral expenses shall be paid as soon as convenient to do so after my death. 
"I give and bequeath unto my executor the entirety of my remaining estate after paying of my debts, funeral expenses, costs of administering my estate and any taxes there may be. This includes all real estate that I own, and all funds I hold in my bank account, savings accounts, shares, bonds, investments and any cash held at my home."

The possibility that Mr Szvercsok was genuine, initially was not dismissed out of hand.

"It happens - sometimes cases slip through the net and a will is unearthed," says Matt Boardman, a former police officer who works for Anglia Research.

However, there were clear signs something was amiss:

  • Christine's neighbour and friend, Sue, said she had never mentioned a Hungarian friend at any point in the years they had known each other
  • The will was dated 2016 - Christine was housebound and disabled by this time, and receiving practically no visitors
  • The terms of the will meant that Christine would have disinherited her husband and carer Dennis, who in 2016 was still alive (he died in 2020)
  • Moreover, because Dennis was the joint owner of their house, Christine could not have legally bequeathed the house without his consent
  • After Dennis's death, Christine entered a care home, but there was no record of Mr Szvercsok ever visiting her
Joe Dixey/BBC Sue stands in front of a light-coloured brick or stone terraced house. She is wearing a light blue button-up shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows and a small embroidered logo on the left chest. Behind her, the house features two large white-framed windows with sheer curtains and a ledge beneath each window. The overall scene is well-lit, and no additional objects or textures are visibleJoe Dixey/BBC
Sue (pictured in front of Christine Harverson's house) cast doubt on the authenticity of her late neighbour's will

Other even more troubling details stood out.

Christine's home address was misspelled on the will, and even though it was dated 2016, the address given for Mr Szvercsok was a block of flats that had not been built until 2021.

Matt Boardman contacted Mr Szvercsok, who replied by email: "I never heard of any family. I'm the sole executor of her will."

Despite presenting what they thought was a strong case to police and the probate service, Lisa and Nicole were told they would have to bring a civil action if they wanted to prove that the will was a fake. That would cost tens of thousands of pounds which they do not have.

Lisa now says she sometimes wishes she had never been told about the will in the first place: "All it's done is bring misery really, and heartache. It's just a whole nightmare."

'Vacant goods'

Stealing a dead person's property and financial assets appears to be extremely easy under UK law, if no will can be located.

The official government register of unclaimed estates in England and Wales is called Bona Vacantia (Latin for "vacant goods"), and is freely accessible online. It currently contains about 6,000 names and is updated daily.

Legitimate heir-hunting companies use Bona Vacantia to research potential clients, but it also appears to have become a valuable resource for criminals.

To claim an estate where there is no known heir, a fraudster simply has to find a promising name on Bona Vacantia, produce a will quickly enough, and be awarded grant of probate.

Since 2017 it's been possible to apply for grant of probate online, but critics of the system say it is failing to detect suspicious applicants, and it also appears to increase the opportunity for tax fraud.

When someone dies, their estate has to be assessed for inheritance tax. This is not payable on estates worth £325,000 or less, but any amount over that threshold – with some exceptions - is taxed at 40%.

It's the responsibility of the person awarded grant of probate to make sure inheritance tax has been paid.

Applicants for grant of probate must complete a form to say this has been done, but under the current arrangements, they need do no more than declare on the online form that no tax is due.

It is a system that relies largely on trust, but gives ample opportunity for that trust to be roundly abused.

During our investigations we have come across cases where estates have been valued at just under the inheritance tax threshold, even though they include property worth far more.

One of these was the estate of Charles Haxton.

Whose house?

At the time of his death in 2021, Charles Haxton was living alone in a terraced house in Tooting, south London.

He was reclusive and only occasionally spoke to neighbours, although one of them, Roye Chapman, was there for him near the end when he suffered a bad fall outside.

"I rang the police and then got him up and got him into the ambulance," he says. "His head was all cut open, and then two weeks later, he died."

No will was initially found for Mr Haxton, and his name and address appeared on Bona Vacantia. This prompted Anglia Research to look for possible heirs, and they told several of his cousins that they could be in line to inherit Mr Haxton's estate.

Joe Dixey/BBC Roye Chapman is leaning on a low wall in front of a red brick house with two windows covered by lace curtains and a wooden door. The house has a small front yard with some grass and plants. Roye is wearing a blue long-sleeve shirtJoe Dixey/BBC
Roye Chapman stands in front of the house of his late neighbour, Charles Haxton

Then, as with Lisa and Nicole, the cousins were told that a will had appeared after all, leaving everything to one man - also Hungarian - called Roland Silye.

The family initially accepted his claim, to have been an old friend of Mr Haxton, but one relation, Barry, obtained a copy of the will and was struck by how odd it looked.

It left Mr Silye two properties - not only Mr Haxton's home in London, but also a house in Hertfordshire.

Together, the two properties would have been worth about £2m. However, Mr Silye listed the value of the estate as £320,500 – just £4,500 short of the amount at which inheritance tax kicked in.

What was even stranger was that Mr Haxton had never owned, and had no connection to, any house in Hertfordshire.

We visited this property. It was large and dilapidated, and neighbours told us it had been unoccupied for a long time.

The puzzle of the extra house also caught the attention of Neil Fraser, a partner in another heir-hunting company. He thinks that Mr Silye may have bundled the Hertfordshire property into a will in an attempt to fake ownership.

"He must have gone past that house and thought, 'I'll just take that derelict house. How can I get that house? Well, I can put it inside a will!"

Crucially, the will was accepted by the probate service, who did not check or raise any questions about the Hertfordshire house.

We were unable to trace Roland Silye in our investigation, and his motivation remains a mystery.

The will would not give him possession of the Hertfordshire house - the property registry and the electoral roll name the owner as a woman who would be in her 70s.

However, Mr Fraser speculates that the will could be used in future as leverage to take ownership when the real owner dies.

Despite reporting his suspicions to the police and the probate service, he says action was not taken.

Mr Silye cleared probate not only for Mr Haxton's estate, but also that of George Woon, an elderly man from Southall, west London.

Mr Woon also died in 2021, and shortly afterwards, his name appeared on Bona Vacantia. Mr Silye came forward with a will which named him as sole heir. Mr Woon's house was later sold at auction for £360,000.

A complex web

We asked an expert in financial fraud, Graham Barrow, to check whether there could be any connection between Roland Silye and Tamas Szvercsok.

Both have names of Hungarian origin, and, according to Companies House, both appear to be directors in a complex and interlinked web of companies.

Mr Barrow established that the address Mr Szvercsok gave in Mrs Harverson's will was also used by Mr Silye for some of his companies.

What these companies do is unclear, although some have been struck off for fraudulent addresses, and others have been warned for failing to provide accounts.

The pattern - multiple businesses, related addresses, similar names - is one which often indicates a criminal network, says Mr Barrow.

He adds that owning multiple companies can allow criminals to disperse funds across different accounts and locations, and makes life more difficult for law enforcement.

Another Hungarian name featuring in this web of companies is Bela Kovacs, who, according to a will dated 2021, was heir to the entire estate of Michael Judd, from Pinner, west London.

A single-story brick house with a steeply pitched roof and two chimneys. The house features white-framed windows, including a large bay window at the front. Overgrown vegetation surrounds the house, and debris is scattered on the ground near the side of the building. The sky above is clear and blue.
Michael Judd's estate included his bungalow in Pinner, west London

According to his neighbours, Mr Judd was a multi-talented individual with a distinguished record in the security services. However, in his final years he had become something of a hoarder, seldom leaving his house.

One neighbour, Chris, told us he thought the will had sounded strange and not only because Mr Judd had never mentioned Bela Kovacs.

A few months before his death in 2024, Mr Judd told Chris he had made a will long ago, but the people named on it were all now dead. In any case, he added, he did not know where it was.

"I suppose I better try and dig it out some time," Chris remembers him saying.

He feels it's inconceivable that Mr Judd would have troubled himself with these decisions if he had made a will three years previously.

We tracked Mr Kovacs down to a luxury estate in the Watford area but he refused to talk to us.

Joined-up writing

Other factors seem to connect these cases.

The wills made out for Charles Haxton, George Woon and the others we have seen, appear to have been written by the same person, according to handwriting expert Christina Strang.

"The numbers two, four and seven are all written in the same way on several addresses," she says.

She also sees other similarities, such as the spacing of the letters in different signatures, and the positioning of the signatures on the line.

"It seems to be one person actually signing, forging all of these."

Christina Strang has short grey hair and is wearing a blue garment and sitting in front of a computer monitor. The background includes part of the monitor and a beige wall
Handwriting expert Christina Strang says it seems one person signed all the wills

Ms Strang also thinks this same person may have also forged signatures for the witnesses named on the wills, none of whom, we found, were apparently known to the deceased, and some of whom might have been completely fictitious.

There are disturbing similarities in the way that properties were treated during and after the probate process:

  • Shortly after Mr Szvercsok made his initial claim on Mrs Harverson's estate, her nieces discovered her Wimbledon house had been ransacked
  • A workman employed to empty Mr Judd's house told us he had been instructed to empty it quickly, even though this meant having to destroy what appeared to be valuable heirlooms
  • After Mr Haxton's house was cleared, the windows and doors were blacked out, and the locks strengthened; a year later, it emerged that it was being used as a cannabis farm (a fact that only emerged when a rival gang tried to force entry and neighbours alerted the police)
Joe Dixey/BBC Three individuals stand in front of a reddish-brown textured building. The person on the left wears a patterned jacket featuring various colors and designs, including shades of brown, black, and orange. The person in the middle wears a dark blue long-sleeve shirt and leans slightly against the wall. The person on the right wears a light-colored button-up shirt and a necklace with a circular pendant. Behind them is an orange-brown wooden door marked with the number '46' and a mail slot beneath it. To the right of the door is a window with lace curtains.Joe Dixey/BBC
Charles Haxton's neighbours, Delorie, Roye and Sharon (L-R), alerted police to strange goings-on at their late neighbour's house

A system in trouble

As a result of our investigation, bank accounts for dozens of companies connected to the suspected fraudsters, have been suspended.

In addition, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has told us it now wants to question Roland Silye about inheritance tax which he might owe on the estate of Charles Haxton.

Bela Kovacs was granted probate over the estate of Michael Judd, which was valued at £310,000 - just below the inheritance tax threshold. However, HMRC's interest was also piqued by this case, and it has now suspended a planned sale of Mr Judd's bungalow in Pinner.

Meanwhile, the dispute over Christine Harverson's estate means the probate process has been frozen, and it looks unlikely to be resolved soon. Tamas Szvercsok cannot take possession of her Wimbledon house, but Lisa and Nicole lack the funds to go to the civil court and prove his will is fake.

Old photo of Christine Harverson, with curly hair is standing outdoors in front of a wooden fence and some plants. She is wearing a dark-colored, long-sleeved shirt with horizontal stripes and a necklace with a small pendant. The background includes greenery and part of a brick wall.
Probate for Christine Harverson's estate has been frozen because of the dispute between her nieces and Tamas Szvercsok

We wrote to Mr Szvercsok and Mr Silye at the addresses supplied with their probate applications, offering them a right of reply, but we did not hear back.

When we shared our findings with the Ministry of Justice, which is ultimately responsible for the probate system, it told us that it was "working with law enforcement to ensure criminals feel the full force of the law".

However, a different picture emerges from others who know the system.

"Because probate isn't high profile – it's not sort of, for want of a better word, politically sexy, it doesn't stay in the headlines," says former MP Sir Bob Neill, who until the 2024 general election was the chair of the House of Commons Justice Select Committee.

In 2023, the select committee launched an inquiry into the probate system, but it was cut short by the election.

Sir Bob believes an over-eagerness to cut costs by digitising the probate system, has produced weaknesses which fraudsters are now exploiting.

"When you had regional offices you had human awareness, contact and scrutiny that was better suited to pick up cases where things have gone wrong," he says. "A purely sort of automated system isn't really good at doing that."

Sir Bob Neill stands in front of a building featuring large dark gray doors and beige stone walls. He is dressed in a dark suit jacket over a light blue checkered shirt, open-necked.
Sir Bob Neill

He says the system introduced in 2017 was a cheap and quick fix. It lacks the sophistication, he says, of programs used by insurance companies to deal with fraud, which can detect patterns of suspicious behaviour.

His concerns are echoed by Anglia Research's investigator, Matt Boardman, who says that previously, executors of wills would have had to attend their local probate registry to swear an oath, which "would allow the registrar to evaluate every single case on its own merit".

He says the system's move online "completely eliminated" the chance to question the executor's demeanour or behaviour.

"Goodness knows just how many of these have already gone through and been processed by the probate registry," he says, "and how rich we're making these people."

Limber up for Euro 2025 with our big football quiz

5 July 2025 at 07:11
BBC News A designed image of England footballer Lucy Bronze against a collage background of mountains in Switzerland, a football pitch and players celebrating a Euro 2022 win. The image is surrounded by a purple border BBC News

All eyes are on stunning Switzerland, as 16 teams battle it out to win Euro 2025, including Wales and defending champions England.

But how much do you know about the tournament? Take our quiz and limber up for the football event of the summer.

Written and produced by: Text Formats and Special Projects teams

Designs by: Dan Hague

Image credit: Getty Images

The Papers: 'Reeves fears tax turmoil' and 'Oasis back together'

5 July 2025 at 12:06

"I can't rule out tax rises, says Reeves" is the Guardian headline
In an interview with the Guardian, Chancellor Rachel Reeves says it is impossible for her to rule out tax rises in the autumn budget and insisted she never thought of quitting despite a turbulent week for her. It comes after she was spotted crying in the Commons. She tells the paper "there are costs" to watering down the welfare bill and acknowledged it has been a "damaging" week for Downing Street.
The Daily Express headline reads "Reeves hints at more tax rise pain"
"Reeves hints at more tax rise pain", says the Daily Express as it reports the chancellor "may target millions of middle earners with punishing income tax hikes". It also suggests Reeves could put up VAT and National Insurance in a bid to plug a £40bn black hole. "It's a centre court delight for Mary" says the headline on the paper's main image as it shows Dame Mary Berry watching tennis at Wimbledon.
The Times headlines "Reeves fears tax turmoil"
The Times writes tax rises in autumn are likely to be smaller than last year's but Reeves is expected to have to raise tens of billions of pounds more. The paper notes there are also suggestions she could raid pension savings. The paper also highlights the UK's "25 prettiest villages" on its front page.
"Kemi blasts Labour's year of lies and failure" headlines Daily Mail
The Daily Mail leads with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accusing Sir Keir Starmer of a "year of lies and U-turns". She says the prime minister has "taken a wrecking ball to the economy and presided over a record surge in Channel crossings. Ex-GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips is also pictured as she gives an update on her life with Alzheimer's.
"Just ignore Farage, Johnson tells Tories" is the headline on the Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph picks up a Boris Johnson interview with a Swiss magazine in which the former prime minister is quoted as saying the best strategy to counter Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is to ignore him. He said: "My strategy with the individuals that you mention is don't talk about them... Talk about what you are going to offer the people." Emma Raducanu is also pictured following her exit from Wimbledon in the third round against Aryna Sabalenka.
The Mirror headlines "Mad fer 'em"
"Oasis back together at last" writes the Daily Mirror. "Oasis exploded back into life last night" in front of 70,000 fans, according to the paper . Liam Gallagher told the crowd: "Yes beautiful people, too long."
The Daily Star headline reads "the comeback our kids"
The Gallagher brothers stand on stage with arms outstretched during their concert on the front of the Daily Star. "The crowd were mad for 'em," writes the Daily Star.
"Stand by me" headlines the Sun
The Sun called the comeback gig "historic" with the feuding brothers performing together after 16 years.

The Times reports that Chancellor Rachel Reeves has told the Cabinet that the decision to abandon welfare reforms means that taxes will have to rise to cover the cost. The paper says her comments "went significantly further than her public statements". To underline that point, "I can't rule out tax rises" is how the chancellor's interview with the Guardian is headlined.

The Daily Express suggests Reeves may target millions of middle earners with income tax rises as she is forced to clear up what the paper calls "Labour's welfare mess". Experts reportedly believe she may have to plug a black hole of £40 billion.

"Just ignore Farage", is the advice from Boris Johnson in the Daily Telegraph to Conservatives concerned about the rise of Reform UK. The paper quotes an interview the former prime minister has given to a Swiss magazine, in which he says the Tories should focus on what they are going to offer people. A Reform source says Mr Johnson did "unprecedented damage" to the country.

"A decidedly mixed record", is how the Times describes Sir Keir Starmer's first year as prime minister. The Daily Mail leads on comments from the leader of the Conservatives, Kemi Badenoch, in which she accuses the PM of presiding over a "year of lies and U-turns". According FT Weekend, many Labour MPs believe there have been "too many mistakes". But in its school report for the PM, the Daily Mirror says he "coped well" with Trump and Putin and "excelled" on defence and NHS spending.

"One for the bucket hat list", is the Guardian's take on the Oasis reunion gig in Cardiff. Liam and Noel Gallagher walked on stage hand-in-hand, but according to the Daily Star they had "lost none of their sneering cool and arrogant indifference". The Daily Mirror says the brothers "found their stride" with "Morning Glory and Some Might Say". "The best reunion ever?" asks the Daily Mail. The answer: "Definitely (not maybe!)".

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Pride in London returns as events struggle with falling funds

5 July 2025 at 13:00
Getty Images A picture focused on two attendees of a previous Pride in London event. On the left, a woman with glitter on her face and with flowery decorations around her head and arms laughs at the camera. On the right, another woman smiles at the camera with red-heart sunglasses on and a red flowery dress.Getty Images

On Saturday more than one million people are expected to attend Pride in London, the UK's largest LGBTQ+ event.

But despite huge visitor numbers, organisers say the event - and others like it around the country - face an uncertain future due to a drop in funding and falling volunteer numbers.

More than 85 Pride organisations say they've seen a reduction in corporate sponsorships or partnerships, according to a questionnaire by the UK Pride Organisers Network (UKPON), which said it represents the majority of UK Pride events.

Some celebrations have already been cancelled or postponed, while others are scaling back plans or charging for tickets to what have previously been free-to-attend events.

The UK's Pride movement began in 1972 when a group called the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) decided that, as well as protesting, it was also important to celebrate the community.

At the time, same-sex couples showing affection in public could have seen them arrested.

Now, Pride events take part across the world, often combining protest, in the form of marches and rallies, with parties and live entertainment.

BBC News has spoken to a number of Pride organisers about their worries for the future of Pride events, and what they believe is behind the drop in funding.

'If America sneezes, the UK catches a cold'

Dee Llewellyn A head and shoulders shot of Dee smiling into the camera, in front of a Pride in London branding board on a red carpet. She is wearing a black vest over a red top and has a red and black tattoo on her upper arm.Dee Llewellyn
Dee Llewellyn believes what is happening in America can affect Pride events in the UK

Dee Llewellyn is volunteer chair of UKPON, and also works full-time as Pride in London's head of partnerships.

She believes that, for large-scale celebrations such as in Pride in London, international corporations moving away from Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies is one of the driving forces behind the drop in donations.

She said: "There's an old saying, if America sneezes, then the UK catches a cold, and I think we're really feeling that right now.

"Global corporations, with head offices based in America, have had their DEI funding cut, which has meant that some corporations, even ones that have been really long-standing supporters of Pride in the UK, have no longer got a budget to do so."

Despite the difficulties it faces, London continues to be the UK's largest Pride event and over the past few years attendance has grown to 1.5 million people, making it one of the city's largest public events.

According to the Pride in London website, the cost of their 2024 event was £1.7m.

Map showing the route for the London Pride parade and location of the six stages. The parade starts at Hyde Park Corner, travels down Piccadilly, crossing Piccadilly Circus, travelling down Haymarket, turning left towards Trafalgar Square and finishes at Westminster. The map also highlights stages in Trafalgar Square, Golden Square, Leicester Square, Dean Street, Victoria Embankment and Soho Square with blue dots and includes a small inset map of London indicating the general location of the parade within the city.

Asked why a Pride event - which is seen by many as a form of protest first and foremost - costs this much to run, Dee told the BBC: "It's about making safe spaces, not just emotionally safe but physically safe for everybody there as well - it means paying for security staff, barriers, road closures.

"As Pride grows, and the numbers grow, the cost and the level of health and safety and other infrastructure grows as well. No Pride would be able to go ahead without meeting those health and safety regulations."

Although the focus this weekend will be very much on the capital, UKPON told the BBC that Pride events up and down the country are facing similar issues.

In April UKPON asked its 201 members whether they were facing any financial or operational pressures.

Of the 112 organisations that responded:

  • More than 85 reported lost revenue from corporate sponsorships and partnerships this year
  • More than 40 said that the drop was between 26% - 50% compared to last year
  • 21 said they'd experienced their revenue fall by more than half in that same period
  • More than 60 said they'd seen reductions in grants from corporations or charities

In recent weeks, several Pride organisations have taken the decision to cancel events.

Liverpool City Region Pride announced in June that rising costs and difficulty securing funding "made it impossible to bring Pride to Liverpool this year".

Another charity has since stepped in to organise an alternative event.

'I'm absolutely gutted'

Alex MacDonald Alex is pictured with two other volunteers outside at a previous Plymouth Pride event. All three are smiling at the camera, while Alex wears an orange hi-vis jacket over a dark top.Alex MacDonald
Alex MacDonald (left) hopes Plymouth Pride will come back stronger next year

Plymouth Pride, which organisers say usually has an estimated 6,000-7,000 attendees, will this year also not go ahead in its official capacity.

Organisers told the BBC they were £12,000 short of the estimated £35,000 it costs to put on their annual event, which includes a march through the city and a number of stages showing entertainment.

Alex MacDonald, chair of Plymouth Pride, told the BBC that rising costs for things like security, first aid and toilet facilities, combined with a drop in grant funding, had left the organisation with no choice but to cancel the official event.

He said: "Ultimately it was [grant] funding that was the make or break for us and this year it didn't work.

"I'm just absolutely gutted because I think it's more important this year to have Pride than any other year."

A smaller group, Plymouth Community Pride, has now raised funds to host an alternative event in the city.

"We've been very lucky this year, the community rallied together and a separate organisation is putting on lots of little events. We'll hopefully come back bigger and stronger next year," Alex added.

Charging for tickets is 'one of the most difficult decisions'

OhMyMedia / Olly Rigby Reece stands on stage at the Pink Picnic event in Salford. With pink stage lights above him, he is holding a microphone by his side and has colleagues applauding behind him. His is wearing a black polo top with Salford Pride written on the side and blackshorts.OhMyMedia / Olly Rigby
Reece Holmes said some events, like The Pink Picnic, would not be able to go ahead without charging for tickets

In June, more than 6,000 people attended The Pink Picnic, an event organised by a team of volunteers from Salford Pride in the city's Peel Park.

Started in 2011, it's marketed by organisers as a small, community-focused Pride event and is seen as a quieter alternative to Manchester Pride, a ticketed multi-day event with celebrity headliners which takes place a few miles down the road.

In 2025, Salford Pride took the decision to charge for tickets for the first time in order to plug what they say was a £40,000 shortfall in sponsorships from corporate partners.

The team, made up entirely of volunteers, decided to charge £5 per ticket, but estimate that the event costs around £18 per head.

Reece Holmes, event lead for Salford Pride, said it was "one of the most difficult decisions" his team of volunteers have had to make and that it led to some "being subjected to quite a lot of abuse online."

Despite The Pink Picnic being a relatively small event, costs such as security and stewards - which Reece said are essential to run a public event - mean it costs around £100,000 a year to run.

He told the BBC: "We've had a 28% increase in costs from 2024, but we've also lost three corporate sponsors since then.

"It's a mixture of economic issues and I think the political climate at the minute, I think [companies] are a little bit scared to support Prides."

Reece said that without charging for tickets to cover some of the costs, the event would not have been able to go ahead.

"We're being forced to make these kinds of decisions due to a lack of funding, due to economic issues and due to the political climate."

Although many Prides have told the BBC they are struggling financially, and may have to scale back or charge more for events in the future, Dee Llewellyn said there is "no chance" Pride as a movement will stop.

She added: "We need to remember that we as a community are incredibly resilient.

"We have always been resilient and we always will be, so while we might go through this ebb and flow, and we've fallen off a cliff this year with corporate partnerships, we will find ways around that.

"We are going to club together, stand together and be stronger and more united and we will come back stronger."

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