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Today — 18 August 2025News

承诺高考不过线退费2万人民币 河南一中学不履行被立案

18 August 2025 at 10:02

中国河南信阳市平桥区衡水高级中学因曾承诺高考生不过线,将退费2万元(人民币,下同,3574新元)。不过,学校并没有履行承诺退费,引发学生家长投诉。学校就此发布致歉声明,并称当地教体局已立案调查。

据河南广播电视台旗下微信公众号“大象新闻”报道,衡水高级中学上星期六(8月16日)就未履行招生退费承诺一事,发布致歉声明。声明称,2022年建校初期,因学校管理疏漏,招生负责人擅自发布了包含“高考不过本科线退费2万元”的承诺。这一行为违反了《民办教育促进法实施条例》《河南省教育厅关于做好2022年普通高中招生工作的通知》相关规定,不仅扰乱了正常的招生秩序,更误导了学生及家长,造成了不良的社会影响。

声明指出,目前平桥区教体局正在对学校违规招生问题立案调查,学校将积极配合调查,接受处理并承担相应责任。

据大象新闻早前报道,信阳一名牛姓民众反映,信阳衡水高级中学虚假招生:“信阳市衡水高级中学2022年招生承诺家长,若中考成绩满360分,三年后高考不过本科线退还费用2万元,目前学校不履行承诺。”

牛姓民众提供的视频为《信阳市平桥区衡水高级中学公告》,视频显示:“2022年中考分数为360分至460分并被我校录取的学生,在校三年,且学生毕业后参加高考,我校保证高考分数可达本科分数线,如未达到分数线目标,我校将补偿学生2万元费用。”

据牛姓民众介绍,学校每年学费2万5000元左右,他的孩子2022年的中招成绩大概420分,今年的高考成绩是433分,适用这项公告。但目前学校在玩文字游戏,说当时的360分是不包含体育和实验分数的,扣除后就不到360分了,但视频里面并没有说明。

对此,平桥区衡水高级中学张姓老师回应,2022年衡水博育集团派遣一负责招生的女副校长设立招生办进行前期招生宣传,招生副校长为了业绩,在没报集团董事会批准的情况下,擅自发布了有关公告。后被信阳市教体局发现,并做出严肃处理。

对于学校的解释,牛姓民众并不认可。他说:“当年没有人通知我们去退费,也没有人给我们解释。”

牛姓民众也说,孩子若想复读,可以选择去更好的学校,“我们只想学校履行当时的承诺”。

12岁自闭男童大理洱海走失已寻获

18 August 2025 at 09:51

中国云南省大理官方证实,一名12岁自闭男童在大理洱海走失后,目前已寻获。

综合红星新闻和顶端新闻报道,大理搜救志愿者星期天(8月17日)受询时透露,一名患有自闭症的12岁男孩当天下午在洱海周边区域走失。

家属提供的信息显示,自闭男孩存在语言沟通困难,他身高约1米50,体型偏瘦,星期天中午12时30分左右走失,当时身着红色短袖上衣、黑色长裤和运动鞋。为便于寻找,家属已公开联系电话,恳请知情人士提供线索。

报道称,男童家属在下午3时许向当地警方报案。大理市公安局受询时证实,已在当天下午接到家属报案,并立即派出警员搜寻。之后,走失男童家属和大理州委宣传部均证实,走失男童已被寻获。

家属介绍,有网民得知男童走失后,在小红书发布了寻人启事,请求附近游客、网民留意符合特征的男童。之后,有人在洱海才村码头发现男童,于是将他留在身边看护并联系家属认领。

大理州委宣传部称,在大理旅游旺季,小孩暂时走失的情况经常发生,都能很快被找到。

重庆警方:男子出游求助不果后生恨杀人 现已刑拘

18 August 2025 at 09:21

中国重庆市警方通报,一名男子到当地游玩,求助不果后,生恨杀人,目前已被刑拘。

重庆市秀山县公安局星期天(8月17日)在官方微博上通报,一名19岁廖姓男子上星期四(14日)晚9时许骑电动车从广西出发游玩,途经秀山县官庄街道一民房时,向住在该处的32岁彭姓男子提出借宿、借电源给电动车充电、帮忙介绍工作等需求,彭男拒绝,双方发生争执。

廖男离开后,彭男回房屋休息。廖男于次日凌晨2时许持刀潜入,将彭男杀害。

接群众报警后,秀山县公安局迅速展开侦办,于上星期五(15日)下午1时许将廖男抓获。廖男对自己被彭男拒绝后,心生怨恨故意杀人犯罪事实供认不讳。

嫌犯廖男目前已被秀山县公安局依法刑事拘留,案件正进一步侦办中。

Zelensky and allies head to White House for Ukraine talks

18 August 2025 at 08:09
Watch: How the Trump-Putin summit unfolded... in under 2 minutes

US President Donald Trump will host Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday for their first meeting since the pair's heated exchange in the White House earlier this year - but this time the Ukrainian president is bringing European allies.

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer are among leaders who will join Zelensky in Washington for talks on how to end the war with Russia.

It follows Trump's summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska that resulted in the US president dropping a demand for a ceasefire and calling instead for a permanent peace deal.

A US envoy said on Sunday that Putin had agreed to a possible Nato-like security pact for Ukraine.

"BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, without elaborating.

Also heading to Washington for Monday's meeting are French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It is unclear how many of them will go to the White House.

For so many heads of state to travel with such little notice across the Atlantic to what is essentially a wartime crisis meeting appears without precedent in the modern era, underscoring the sky-high stakes.

Diplomatic sources say European officials are concerned that Trump may try to press Zelensky to agree to terms, after the Ukrainian leader was excluded from the Trump-Putin meeting on US soil last Friday.

But US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the BBC's US partner CBS that any suggestion Zelensky might be bullied by Trump into accepting a peace deal was a "stupid media narrative".

Watch in full: The remarkable exchange between Zelensky, Vance and Trump

Nato leaders also appear eager to avoid a repeat of Zelensky's February trip to the Oval Office that ended abruptly after an argument with Trump and US Vice-President JD Vance.

The altercation - which saw Trump accuse Zelensky of "gambling with World War Three" - left Washington-Kyiv ties in tatters.

But European leaders have been working diligently behind the scenes since then to mend the relationship. The Ukrainian leader has been coached to talk in terms of deal-making - language that resonates with Trump.

In April, Ukraine signed a minerals agreement that gave the US a financial stake in the country, and Trump and Zelensky spoke privately at the Vatican before Pope Francis's funeral. Ukraine made clear it was willing to pay for US weapons.

By July, the two leaders had a phone call that the Ukrainian president described as "the best conversation we have had".

Meanwhile, Trump had begun to express exasperation with Russia's unrelenting onslaught in Ukraine. He called Putin "absolutely crazy", drastically shortened his deadline for a peace deal, and threatened economic sanctions on Moscow.

As these deliberations grind on, Russian forces continue to advance on the battlefield. They now occupy almost a fifth of Ukraine since Moscow launched its full scale invasion in February 2022.

EPA European Commission President Ursula van der Leyen and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky attend a video conference with EU leaders in Brussels, Belgium, on 17 August 2025EPA
Zelensky joined a virtual summit on Sunday with Nato and European leaders

A virtual summit was held on Sunday between Zelensky and the so-called coalition of the willing - a group of nations including the UK, France and Germany that have pledged to protect peace in Ukraine once it is achieved.

Afterwards, Emmanuel Macron told reporters their plan was to "present a united front" for Monday's talks with Trump.

Zelensky and the Nato leaders said they were keen to learn more after US envoy Steve Witkoff told US television that Putin had agreed on Friday to "robust security guarantees that I would describe as game-changing".

Witkoff said such an agreement could see Europe and the US protect Ukraine from further aggression with a Nato-like defence agreement.

"We were able to win the following concession: that the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in Nato," Witkoff told CNN on Sunday.

Putin has long opposed Ukraine joining Nato, and Witkoff said the arrangement could be an alternative if the Ukrainians "can live with it".

Article 5 is a principle at the heart of the 32-member transatlantic military alliance that says its members will come to the defence of an ally that is under attack.

Witkoff also told CNN that Russia made "some concessions" around five heavily contested regions of Ukraine.

In talks with European allies after the Alaska summit, Trump said Putin had reiterated that he wants the key Donetsk and Luhansk regions that make up Donbas, eastern Ukraine, according to European officials.

But at Sunday's virtual summit with Nato leaders, Zelensky stressed that the Ukrainian constitution makes it impossible to give up territory - and that this should only be discussed by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia at a trilateral summit with the US.

The US secretary of state, meanwhile, sought to temper hopes that a deal to end Europe's deadliest conflict for 80 years could be imminent.

"We're still a long ways off," America's top diplomat said on Sunday.

Frank Gardner: Talks could prove more vital for Kyiv's future than Trump-Putin summit

18 August 2025 at 08:15
Getty Images Ukrainian President Zelensky talks to the press while standing in front of a blue and yellow Ukrainian flag. Getty Images

It is quite possible that Monday's meeting in the White House could prove even more crucial to the future of Ukraine - and for all of Europe's security - than last Friday's US-Russia summit in Alaska.

On the surface, that Putin-Trump reunion seemed to live down to every expectation.

There was no ceasefire, no sanctions, no grand announcements.

Were Ukraine and Europe about to get cut out of a deal cooked up behind closed doors by the world's two foremost nuclear powers?

Not, apparently, if Ukraine and its partners can prevent it.

The presence of Sir Keir Starmer, President Macron, Chancellor Merz and other leaders alongside President Zelensky in Washington is about more than making sure he does not get ambushed in the Oval Office again, in the way he did on 28 February.

They are determined to impress upon Donald Trump two things: firstly, that there can be no peace deal for Ukraine without Ukraine's direct involvement and secondly, that it must be backed by 'cast-iron' security guarantees.

Above all, Europe's leaders want the US President to see that Ukraine and Europe present a united front and they are eager to ensure he is not being swayed by his obvious personal rapport with Vladimir Putin into giving in to the Russian leaders' demands.

Watch: How the Trump-Putin summit unfolded... in under 2 minutes

This is where the Sir Keir Starmer's diplomatic skills will be sorely tested.

Trump likes Starmer and listens to him, and in a month's time Trump will be coming to the UK on a state visit.

He also likes Mark Rutte, the NATO Secretary-General who will be in attendance, a man who is sometimes called 'the Trump Whisperer'.

The US President appears to be less fond of President Macron and the White House was sharply critical recently of his intention to unconditionally recognise a Palestinian state at the next UN General Assembly.

For a peace deal in Ukraine to have any chance of working, something has to give.

European leaders have said frequently that international borders cannot be changed by force and President Zelensky has said time and time again he will not give up land and besides, Ukraine's constitution forbids it.

But Putin wants the Donbas, which his forces already control around 85 per cent of, and he has absolutely no intention of ever handing back Crimea.

Yet as the former Estonian PM and now Europe's top diplomat Kaja Kallas once said to me: victory for Ukraine in this war does not have to be exclusively about reconquering occupied land.

If Ukraine can obtain the sort of Article 5-type security guarantees now being talked about, sufficient to deter any future Russian aggression and thereby safeguard its independence as a free and sovereign state, then that would be a form of victory.

It does now appear that what the US and Russia have been discussing is a proposal that broadly trades some Ukrainian land for security guarantees that it won't have to give up any more to Russia.

But the question marks are huge.

Could Ukraine accept a deal that ends the war but costs it land, especially when so many thousands have died trying to save that land?

If it is asked to give up the remaining 30 per cent of Donetsk Oblast that Russia has yet to occupy then does that leave the path westwards to Kyiv dangerously under-defended?

And what of Starmer's much-vaunted Coalition of the Willing?

Earlier talk of deploying tens of thousands of boots on the ground have since been scaled back.

Now it's more about 'safeguarding skies and seas' while helping Ukraine to rebuild its army.

But even if peace does break out on the battlefield we are still in dangerous territory.

Every military expert I have spoken to believes that the moment the fighting stops Putin will reconstitute his army, build more weapons, until he is in a position, perhaps in as little as three to four years, to grab more land.

If and when that happens it will be a brave Typhoon or F35 pilot who is prepared to fire that first missile on an advancing Russian column.

'Skibidi' and 'tradwife' among words added to Cambridge Dictionary

18 August 2025 at 07:53
Getty Images Closeup of a dictionary pageGetty Images

"Skibidi", "tradwife" and other slang terms popularised on social media are among thousands of new words to be added to the Cambridge Dictionary this year.

Skibidi is a gibberish term coined by the creator of a viral animated video series on YouTube, while tradwife is a shortening of "traditional wife" – a married mother who cooks, cleans and posts on social media.

More than 6,000 new words are included, including those that relate to remote working and tech giants.

"Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary," said lexical programme manager Colin McIntosh.

Skibidi is defined in the dictionary as "a word that can have different meanings such as 'cool' or 'bad', or can be used with no real meaning as a joke". An example of its use is "What the skibidi are you doing?"

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian revealed her familiarity with the phrase when she posted a video on Instagram showing a necklace engraved with "skibidi toilet" – the name of the YouTube series.

As well as new phrases, some shortened versions of existing terms have been added, including "delulu" – a play on the word "delusional", with a similar definition: "believing things that are not real or true, usually because you choose to".

An increase in remote working since the pandemic has seen "mouse jiggler" – a device or piece of software used to make it seem as though you are working when you are not – gain its place in the dictionary.

Some composite terms such as "broligarchy" have also been added. Merging "bro" and "oligarchy", it means "a small group of men, especially men owning or involved in a technology business, who are extremely rich and powerful, and who have or want political influence".

It was used to describe tech leaders Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg attending Donald Trump's inauguration in January.

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The Green Party is at a crossroads. Is it time they get angry?

18 August 2025 at 07:02
BBC A montage image of Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns, and Zack PolanskiBBC

Warning: This article contains strong language

The video opens with some white cliffs and a politician standing on a beach. This isn't Dover, and it's not Nigel Farage (although the echoes with Reform UK are deliberate). Rather, it's a campaign video for the Green Party's leadership hopeful, Zack Polanski.

Amid slick filming and a moody orchestral soundtrack, he delivers an animated and uncompromising message.

Small boats, he declares, are an "obsession that has gripped the country," blamed for a "crumbling" NHS and "obscene" rents, while people are told there's no money left.

"Well," he says, looking into the camera, "I call bullshit."

The real problem, he continues, are the "super-rich and their yachts".

Zack Polanski Two images from Zack Polanski's campaign video, including of him standing on a beachZack Polanski
Zack Polanski, a former actor who is the party's deputy leader, has turbo-charged the race

The Green Party is on the brink of choosing its new leader. It usually does it once every two years and the contest can go fairly unnoticed.

Not this year.

Polanski, a former actor who is the party's deputy leader, has turbo-charged the race, the result of which will be announced on 2 September.

He calls his approach "eco-populism" and says it's about being "bolder" and more clearly anti-elite in communicating social and economic issues, as well as environmental ones.

This, he argues, is the style of messaging that the Green party needs to embrace.

He wants to "connect with people's anger" and then offer solutions, something the Greens are, in his view, often "too nice" to do.

He worries it leaves them looking "out of touch".

"I think far too often in the past we've equivocated or we've been too worried to challenge wealth and power in as blunt a way as possible. This isn't about shouting, it isn't about being louder, it's about being more effective."

Tried and tested vs a radical approach

The Greens had record success at the General Election last summer, going from one to four seats in Parliament and overturning large Labour and Conservative majorities.

Together with the Scottish Greens and the Green Party of Northern Ireland, they won 6.7% of the vote.

Now, the party is at a crossroads: does it stick with what it knows has worked or pick something more radical?

And, given the candidates don't really differ on policy, just how big a difference could new leadership make to the party's national chances?

Polanski, who is a member of the London Assembly, wants the Greens to replace Labour as the "party of the left".

But his opponents, the current co-leader Adrian Ramsay and new MP Ellie Chowns, who are running on a joint-ticket, believe Polanski would explode a winning formula that has brought them their greatest ever electoral success.

Ramsay and Chowns were elected to Parliament in last year's general election.

Their style is, mostly, less combative - they believe it's important that the Greens have broad appeal and that the party is seen to be at the heart of Westminster if it wants to bring about change.

Ellie and Adrian 2025/PA Wire Ellie Chowns and Adrian Ramsay smiling Ellie and Adrian 2025/PA Wire
The current co-leader Adrian Ramsay and new MP Ellie Chowns are running on a joint-ticket

Chowns says many voters already have a "generalised warm feeling" towards the Greens, they just need convincing they're a credible option.

"It's really the difference between populism and popularity," she says.

"What they need to know is that if they put their vote in the Green box on the ballot paper that's got a really, really good chance of electing somebody."

Time to capitalise on discontent?

Plenty of analysts, and Green party members themselves, have questioned why the party hasn't already capitalised more on left-wing discontent with Labour, or why it hasn't pitched itself more effectively as an alternative to the traditional parties, in the way Reform UK has.

Matt Zarb-Cousin, a former spokesperson for Jeremy Corbyn who joined the Greens in 2022, is a founding member of Greens Organise, a group that wants the party to take a more socialist stance.

He argues that it is "inexcusable" that the party hasn't made a breakthrough in the polls since the election.

Like Polanski, he believes that voters understand the party's environmental credentials and so it needs to highlight its policies on the cost of living, inequality and taxing wealth over work.

"It's not just about saying we support those things, it's about how you frame that argument: who are the enemies? Whose side are you on?"

Ian Forsyth/Getty Images Caroline Lucas wearing neutral colours with her arms spread
Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
Ramsay and Chowns have secured endorsement from the former Green MP Caroline Lucas

Former Green party councillor Rupert Read, who is an environmental philosopher and a co-director of the campaign group Climate Majority Project, says a lot of Green party policy is left-wing, but adds that this is often the result of "making green policies that work for ordinary people".

"You need to come from a starting point that is not dogmatically and self-avowedly left. If you do there'll be a strict ceiling on the level of support which is possible."

Ramsay and Chowns make a similar argument. Ramsay says that Polanski is "about appealing to a narrow base of activists," which he and Chowns argue isn't enough to win in the UK's first past the past electoral system.

Chowns also believes that Polanski's approach is too similar to strategies that have failed in the past.

"We spent years as the Green party engaging in the sort of politics where we stood on street corners and told people why we were very passionate about things...

"It's all well and good but it's not the way to win people over."

Return of the 'Green surge'?

The Green Peer Baroness Bennett, who led the party between 2012 and 2016, said there had been "a level of excitement and interest around this leadership election more than I've ever seen before by a very large scale".

It is reporting a "significant increase" in members in the past few months, although it won't yet give an exact figure. (The cut-off date to join and be able to vote in the leadership contest was July 31.)

Baroness Bennett also points to "organic growth in the grassroots" since the general election.

The party has held 12 seats in council by-elections since 4 July 2024, and won another 14 - mostly at the expense of Labour, while losing four to the Conservatives.

This all marks a significant change from the past - the so-called "Green Surge" in 2015, under Baroness Bennett's leadership, saw the party's membership and vote share grow but still only returned Caroline Lucas to Parliament.

Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Sian Berry, Carla Denyer, Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns Jonathan Brady/PA Wire
Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns with Sian Berry and current co-leader Carla Denyer (second left)

Prof Neil Carter from the University of York, a long-time observer of environmental politics, says he can see an argument for following Polanski's strategy, as the Greens have traditionally had the greatest success with "metropolitan, liberal-minded, young, professionals".

The sort of voters who are key to Chowns and Ramsay's approach could be harder to win over, he argues.

"The trouble is you can reach out to a sort of middle-class Tory rural voter to some extent, if you just talk Green, but as soon as you start to talk about all of those other issues that the Greens like to talk about, you're going to alienate those voters."

But Chowns, who, like Ramsay, won a formerly Conservative seat, says that's not her experience. "People across the political spectrum find a lot to like in what we stand for."

Attracting 'anti-system' voters

Getting noticed is often a struggle for smaller political parties. For that reason, Luke Tryl, who is UK director of the political research organisation More in Common, believes that Polanski's approach might be the Greens' quickest route to boosting its numbers.

"If you are trying to get 10 to 15%, it's probably what gets you noticed." But he argues it would net the party far fewer seats than the 40 that Polanski believes he can win.

Mark Kerrison via Getty Images Polanski speaking with a microphone in handMark Kerrison via Getty Images
Polanski calls his approach "eco-populism" and says it's about being "bolder"

He says that the party is rarely brought up in the focus groups which he runs outside of Green areas and that a charismatic leader could help the party cut through.

There is a segment of the population that is "anti-system", he says, to whom a more radical pitch from the Greens might appeal.

Mr Tryl, however, believes that while eco-populism could be a good way of getting known, the Greens would then need to "moderate" to become a "genuine mass movement party with potential for power".

On getting into government, he says: "The Adrian and Ellie approach is right because you need to win over more of the North Herefordshires and Waveney Valleys (Chowns' and Ramsay's seats) and actually places like the Isle of Wight - but they are a long way from that".

Where Corbyn's new party fits in

There is another challenge facing all candidates: the new party that will soon be launched by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, a former Labour MP.

Both Prof Carter and Mr Tryl warn that Polanski's strategy could be crowded out by this new party that has yet to be named but which, according to Corbyn, had 600,000 people sign up by early August.

Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire Jeremy Corbyn (second left) and Zarah Sultana, MP for Coventry South (second right) on a picket line outside London Euston train stationStefan Rousseau/PA Wire
A new party is set to be launched by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, a former Labour MP

Ramsay goes further. He believes the new Corbyn party would blow Polanski's pitch "out of the water".

Research carried out in June by More in Common suggested that the establishment of a Corbyn led-party could cut the Green's nationwide vote share from 9% to 5%. (This did not take into account who would be leading the Greens).

Polanski has signalled he would be willing to co-operate with a possible Corbyn-led project and believes the Greens' position as an already established party will mean he can succeed.

It is Ramsay and Chowns who have secured what could be considered the "OG" of Green endorsements: the former MP Caroline Lucas.

The strategy they propose sticking with is based on the one she used to get elected as the first ever Green MP in 2010, and focuses on intensive local campaigning.

The question of who to target

Both leadership pitches include carrying on with local targeting but Polanski believes it can't be scaled up sufficiently to get large numbers of seats on its own.

Chowns dismisses this idea: "My vision at the next general election is that we will have multiple large numbers of target seats and definitely more than one in every region."

Dan Kitwood / Cameron Smith, Getty A dual image of Ellie Chowns and Adrian RamsayDan Kitwood / Cameron Smith, Getty
During the election period, the Green Party raised just £160,000 compared with more than £1.6m for Reform UK

With either approach, the Greens face other obstacles, such as funding.

The party's principle of not being funded by large donors means they lack the financial resources of other political parties.

During the election period, the party raised just £160,000, compared with more than £1.6m for both Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats, and £9.5m by Labour.

The Green leader has also little direct control over policy, as it is set by the members - not that there is much difference between the candidates.

Polanski has gone further than current party policy by suggesting the UK should leave Nato, but there are only a few differences between the candidates' public positions.

Dan Kitwood /Getty Images People protesting with a 'tax extreme wealth' bannerDan Kitwood /Getty Images
All three candidates back a wealth tax, which has been the Greens' major campaigning issue for several years

Ultimately, whoever is chosen to lead the party this time will likely face re-election again before the next general election. The political landscape may have changed further but there is certainly an opportunity for the Greens if they land on the right strategy.

As Mr Tryl puts it, "In the age of very fragmented multi party politics, small vote shares can deliver outsized results".

Top picture credit: Dan Kitwood / Leon Neal via Getty

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Croatian ultra-nationalist mega-gig exposes divided society

18 August 2025 at 07:00
DAMIR SENCAR/AFP via Getty Images A huge crowd of fans facing the stage at Perkovic's concert. Fireworks and flames are seen coming from the stage.DAMIR SENCAR/AFP via Getty Images
Hundreds of thousands attended a concert by Marko Perkovic in Zagreb

A "neo-fascist Croatian Woodstock" or patriotic, anti-establishment fun?

Last month's mega-gig by the ultra-nationalist singer Thompson – the stage name of Marko Perkovic – has dramatically exposed the polarised divisions deep within Croatian society.

It shone a spotlight on wildly differing interpretations of both the country's struggle for independence in the 1990s, and the history of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), a World War Two-era Nazi puppet state.

Nobody would argue that the concert was anything other than huge. Thompson's management claimed that more than half a million tickets for the show at Zagreb Hippodrome were sold. The actual attendance was considerably lower – but still in the hundreds of thousands.

That enormous crowd enthusiastically joined in when Thompson launched into his opening number, Čavoglave Battalion. To his cry of "Za dom" ("for homeland"), the audience roared back "Spremni!" ("ready!"). MPs from the governing HDZ party were among those chanting along.

Reuters Marko Perkovic on stage at this month's concert. He is a 58-year-old man with grey hair wearing a black t-shirt and a necklace with a large silver medallion. Reuters
Marko Perkovic, known as Thompson, led the crowd in a chant which many claim has roots in the Nazi-era Ustasha organisation

This chant has outraged opposition parties and organisations working for human rights and ethnic and regional reconciliation. They point out that "Za dom, spremni" originated with the anti-Semitic, Nazi-allied Ustasha organization during World War Two – and that Croatia's Constitutional Court has ruled that the phrase "is an Ustasha salute of the Independent State of Croatia [which is] not in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia".

"This has opened Pandora's box," says Tena Banjeglav of Documenta – Centre for Dealing with the Past, an organisation which focuses on reconciliation by taking a factual approach to both World War Two and the more recent war of independence.

"You've now got politicians in parliament screaming 'Za dom, spremni'. On the streets, kids are singing not only that song, but other songs Thompson used to sing which glorify mass crimes in World War Two," she says.

"The government is creating an atmosphere when this is a positive thing. It is creating a wave of nationalism which could explode into physical violence."

The government has in fact downplayed the chanting at the concert. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic described it as "part of Thompson's repertoire" and posed for a photo with the singer the day before the Zagreb gig.

Tena Banjeglav looks into the camera. She has long brown hair and is wearing sunglasses on her head. She is standing on the pavement of a quiet street.
Tena Banjeglav says that Thompson's concert has opened a Pandora's box of nationalism

Conservative commentator Matija Štahan believes that Thompson's time serving as a soldier during the war of independence gives him the right to use "Za dom, spremni" in his work.

"It is an authentic outcry for freedom against aggression," he says.

"Many journalists in the West say it's the Croatian version of 'Heil Hitler' – but it would be best to describe it as the Croatian version of [the Ukrainian national salute] 'Slava Ukraini'.

"Both rose to prominence in the context of World War Two – which was a war for many small nations who wanted their own independent states," Mr Štahan says.

"Symbols change their meaning – and just like 'Slava Ukraini', 'Za dom, spremni' also means something different. Today, it's an anti-establishment nationalist slogan. It's against the Croatian politically-correct post-communist political elite. Young people want to shout it as something that's subversive."

This interpretation cuts no ice with the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), a regional organisation which works for reconciliation among the younger generations in the Western Balkans.

"It is clearly a fascist slogan," says YIHR's director in Croatia, Mario Mažić.

"As an EU member state, Croatia should be an example for the rest of the region, but it has not dealt with the past. It identifies with the losing side in World War Two, doesn't recognise it waged an unjust war in Bosnia and refuses to acknowledge systematic crimes against Serbs."

Tvrtko Jakovina looks into the camera smiling faintly. He has short dark hair and is wearing a khaki t-shit. He is standing on the pavement of a quiet street.
Brexit was the breaking point for fascist views becoming more visible, according to Tvrtko Jakovina

Thompson staged another huge show at the start of August in Krajina, the stronghold of Croatian Serbs during the war of independence. That performance was part of the celebrations for the 30th anniversary of Operation Storm – the military battle which ended Croatia's war of independence from Yugoslavia in the 1990s, but which also displaced hundreds of thousands of Serbs.

In recent years, the government had started to include commemorations for Serb victims. But reconciliation now appears to have a lower priority than promoting nationalist sentiment, with a military parade in Zagreb the showpiece of this year's events.

"All these things became more visible since the UK left the European Union – because when it comes to anti-fascist values, it can't be only up to Germany to protect them," says historian Tvrtko Jakovina.

Mr Jakovina believes this is convenient for a government which seems to have no answers to the numerous challenges facing contemporary Croatia.

"In the summer of 2025, we don't talk about the problems with our tourism, climate change, non-existent industry, higher education – or the demographic catastrophe that's looming," he says.

"Instead, we're talking about the military parade and two Thompson concerts."

The Papers: 'D-Day at White House' and 'Superman star' dies aged 85

18 August 2025 at 08:48

"D-Day at the White House" reads the headline on the front page of the Daily Mail.
It's "D-Day at the White House", says the Daily Mail, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and EU leaders prepare to meet US President Donald Trump. But "will he listen to a single word they say," it poses. The death at 86 of superman star Terrance Stamp also features.
"UK and EU at Zelensky's side for talks with Trump" reads the headline on the front page of The Guardian.
The UK and EU are "at Zelensky's side for talks with Trump", reads the Guardian headline. It "seems designed to prevent a repeat of Zelensky's pubic mauling during his last trip", it adds. On the Middle East, the paper reports that Israel's army is preparing "to force one million people out of Gaza City". A striking black-and-white portrait of Mr Stamp dominates the right hand side.
"Europe tells Trump: Don't give in to Putin" reads the headline on the front page of The Telegraph.
"Europe tells Trump: Don't give in to Putin", reports The Daily Telegraph. To the right, a shot of French President on holiday in France, atop a hydrofoil. In other news, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps are using a leaked Ministry of Defence "kill list" provided by the Taliban to hunt British spies, the paper says.
"Zelensky wants security guarantees before a deal" reads the headline on the front page of The Times.
The headline for the Times this morning is "Zelensky wants security guarantees before a deal". It features reporting of "intense" fighting on the ground in Donets, as both Russia and Ukraine "race to secure territory". Peeking out from the bottom strap, a story on golden eagles possibly returning to England after more than 150 years.
"Zelensky and European allies seek security guarantees in Trump talks" reads the headline on the front page of the Financial Times.
The leaders' talks in Washington also leads the Financial Times. Zelensky and Ukraine's European allies "seek security guarantees", it says, after Putin "demanded that Kyiv should concede land in order to reach a truce". Also featured is a report that the UK has produced enough electricity to power more than five million homes for a year through solar power alone.
"Europe takes a stand" reads the headline on the front page of the Daily Mirror.
"Europe takes a stand" is the headline on the Mirror, alongside a picture of Sir Keir and Zelensky embracing at the entrance to 10 Downing Street. "Super star" Mr Stamp also makes the front.
"'Outrageous' rail fares rise" reads the headline on the front page of the Metro.
The Metro splashes with a black and white photo of train tickets, calling a reported rail fare rise "outrageous". Industry experts it cites say prices will go up another 5.5% next year.
"Students face yearly tuition fee hikes to bail out struggling universities" reads the headline on the front page of The i Paper.
Students face annual tuition hikes "to bail out struggling universities", the i reports. Another £250 rise is possible next year as part of ministers' plans to use automatic increases in line with inflation. Meanwhile, "vice-chancellors warn several universities will go bust without boost to income".
"And it's off" reads the headline on the front page on the Daily Star.
"And it's off", reads the Daily Star's headline as horse racing strikes begin ahead of the "chancellor's hated bet tax". All meets have been "axed for a day in protest at the tax hike betting plans of Rachel Reeves". The Star also touches on "Terence tributes".
"Britain's 10 million junk food addicts" reads the headline on the front page of the Daily Express.
The Daily Express spotlights "Britain's 10 million junk food addicts" as some experts vie for the World Health Organization (WHO) to include food addiction as a form of substance abuse. Dr Jen Unwin, the organiser of a gathering of medics and academics in London to discuss the issue, has called it a "health disaster".
"Strictly star's stalker terror" reads the headline on the front page of The Sun.
It's "Strictly star's stalker terror" for the Sun, as Chris Robshaw faced a "terrifying campaign of harassment by a female stalker". The woman, who the paper says threatened the rugby player with violence twice last year, is now "being hunted by police".
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Health v heritage: Pigeon feeding ban sparks debate in India

18 August 2025 at 07:32
NurPhoto via Getty Images A man feeds pigeons near the clock tower in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.NurPhoto via Getty Images
A man feeds pigeons in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir

A recent court ban on feeding pigeons in public spaces in the western Indian city of Mumbai has become a major flashpoint between civic bodies, public health activists and bird lovers.

This month, hundreds of people clashed with police twice while protesting the closure of a decades-old pigeon feeding spot, or a kabutarkhana. (Kabutar is the Hindi word for pigeon.)

Some tore down the tarpaulin sheets covering the spot and threatened an indefinite hunger strike. Police briefly detained about 15 people at another protest, media reports said.

Authorities had imposed the ban due to concerns about health hazards due to pigeon droppings.

The problem is not unique to Mumbai. In Venice, feeding pigeons in historic squares is banned. Singapore imposes hefty fines, and New York and London have regulated feeding zones.

In India too, Pune and Thane cities in Maharashtra state - of which Mumbai is the capital - have imposed penalties on feeding pigeons. Delhi is mulling an advisory against feeding the birds in public spaces.

The crackdown has angered animal lovers and religious feeders, as pigeons are long woven into India's cultural fabric.

Films often use shots of grain-feeding pigeons to evoke cities like Mumbai and Delhi, where the birds are a familiar presence on balconies and air-conditioners.

Hindustan Times via Getty Images  Followers of Jain religion participated in a protest rally against the closure of kabutar khanas across the city by BMC, rally held from Colaba jain temple to Gateway of India, on August 3, 2025 in Mumbai, IndiaHindustan Times via Getty Images
Members of Mumbai's Jain community protested this month, saying pigeon feeding is part of their faith

Some of Mumbai's kabutarkhanas are iconic heritage structures and are said to have originated as charitable spaces where communities could donate grain.

There are religious sentiments involved as well. In Mumbai, the Jain community, which considers feeding pigeons a pious duty, has been vocal in their protests.

Elsewhere too, many share a bond with pigeons - seen as symbols of peace and loyalty .

In Delhi, Syed Ismat says he has been feeding the birds for 40 years and considers them his family.

"They are innocent. Perhaps the most innocent of all creatures. All they ask for is a little kindness," said Mr Ismat.

But these sentiments are pitted against studies which show that prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings poses risks of pulmonary and respiratory illnesses.

A boom in India's pigeon population in recent years has heightened this risk, prompting the restrictions.

Delhi-based biodiversity expert Faiyaz Khudsar says easy availability of food has led to overpopulation of pigeons in many countries.

In India, he said, the challenge is compounded by a decline in birds like the goraiya, commonly known as the house sparrow, which are increasingly being displaced by pigeons.

"With easy food and no predators, pigeons are breeding faster than ever. They are outcompeting other urban birds, creating an ecological loss," Mr Khudsar said.

Hindustan Times via Getty Images Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) covered the Dadar Kabutarkhana with large plastic sheets following a Bombay High Court directive banning pigeon feeding at designated spots across, on August 3, 2025 in Mumbai, India.Hindustan Times via Getty Images
There has been a boom in India's pigeon population in recent years

The 2023 State of India's Birds report says pigeon numbers have risen more than150% since 2000 - the biggest jump among all birds - leaving homes and public spaces with droppings, as each bird can produce up to 15kg (33lbs) a year.

Studies show these droppings contain at least seven types of zoonotic pathogens that can cause diseases such as pneumonia, fungal infections and even lung damage in humans.

Nirmal Kohli, a 75-year-old Delhi resident, started complaining of persistent cough and had trouble breathing a few years ago.

"Eventually, a CT scan showed that part of her lung had shrunk," says her son Amit Kohli. "The doctors said it was due to exposure to pigeon droppings."

Last year, an 11-year-old boy died in Delhi due to hypersensitivity pneumonitis - a disease that causes inflammation in lungs. Doctors said the reason was prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers.

RS Pal, a pulmonologist, told the BBC that such cases were common.

"Even if you don't directly feed pigeons, their droppings on window sills and balconies can cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis," he said.

"We also see bacterial, viral and fungal infections in people handling pigeons regularly."

These concerns are what led the Mumbai civic body to impose the feeding ban last month and launch a drive to demolish feeding centres.

Anshul Verma/BBC Syed Ismat, wearing a white kurta pajama, feeds grain to pigeons on a rooftop He is holding a steel bowl and there are pigeons perched on his palm and kneeAnshul Verma/BBC
Syed Ismat has been feeding birds for four decades now

Demolitions are on hold, but the Bombay High Court has dismissed a plea against the feeding ban, citing public health as "paramount" and ordering strict action on illegal feeding.

Delhi mayor Raja Iqbal Singh told the BBC that love for birds cannot come at the cost of people's well-being.

"Feeding spots often turn dirty, leading to foul smells, infections and pests. We are working to minimise feeding," he said.

But many animal lovers disagree.

Mohammad Younus, who supplies grains to a feeding spot in Delhi, argues that all animals can spread diseases if hygiene is not maintained.

"I have been surrounded by pigeons for the past 15 years. If something were to happen, it would have happened to me too," he said.

In Mumbai, a Jain monk told BBC Marathi that thousands of pigeons would die of hunger due to the feeding ban.

Megha Uniyal, an animal rights activist, pointed out that there was no clarity on how the ban on feeding pigeons would be implemented.

"As far as regulating pigeon feeding is concerned, it is a word thrown around by the authorities, but no one really understands what this could entail," she said.

Amid these competing contentions, efforts are on to find a middle ground.

Ujjwal Agrain, of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) India, suggests allowing pigeon feeding only during set morning and evening hours.

"That gives enough time for civic bodies to clean the place and maintain hygiene. This way, we respect both public health and emotional bonds," he said.

The Bombay High Court has set up an expert panel to suggest alternatives, and Mumbai civic officials say controlled, staggered feeding may be allowed based on its advice.

For Syed Ismat, the solution lies in rethinking the relationship between birds and urban spaces.

"Maybe it's time to reimagine how we share our cities, not just with pigeons but with all forms of life," he said.

Additional reporting by Sharanya Dayal in Delhi

Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook

Zelensky and allies head to White House for Ukraine talks

18 August 2025 at 08:09
Watch: How the Trump-Putin summit unfolded... in under 2 minutes

US President Donald Trump will host Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday for their first meeting since the pair's heated exchange in the White House earlier this year - but this time the Ukrainian president is bringing European allies.

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer are among leaders who will join Zelensky in Washington for talks on how to end the war with Russia.

It follows Trump's summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska that resulted in the US president dropping a demand for a ceasefire and calling instead for a permanent peace deal.

A US envoy said on Sunday that Putin had agreed to a possible Nato-like security pact for Ukraine.

"BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, without elaborating.

Also heading to Washington for Monday's meeting are French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It is unclear how many of them will go to the White House.

For so many heads of state to travel with such little notice across the Atlantic to what is essentially a wartime crisis meeting appears without precedent in the modern era, underscoring the sky-high stakes.

Diplomatic sources say European officials are concerned that Trump may try to press Zelensky to agree to terms, after the Ukrainian leader was excluded from the Trump-Putin meeting on US soil last Friday.

But US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the BBC's US partner CBS that any suggestion Zelensky might be bullied by Trump into accepting a peace deal was a "stupid media narrative".

Watch in full: The remarkable exchange between Zelensky, Vance and Trump

Nato leaders also appear eager to avoid a repeat of Zelensky's February trip to the Oval Office that ended abruptly after an argument with Trump and US Vice-President JD Vance.

The altercation - which saw Trump accuse Zelensky of "gambling with World War Three" - left Washington-Kyiv ties in tatters.

But European leaders have been working diligently behind the scenes since then to mend the relationship. The Ukrainian leader has been coached to talk in terms of deal-making - language that resonates with Trump.

In April, Ukraine signed a minerals agreement that gave the US a financial stake in the country, and Trump and Zelensky spoke privately at the Vatican before Pope Francis's funeral. Ukraine made clear it was willing to pay for US weapons.

By July, the two leaders had a phone call that the Ukrainian president described as "the best conversation we have had".

Meanwhile, Trump had begun to express exasperation with Russia's unrelenting onslaught in Ukraine. He called Putin "absolutely crazy", drastically shortened his deadline for a peace deal, and threatened economic sanctions on Moscow.

As these deliberations grind on, Russian forces continue to advance on the battlefield. They now occupy almost a fifth of Ukraine since Moscow launched its full scale invasion in February 2022.

EPA European Commission President Ursula van der Leyen and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky attend a video conference with EU leaders in Brussels, Belgium, on 17 August 2025EPA
Zelensky joined a virtual summit on Sunday with Nato and European leaders

A virtual summit was held on Sunday between Zelensky and the so-called coalition of the willing - a group of nations including the UK, France and Germany that have pledged to protect peace in Ukraine once it is achieved.

Afterwards, Emmanuel Macron told reporters their plan was to "present a united front" for Monday's talks with Trump.

Zelensky and the Nato leaders said they were keen to learn more after US envoy Steve Witkoff told US television that Putin had agreed on Friday to "robust security guarantees that I would describe as game-changing".

Witkoff said such an agreement could see Europe and the US protect Ukraine from further aggression with a Nato-like defence agreement.

"We were able to win the following concession: that the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in Nato," Witkoff told CNN on Sunday.

Putin has long opposed Ukraine joining Nato, and Witkoff said the arrangement could be an alternative if the Ukrainians "can live with it".

Article 5 is a principle at the heart of the 32-member transatlantic military alliance that says its members will come to the defence of an ally that is under attack.

Witkoff also told CNN that Russia made "some concessions" around five heavily contested regions of Ukraine.

In talks with European allies after the Alaska summit, Trump said Putin had reiterated that he wants the key Donetsk and Luhansk regions that make up Donbas, eastern Ukraine, according to European officials.

But at Sunday's virtual summit with Nato leaders, Zelensky stressed that the Ukrainian constitution makes it impossible to give up territory - and that this should only be discussed by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia at a trilateral summit with the US.

The US secretary of state, meanwhile, sought to temper hopes that a deal to end Europe's deadliest conflict for 80 years could be imminent.

"We're still a long ways off," America's top diplomat said on Sunday.

Washington talks could prove more vital for Ukraine's future than Trump-Putin summit

18 August 2025 at 08:15
Getty Images Ukrainian President Zelensky talks to the press while standing in front of a blue and yellow Ukrainian flag. Getty Images

It is quite possible that Monday's meeting in the White House could prove even more crucial to the future of Ukraine - and for all of Europe's security - than last Friday's US-Russia summit in Alaska.

On the surface, that Putin-Trump reunion seemed to live down to every expectation.

There was no ceasefire, no sanctions, no grand announcements.

Were Ukraine and Europe about to get cut out of a deal cooked up behind closed doors by the world's two foremost nuclear powers?

Not, apparently, if Ukraine and its partners can prevent it.

The presence of Sir Keir Starmer, President Macron, Chancellor Merz and other leaders alongside President Zelensky in Washington is about more than making sure he does not get ambushed in the Oval Office again, in the way he did on 28 February.

They are determined to impress upon Donald Trump two things: firstly, that there can be no peace deal for Ukraine without Ukraine's direct involvement and secondly, that it must be backed by 'cast-iron' security guarantees.

Above all, Europe's leaders want the US President to see that Ukraine and Europe present a united front and they are eager to ensure he is not being swayed by his obvious personal rapport with Vladimir Putin into giving in to the Russian leaders' demands.

Watch: How the Trump-Putin summit unfolded... in under 2 minutes

This is where the Sir Keir Starmer's diplomatic skills will be sorely tested.

Trump likes Starmer and listens to him, and in a month's time Trump will be coming to the UK on a state visit.

He also likes Mark Rutte, the NATO Secretary-General who will be in attendance, a man who is sometimes called 'the Trump Whisperer'.

The US President appears to be less fond of President Macron and the White House was sharply critical recently of his intention to unconditionally recognise a Palestinian state at the next UN General Assembly.

For a peace deal in Ukraine to have any chance of working, something has to give.

European leaders have said frequently that international borders cannot be changed by force and President Zelensky has said time and time again he will not give up land and besides, Ukraine's constitution forbids it.

But Putin wants the Donbas, which his forces already control around 85 per cent of, and he has absolutely no intention of ever handing back Crimea.

Yet as the former Estonian PM and now Europe's top diplomat Kaja Kallas once said to me: victory for Ukraine in this war does not have to be exclusively about reconquering occupied land.

If Ukraine can obtain the sort of Article 5-type security guarantees now being talked about, sufficient to deter any future Russian aggression and thereby safeguard its independence as a free and sovereign state, then that would be a form of victory.

It does now appear that what the US and Russia have been discussing is a proposal that broadly trades some Ukrainian land for security guarantees that it won't have to give up any more to Russia.

But the question marks are huge.

Could Ukraine accept a deal that ends the war but costs it land, especially when so many thousands have died trying to save that land?

If it is asked to give up the remaining 30 per cent of Donetsk Oblast that Russia has yet to occupy then does that leave the path westwards to Kyiv dangerously under-defended?

And what of Starmer's much-vaunted Coalition of the Willing?

Earlier talk of deploying tens of thousands of boots on the ground have since been scaled back.

Now it's more about 'safeguarding skies and seas' while helping Ukraine to rebuild its army.

But even if peace does break out on the battlefield we are still in dangerous territory.

Every military expert I have spoken to believes that the moment the fighting stops Putin will reconstitute his army, build more weapons, until he is in a position, perhaps in as little as three to four years, to grab more land.

If and when that happens it will be a brave Typhoon or F35 pilot who is prepared to fire that first missile on an advancing Russian column.

Health v heritage: Pigeon feeding ban sparks debate in India

18 August 2025 at 07:32
NurPhoto via Getty Images A man feeds pigeons near the clock tower in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.NurPhoto via Getty Images
A man feeds pigeons in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir

A recent court ban on feeding pigeons in public spaces in the western Indian city of Mumbai has become a major flashpoint between civic bodies, public health activists and bird lovers.

This month, hundreds of people clashed with police twice while protesting the closure of a decades-old pigeon feeding spot, or a kabutarkhana. (Kabutar is the Hindi word for pigeon.)

Some tore down the tarpaulin sheets covering the spot and threatened an indefinite hunger strike. Police briefly detained about 15 people at another protest, media reports said.

Authorities had imposed the ban due to concerns about health hazards due to pigeon droppings.

The problem is not unique to Mumbai. In Venice, feeding pigeons in historic squares is banned. Singapore imposes hefty fines, and New York and London have regulated feeding zones.

In India too, Pune and Thane cities in Maharashtra state - of which Mumbai is the capital - have imposed penalties on feeding pigeons. Delhi is mulling an advisory against feeding the birds in public spaces.

The crackdown has angered animal lovers and religious feeders, as pigeons are long woven into India's cultural fabric.

Films often use shots of grain-feeding pigeons to evoke cities like Mumbai and Delhi, where the birds are a familiar presence on balconies and air-conditioners.

Hindustan Times via Getty Images  Followers of Jain religion participated in a protest rally against the closure of kabutar khanas across the city by BMC, rally held from Colaba jain temple to Gateway of India, on August 3, 2025 in Mumbai, IndiaHindustan Times via Getty Images
Members of Mumbai's Jain community protested this month, saying pigeon feeding is part of their faith

Some of Mumbai's kabutarkhanas are iconic heritage structures and are said to have originated as charitable spaces where communities could donate grain.

There are religious sentiments involved as well. In Mumbai, the Jain community, which considers feeding pigeons a pious duty, has been vocal in their protests.

Elsewhere too, many share a bond with pigeons - seen as symbols of peace and loyalty .

In Delhi, Syed Ismat says he has been feeding the birds for 40 years and considers them his family.

"They are innocent. Perhaps the most innocent of all creatures. All they ask for is a little kindness," said Mr Ismat.

But these sentiments are pitted against studies which show that prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings poses risks of pulmonary and respiratory illnesses.

A boom in India's pigeon population in recent years has heightened this risk, prompting the restrictions.

Delhi-based biodiversity expert Faiyaz Khudsar says easy availability of food has led to overpopulation of pigeons in many countries.

In India, he said, the challenge is compounded by a decline in birds like the goraiya, commonly known as the house sparrow, which are increasingly being displaced by pigeons.

"With easy food and no predators, pigeons are breeding faster than ever. They are outcompeting other urban birds, creating an ecological loss," Mr Khudsar said.

Hindustan Times via Getty Images Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) covered the Dadar Kabutarkhana with large plastic sheets following a Bombay High Court directive banning pigeon feeding at designated spots across, on August 3, 2025 in Mumbai, India.Hindustan Times via Getty Images
There has been a boom in India's pigeon population in recent years

The 2023 State of India's Birds report says pigeon numbers have risen more than150% since 2000 - the biggest jump among all birds - leaving homes and public spaces with droppings, as each bird can produce up to 15kg (33lbs) a year.

Studies show these droppings contain at least seven types of zoonotic pathogens that can cause diseases such as pneumonia, fungal infections and even lung damage in humans.

Nirmal Kohli, a 75-year-old Delhi resident, started complaining of persistent cough and had trouble breathing a few years ago.

"Eventually, a CT scan showed that part of her lung had shrunk," says her son Amit Kohli. "The doctors said it was due to exposure to pigeon droppings."

Last year, an 11-year-old boy died in Delhi due to hypersensitivity pneumonitis - a disease that causes inflammation in lungs. Doctors said the reason was prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers.

RS Pal, a pulmonologist, told the BBC that such cases were common.

"Even if you don't directly feed pigeons, their droppings on window sills and balconies can cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis," he said.

"We also see bacterial, viral and fungal infections in people handling pigeons regularly."

These concerns are what led the Mumbai civic body to impose the feeding ban last month and launch a drive to demolish feeding centres.

Anshul Verma/BBC Syed Ismat, wearing a white kurta pajama, feeds grain to pigeons on a rooftop He is holding a steel bowl and there are pigeons perched on his palm and kneeAnshul Verma/BBC
Syed Ismat has been feeding birds for four decades now

Demolitions are on hold, but the Bombay High Court has dismissed a plea against the feeding ban, citing public health as "paramount" and ordering strict action on illegal feeding.

Delhi mayor Raja Iqbal Singh told the BBC that love for birds cannot come at the cost of people's well-being.

"Feeding spots often turn dirty, leading to foul smells, infections and pests. We are working to minimise feeding," he said.

But many animal lovers disagree.

Mohammad Younus, who supplies grains to a feeding spot in Delhi, argues that all animals can spread diseases if hygiene is not maintained.

"I have been surrounded by pigeons for the past 15 years. If something were to happen, it would have happened to me too," he said.

In Mumbai, a Jain monk told BBC Marathi that thousands of pigeons would die of hunger due to the feeding ban.

Megha Uniyal, an animal rights activist, pointed out that there was no clarity on how the ban on feeding pigeons would be implemented.

"As far as regulating pigeon feeding is concerned, it is a word thrown around by the authorities, but no one really understands what this could entail," she said.

Amid these competing contentions, efforts are on to find a middle ground.

Ujjwal Agrain, of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) India, suggests allowing pigeon feeding only during set morning and evening hours.

"That gives enough time for civic bodies to clean the place and maintain hygiene. This way, we respect both public health and emotional bonds," he said.

The Bombay High Court has set up an expert panel to suggest alternatives, and Mumbai civic officials say controlled, staggered feeding may be allowed based on its advice.

For Syed Ismat, the solution lies in rethinking the relationship between birds and urban spaces.

"Maybe it's time to reimagine how we share our cities, not just with pigeons but with all forms of life," he said.

Additional reporting by Sharanya Dayal in Delhi

Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook

广东茂名月饼开订 海外订单同比增长两成

18 August 2025 at 08:57

“中国月饼名城”广东茂名市的月饼订货会已开始,今年海外月饼及月饼馅料订单比去年同期增加两成。

中新社星期天(8月17日)引述茂名市食品行业协会报道,为期50天的月饼订货会已拉开序幕,来自海外的月饼及月饼馅料订单均较去年同期增长两成,预计今年月饼总销量较去年增长超三成。

据茂名海关介绍,作为茂名唯一的月饼及月饼馅料出口企业,粮丰园从今年5月起,生产的月饼及月饼馅料便开始陆续出口美国、南非、加拿大等地,海外订单总体同比增长20%。

粮丰园营销部市场科副经理李海廷称,海外客户最喜欢中国的传统月饼馅料如莲蓉馅、黑芝麻馅和红豆沙馅,而人气最高的出口月饼则是双、单黄纯白莲蓉月饼等。

李海廷说,这些月饼及馅料的出口一般会持续到8月底。

据统计,目前茂名全市月饼生产企业有252家,月饼品种近100个,年产量约3万吨,年产值超40亿元人民币(7.15亿新元)。

牟丰京被双开 曾掌舵重庆两大传媒集团

18 August 2025 at 08:40

重庆中国三峡博物馆原党委书记、馆长牟丰京被“双开”(开除党职与公职),他曾先后担任重庆两大传媒集团的“一把手”。

重庆纪委监委微信公众号“风正巴渝”上星期五(8月15日)发布通报称,经市委批准,市纪委监委对牟丰京严重违纪违法问题进行了立案审查调查。

通报指出,牟丰京丧失理想信念,背离初心使命,违反政治纪律,履行全面从严治党主体责任不力,对抗组织审查;廉洁底线失守,罔顾中共中央八项规定精神,违规收受礼品,接受可能影响公正执行公务的宴请,违规配备使用公车,将应由本人支付的费用交由下属单位支付;无视组织原则,不按规定报告个人有关事项,在职务调整、职工录用工作中为他人谋利并收受财物;将公权力异化为谋取私利的工具,搞权钱交易,利用职务上的便利在广告投放、代理等方面为他人谋取利益,并非法收受巨额财物;肆意决策,滥用职权,致使国家利益遭受重大损失。

通报称,牟丰京严重违反中共的政治纪律、组织纪律、廉洁纪律和生活纪律,构成严重职务违法并涉嫌受贿、国有事业单位人员滥用职权犯罪,且在中共十八大后不收敛、不收手,性质严重,影响恶劣,应予严肃处理。依据《中国共产党纪律处分条例》《中国监察法》《中国公职人员政务处分法》等有关规定,经市纪委常委会会议研究并报市委批准,决定给予牟丰京开除中共党籍、开除公职处分;收缴违纪违法所得;将他涉嫌犯罪问题移送检察机关审查起诉,所涉财物一并移送。

公开简历显示,牟丰京今年59岁,山东烟台人。他曾任重庆日报报业集团党委副书记、集团副总裁兼重庆日报总编辑,2011年出任重庆日报报业集团党委书记。2013年4月,牟丰京转任重庆广播电视集团(总台)总裁、总台长,此后转任重庆中国三峡博物馆党委书记、馆长。牟丰京今年6月官宣被查。

Ronnie Rondell, Stuntman Set on Fire for Pink Floyd Cover, Dies at 88

18 August 2025 at 06:30
He was also known for his performances in “Twister” and “The Matrix Reloaded,” and came from a family of stunt performers.

© Rahman Hassani/SOPA Images/LightRocket, via Getty Images

For the cover of Pink Floyd’s 1975 album, “Wish You Were Here,” Ronnie Rondell, wearing a fire-retardant layer beneath a business suit, was dowsed with gasoline and lit ablaze.

台媒:内阁将改组 至少三名部长走人

18 August 2025 at 08:10

台湾媒体报道,内阁将进行改组,至少三名部长将走人。

据台湾《中国时报》报道,执政党在726罢免投票皆败后,党内外皆有要求内阁改组的呼声,但可能只会进行局部改组,行政院长卓荣泰留任可能性高,党内矛头则指向频频失言惹议的经济部长郭智辉。卓荣泰私下也对郭充满怨言,频向府方抱怨。

消息人士称,内阁局部改组将在823之后将启动,至少有三个主要部会将进行调整,待改组名单确认后,9月9日配合运动部揭牌,是新阁员交接的好时机。被点名的阁员中,郭智辉首当其冲,卫福部长邱泰源与数发部长黄彦男也都被点名。

台湾将在8月23日举行第二轮大罢免投票,当天也将同步进行重启核三的公投。

另据台湾《经济日报》报道,民进党内点名,郭智辉将下台。至于由谁接棒经长,现传出行政院秘书长龚明鑫、台电董事长曾文生是呼声最高的人选。

报道称,民进党内对于卓内阁有不少检讨声浪。消息人士称,目前点名郭智辉、邱泰源、教育部长郑英耀、国发会主委刘镜清、国科会主委吴诚文,都可能在这波内阁改组中换将。

知情人士称,郭智辉来自业界,上任以来快人快语,带来争议,不仅让在野党捡到枪,连执政党立委都得频频为部长辩护,可能会在这波改组中下台。

内蒙巴彦淖尔山洪:一把手作出批示要求全力搜救失联人员

18 August 2025 at 07:50

中国内蒙古巴彦淖尔市发生致命山洪,自治区党委书记孙绍骋作出批示,要求全力搜救失联人员。

据中国《内蒙古日报》报道,孙绍骋第一时间作出批示:全力搜救失联人员。自治区有关部门要警示各地,加强对泥石流、滑坡体、河道等重点目标的管控,防止此类事情发生,减少人员伤亡。

内蒙古巴彦淖尔市乌拉特后旗乌盖苏木东乌盖沟上游星期六(8月16日)晚上10时左右突发山洪。已致10名野外露营人员遇难,尚有2人失联,一人获救。

新华社报道,灾害发生后,当地组织应急管理、公安、消防、自然资源、水利、卫生健康等部门700余人,各搜救队伍携带机械设备沿着事发山洪沟道及下游周边展开地毯式搜救。

特朗普对普京的屈服:无停火协议、无制裁计划

18 August 2025 at 08:22

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特朗普对普京的屈服:无停火协议、无制裁计划

PETER BAKER
“我的目标是停止杀戮,”特朗普在飞往阿拉斯加时说。而当他离开安克雷奇时,只留下了他与普京在红毯和总统专车“野兽”里说笑的照片。
“我的目标是停止杀戮,”特朗普在飞往阿拉斯加时说。而当他离开安克雷奇时,只留下了他与普京在红毯和总统专车“野兽”里说笑的照片。 Doug Mills/The New York Times
在飞往阿拉斯加的专机上,特朗普总统宣称,如果他在与俄罗斯总统普京的会谈中没有达成乌克兰停火协议,“我不会高兴”,并且会有“严重的后果”。
仅仅几个小时后,他又登上“空军一号”离开阿拉斯加,并没有签署他认为至关重要的停火协议。然而,他没有施加任何后果,反而宣称自己对与普京的会谈感到非常满意,说“这是一次能打满分的会晤”。
即便在特朗普总统反复无常的执政记录中,与普京在安克雷奇的会晤如今也显得格外突出,堪称一次历史性的逆转。特朗普放弃了他来到这场亚北极峰会的主要目标,更在周六透露,甚至不再寻求立即停火。相反,他屈服于普京偏好的方式,即通过谈判达成一个更广泛的和平协议,要求乌克兰割让领土
最终的结果是,普京获得了无限期继续对邻国开战的的通行证——在旷日持久的全面协议谈判期间(该协议达成希望渺茫),俄方无需承担额外惩罚。特朗普离开安克雷奇时并没有为屠杀按下暂停键——他在飞往阿拉斯加时说过,“我的目标是停止杀戮”——只留下了他与普京在红地毯和总统专车“野兽”里说笑的照片
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“他又被耍了,”曾在奥巴马总统任内担任北约大使的伊沃·达尔德说。“所有的停火承诺、经济制裁威胁、失望的表态,普京只用了红地毯上的两分钟和‘野兽’里的十分钟,就又把特朗普耍了一把。真是令人悲哀的一幕。”
特朗普的盟友关注的则是他打算召集与普京和乌克兰总统泽连斯基的三方会谈。“让我告诉你,我从未像现在这样对这场战争能以体面公正的方式结束充满希望,”南卡罗来纳州的共和党参议员、乌克兰战争的坚定鹰派林赛·格雷厄姆周五晚间在福克斯新闻表示
特朗普在阿拉斯加放弃的停火协议在上个月对他来说还是如此重要,以至于他威胁说,如果俄罗斯不在50天内停止战争,将对其实施新的强硬经济制裁。他后来又把最后期限提前到了上周五。现在,既没有停火,也没有最后期限,更没有制裁计划。
俄罗斯袭击乌克兰后留下的废墟,摄于6月。
俄罗斯袭击乌克兰后留下的废墟,摄于6月。 David Guttenfelder/The New York Times
尽管如此,特朗普还是一如既往地宣布了胜利,称这次会晤是“在阿拉斯加伟大而成功的一天”。他在返回华盛顿的“空军一号”上致电泽连斯基和欧洲领导人后说,他现在将尝试斡旋普京所寻求的全面和平协议。
“大家一致认为,结束俄罗斯和乌克兰之间这场可怕战争的最佳方式是直接达成一项和平协议,这样才能结束战争,而不是仅仅达成停火协议,因为停火协议往往难以维持,”他周六在社交媒体上写道。
他称泽连斯基将于周一来华盛顿与他会面,为与普京的联合会晤铺路。“如果一切顺利,我们随后将安排与普京总统的会晤,”特朗普说。“这可能会拯救数百万人的生命。”
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然而,普京对这样一份长期和平协议的要价如此高昂,乌克兰和欧洲领导人恐难接受。普京在安克雷奇与特朗普会谈后的联合亮相中提到了这一点,他说要解决战争的“根本原因”——这是他用来指代俄罗斯多年来的不满,不仅涉及乌克兰,还涉及美国、北约和欧洲的安全架构。
“我们坚信,为了让乌克兰的解决方案能够持久、可持续地得到解决,必须消除我们反复讨论过的所有危机根源;必须考虑到俄罗斯所有的合法关切;必须恢复欧洲以及整个世界在安全领域的公平平衡,”普京在阿拉斯加说道。
普京的目标是重新确立莫斯科在前苏联领土乃至部分东欧地区的势力范围。
普京的目标是重新确立莫斯科在前苏联领土乃至部分东欧地区的势力范围。 Doug Mills/The New York Times
普京过去坚持全面和平协议必须满足:北约将部队撤回到1997年东扩前的边界,禁止乌克兰加入北约,并要求基辅不仅放弃东部领土,还要缩减军事力量。实际上,普京的目标是重新确立莫斯科在前苏联领土乃至部分东欧地区的势力范围。
拜登总统、泽连斯基和欧洲领导人曾在2022年俄罗斯全面入侵前夕拒绝了类似要求。但特朗普似乎愿意参与这样的讨论,自周五与普京会晤以来,他试图把达成协议的责任转嫁给乌克兰和欧洲。
但泽连斯基和欧洲领导人力求在当前形势下取得最佳结果。一些人因特朗普在前往阿拉斯加途中暗示愿意让美国与欧洲一起为乌克兰提供某种安全保证(尽管不是北约成员资格)而感到鼓舞。在会后与他们的通话中,特朗普再次提到了这一点。
英国首相斯塔默(左)表示,“特朗普总统的努力让我们比以往任何时候都更接近结束俄罗斯在乌克兰的非法战争。”
英国首相斯塔默(左)表示,“特朗普总统的努力让我们比以往任何时候都更接近结束俄罗斯在乌克兰的非法战争。” Pool photo by Ben Stansall
“我们支持特朗普总统提出的乌克兰、美国和俄罗斯三边会谈的提议,”泽连斯基周六表示。“乌克兰强调,关键问题可以在领导人层面进行讨论,三边形式是适当的。”
英国首相斯塔默称赞了美国总统。“特朗普总统的努力让我们比以往任何时候都更接近结束俄罗斯在乌克兰的非法战争,”他在一份声明中说。“他为结束杀戮所展现的领导力值得称赞。”
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目前仍未知的是,特朗普是否在幕后从普京那里争取到了一些未予公开的让步,从而在未来几天为和平协议铺平道路。特朗普谈到在一些未具体说明的问题上达成了“协议”,而普京则含糊地提到两人之间达成的“谅解”。
然而,目前看来,没有迹象显示普京做出了任何妥协,即便特朗普已放弃立即停火的努力。在阿拉斯加峰会前,俄罗斯军队仍在猛烈轰炸乌克兰,这是其多年来不间断的残酷攻势的一部分。而至少目前,他们仍将继续下去。

Peter Baker是《纽约时报》首席白宫记者。特朗普是他报道的第六任美国总统,有时他也撰写将总统和美国政府置于更宏观的背景和历史框架下的分析性文章。

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Putin agreed to 'robust' security guarantees for Ukraine, US envoy says

18 August 2025 at 03:13
EPA Volodymyr Zelensky, Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron chat after holding a meeting during a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, UK, on 2 March 2025.EPA

European leaders have said they will join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.

Those travelling include UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

It comes after Trump failed to reach a deal on ending the war in Ukraine during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

The US president has since said he wants to bypass securing a ceasefire in Ukraine in favour of a permanent peace agreement.

Securing a ceasefire in Ukraine had been one of Trump's core demands before meeting Putin, but afterwards posted on social media that they "often times do not hold up" and that it would be better "to go directly to a peace agreement".

European leaders have reacted with caution to the outcome of the Trump-Putin meeting, seeking not to criticise the change of direction despite their long-held support for a ceasefire.

Putin reportedly presented Trump with a peace offer that would require Ukraine withdrawing from the Donetsk region of the Donbas, in return for Russia freezing the front lines in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Russia claims the Donbas as Russian territory, controlling most of Luhansk and about 70% of Donetsk. It also illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, eight years before launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The BBC's US partner CBS has reported, citing diplomatic sources, that European officials were concerned Trump may try to pressure Zelensky into agreeing to the possible terms discussed in Alaska when they meet on Monday.

Ukraine's president has previously ruled out ceding control of the Donbas - composed of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions - saying it could be used as a springboard for future Russian attacks.

Watch: How the Trump-Putin summit unfolded... in under 2 minutes

Von der Leyen, who is meeting Zelensky in Brussels on Sunday, wrote on X that she would join Zelensky at the White House at the Ukrainian president's request.

Macron, Rutte, Sir Keir, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni all followed in quick succession.

Downing Street said in a statement that it "follows the Prime Minister commending President Trump's efforts to end Russia's illegal war in Ukraine, reasserting his position that the path to peace cannot be decided without President Zelensky".

Monday's White House meeting will be Zelensky's first since an acrimonious public exchange in the Oval Office in February, when Trump told him to be more "thankful" for US support and accused him of "gambling with World War Three" in front of the world's media.

In unprecedented scenes, Zelensky was told to leave the White House, but European leaders have since worked to repair the relationship.

The two leaders appeared to reconcile in April, in what the White House described as a "very productive" 15-minute meeting on the sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral.

Ukraine has also signed a minerals deal that gave the US a financial stake in the country, and Kyiv made it clear they were willing to pay for US arms.

But there will have been concern in Kyiv and other European capitals following the Trump-Putin meeting on Friday.

The Russian president, who is facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, stepped off his jet and onto a red carpet to be warmly received by Trump, who later said they had a "fantastic relationship".

Watch in full: The remarkable exchange between Zelensky, Vance and Trump

Ukraine's ket demand has been a quick ceasefire so that talks on a longer-term settlement do not take place on the backdrop of continued fighting.

Zelensky said following the Alaska summit that a "real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions".

European leaders have managed to maintain good relations with Trump since his return to the White House, with Sir Keir building an especially warm relationship with the US president.

Putin agreed to 'robust' security guarantees for Ukraine, US envoy says

18 August 2025 at 03:13
EPA Volodymyr Zelensky, Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron chat after holding a meeting during a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, UK, on 2 March 2025.EPA

European leaders have said they will join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.

Those travelling include UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

It comes after Trump failed to reach a deal on ending the war in Ukraine during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

The US president has since said he wants to bypass securing a ceasefire in Ukraine in favour of a permanent peace agreement.

Securing a ceasefire in Ukraine had been one of Trump's core demands before meeting Putin, but afterwards posted on social media that they "often times do not hold up" and that it would be better "to go directly to a peace agreement".

European leaders have reacted with caution to the outcome of the Trump-Putin meeting, seeking not to criticise the change of direction despite their long-held support for a ceasefire.

Putin reportedly presented Trump with a peace offer that would require Ukraine withdrawing from the Donetsk region of the Donbas, in return for Russia freezing the front lines in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Russia claims the Donbas as Russian territory, controlling most of Luhansk and about 70% of Donetsk. It also illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, eight years before launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The BBC's US partner CBS has reported, citing diplomatic sources, that European officials were concerned Trump may try to pressure Zelensky into agreeing to the possible terms discussed in Alaska when they meet on Monday.

Ukraine's president has previously ruled out ceding control of the Donbas - composed of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions - saying it could be used as a springboard for future Russian attacks.

Watch: How the Trump-Putin summit unfolded... in under 2 minutes

Von der Leyen, who is meeting Zelensky in Brussels on Sunday, wrote on X that she would join Zelensky at the White House at the Ukrainian president's request.

Macron, Rutte, Sir Keir, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni all followed in quick succession.

Downing Street said in a statement that it "follows the Prime Minister commending President Trump's efforts to end Russia's illegal war in Ukraine, reasserting his position that the path to peace cannot be decided without President Zelensky".

Monday's White House meeting will be Zelensky's first since an acrimonious public exchange in the Oval Office in February, when Trump told him to be more "thankful" for US support and accused him of "gambling with World War Three" in front of the world's media.

In unprecedented scenes, Zelensky was told to leave the White House, but European leaders have since worked to repair the relationship.

The two leaders appeared to reconcile in April, in what the White House described as a "very productive" 15-minute meeting on the sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral.

Ukraine has also signed a minerals deal that gave the US a financial stake in the country, and Kyiv made it clear they were willing to pay for US arms.

But there will have been concern in Kyiv and other European capitals following the Trump-Putin meeting on Friday.

The Russian president, who is facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, stepped off his jet and onto a red carpet to be warmly received by Trump, who later said they had a "fantastic relationship".

Watch in full: The remarkable exchange between Zelensky, Vance and Trump

Ukraine's ket demand has been a quick ceasefire so that talks on a longer-term settlement do not take place on the backdrop of continued fighting.

Zelensky said following the Alaska summit that a "real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions".

European leaders have managed to maintain good relations with Trump since his return to the White House, with Sir Keir building an especially warm relationship with the US president.

Huge crowds gather in Israel calling for hostage deal and end to Gaza war

18 August 2025 at 05:21
Getty Images Aerial shot shows hundreds of people at a demonstration in Tel AvivGetty Images
"Hostages Square" on Sunday in Tel Aviv

Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered in Israel to call for an end to the Gaza war and a deal to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.

The largest crowd was seen in Tel Aviv's "Hostages Square" on Sunday, with the organisers saying the government's plans to seize control of Gaza City risked the lives of around 20 hostages still being held by Hamas.

A one-day national strike - part of wider protests - closed roads, offices and universities in some areas. Nearly 40 people were arrested during the day.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the protests, saying they would "harden Hamas's stance" and would only slow down the release of the hostages.

Watch: Protesters block Israeli road demanding hostage deal and war end

Far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich also denounced the protests, describing them as a "harmful campaign that plays into the hands of Hamas".

The national strike was demanded by the families of hostages and others opposed to the expansion of the war.

Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan and a leading figure in the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, said the group demanded "a comprehensive and achievable agreement and an end to the war".

"We demand what is rightfully ours - our children," she told the crowd in Tel Aviv. "The Israeli government has transformed a just war into a pointless war."

She was speaking after a video was released of her son.

"My heart burns with longing. My whole heart is scorched because of my Matan. Matan, I, an entire nation, we are doing everything we can for you, for all the hostages," she said.

The protests came a week after Israel's war cabinet voted to occupy Gaza City, the territory's largest city, and displace its population, in a move condemned by the UN Security Council.

Thousands of residents have since fled Gaza City's southern Zeitoun neighbourhood, where days of continuous Israeli bombardment have created a "catastrophic" situation, the city's Hamas-run municipality told the BBC.

Reuters A drone view shows hundreds of people protesting after families of hostages called for a nationwide strikeReuters
Protesters filled main roads on the way to Hostages Square in Tel Aviv

At least 40 people were killed by Israeli attacks across the territory on Saturday, Gaza's civil defence agency said.

Hamas said in a statement that Israeli forces had been carrying out a "sustained offensive in the eastern and southern neighbourhoods of Gaza City, particularly in Zeitoun".

The Israeli military said it would begin allowing tents to be brought into Gaza by aid agencies again.

"As part of the preparations to move the population from combat zones to the southern Gaza Strip for their protection, the supply of tents and shelter equipment to Gaza will resume," the Israeli military body Cogat said.

Getty Images Demonstrators block a road during a protest in Tel Aviv demanding a deal to release hostages detained in the Gaza StripGetty Images
Protesters block a road in Tel Aviv

Israel plans to forcibly displace a million people from Gaza City to camps in the south but it has not provided an exact timetable of when its forces would enter Gaza City.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reported to want the entire city under Israeli occupation from 7 October.

At least 1.9 million people in Gaza – or about 90% of the population – have already been displaced, according to the UN.

The international body has indicated there is widespread malnutrition in Gaza, with experts backed by the organisation warning last month in a report that the "worst-case scenario" of famine is playing out in the Strip.

The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 others taken hostage.

Israel's offensive has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to figures from the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, which the UN considers reliable.

Three Republican-led states to send National Guard troops to DC

18 August 2025 at 02:12
Getty Images Pedestrians pass an MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles) combat vehicle deployed by the Washington DC National Guard outside Union Station. The US Capitol building is in the distance.Getty Images

Three Republican-led US states will send members of their National Guard forces to Washington, DC to bolster the roughly 800 troops President Donald Trump has already deployed to the city.

West Virginia Governor Parick Morrisey said he would send 300-400 of the state's National Guard troops at Trump's request. South Carolina will send 200 troops, and Ohio will send 150 military police from their National Guard, their governors said.

Trump declared a "public safety emergency" on Monday, claiming the nation's capitol was gripped by "complete and total lawlessness."

Washington DC's elected officials have objected these claims, and hundreds of DC residents marched in protest on Saturday.

Agents from several federal law enforcement agencies have spent the week patrolling Washington's most populous and touristed areas alongside the National Guard troops.

Many in Washington DC, where 92% of residents voted for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, have expressed frustration with Trump's enforcement policy.

Residents have taken to filming federal officers as they patrol and over the weekend, the frustration expanded into peaceful protests against the administration.

Marchers congregated in Dupont Circle, a central hub in the city, and marched through the streets chanting "Free DC!" Some banged drums and rang bells as they marched.

Residents in Washington, DC have expressed concerns about crime in surveys, and a former employee of the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) was attacked and beaten in the city recently.

Trump has painted a portrait of the nation's capital as beset by "violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals."

But Mayor Muriel Bowser has rejected Trump's claims about rampant crime in the city. She acknowledged there had been a spike in crime in 2023 that has since dropped off.

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) data shows homicides dropped by 32% between 2023 and 2024 and reached their lowest level since 2019.

Preliminary data shows violent crime overall is down 26% so far in 2025, compared to the same point in 2024, according to MPD data. Robbery is down 28%, BBC Verify reports.

The Trump administration initially tried to take command of the city's Metropolitan Police Department using the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, but rescinded the order after city officials took them to court.

However, Judge Ana Reyes said that Mayor Bowser was required to follow White House directives.

以色列袭击也门首都萨那的一处能源基础设施

18 August 2025 at 07:15
18/08/2025 - 00:42

法新社报道,以色列周日表示,其目标是也门首都萨那的一处能源基础设施,该设施与伊朗支持的胡塞叛军有关,后者在加沙战争期间多次袭击以色列。

胡塞武装的Al-Masirah电视台援引民防部门消息人士的话报道,萨那南部的 “哈齐兹发电站遭到袭击”。

目前尚无人员伤亡报告。

一位与法新社合作的摄影师报告称,该发电站遭到严重破坏。

一名发电站员工告诉法新社,清晨“以色列敌军对这个发电站发动了两次猛烈袭击”,但没有造成人员伤亡。

自2023年10月以色列与哈马斯在加沙地带爆发战争以来,胡塞武装多次向以色列发射导弹和无人机,声称声援巴勒斯坦人。

马克龙: 欧洲领导人将问华盛顿准备在多大程度上为和平协议中向乌克兰提供的安全保障做出贡献

18 August 2025 at 07:15
18/08/2025 - 00:34

谈到莫斯科的立场,马克龙表示:“只有一个国家提出的和平方案要和投降划等号:俄罗斯。”

俄罗斯外交部发言人玛丽亚·扎哈罗娃周日晚些时候在Telegram上发表声明,称这是“弥天大谎”。

她表示,七年来,莫斯科一直提议根据《明斯克协议》的条款来“和平解决”冲突。

她补充说,马克龙想让乌克兰相信,乌克兰能在战场上取得胜利。即使马克龙知道这“不可能”。

美国特使维特科夫:对乌克兰的安全保障将涉及领土“让步”

18 August 2025 at 07:15
18/08/2025 - 00:43

 

法新社报道,对涉及领土“让步”对安全保障的进程, 欧盟委员会主席冯德莱恩对这一消息表示欢迎,但泽连斯基在布鲁塞尔的新闻发布会上与她一同发言时,拒绝了俄罗斯向乌克兰提供安全保障的想法。

泽连斯基说,“特朗普总统对安全保障的事怎么说对我来说比普京的想法重要得多,因为普京不会提供任何安全保障”。

泽连斯基随后在社交媒体上表示,美方提出的安全保障方案是“历史性的”。

他说,“安全意味着拥有一支强大的军队,而只有乌克兰才能提供。我相信只有欧洲才能为这支军队提供资金。”

普京要求乌克兰放弃加入欧盟或北约的计划。法新社说,一位知情人士透露,特朗普支持普京的提议,即俄罗斯完全控制乌克兰东部两个地区,以换取冻结另外两个地区的前线进攻。

具体地说,普京“事实上要求乌克兰撤离顿巴斯”。顿巴斯地区由乌克兰东部的顿涅茨克和卢甘斯克地区组成,俄罗斯目前仅部分控制这个地区。

作为交换,俄罗斯军队将停止对乌克兰南部黑海港口地区赫尔松和扎波罗热的进攻,这些地区的主要城市目前仍然在乌克兰控制之下。

俄乌冲突仍在持续,基辅和莫斯科于周日互相发射了攻击无人机。



欧洲的领导人们星期一去华盛顿和泽连斯基与特朗普举行俄乌问题会谈

18 August 2025 at 07:15
18/08/2025 - 00:44

星期一前往华盛顿与泽连斯基一同出席与特朗普会谈的欧盟国家的人各领导人自称是“自愿联盟”。 除了冯德莱恩和马克龙外,还有英国首相斯塔默、德国总理默茨和北约秘书长吕特、意大利总理梅洛尼和芬兰总统斯图布,他们与特朗普关系良好。

欧洲的各领导人从一开始就对特朗普与普京的接触表示不安。 但是他们被排除在特朗普与普京的峰会之外。

星期天,这些领导人举行了视频会议,准备他们的共同立场。

特朗普在阿拉斯加与普京会晤后转变立场,表示他现在寻求的是和平协议而非停火。星期天,他在自己的“真相社交”平台上发布了一条消息:“俄罗斯问题取得重大进展,敬请期待!”,但未作进一步说明。

特朗普突然将重点放在和平协议上,这与普京长期以来的立场一致。

乌克兰及其欧洲盟友批评普京的立场,称其为在战场上争取时间的伎俩。

泽连斯基还表示,他“没有看到任何迹象表明克里姆林宫领导人准备与他和特朗普举行三方峰会。

特朗普的俄乌问题特使维特科夫在接受美国有线电视新闻网(CNN)采访时表示:“我希望我们周一能举行一次富有成效的会谈,达成真正的共识。”

美国国务卿马尔科·卢比奥周日在接受美国全国广播公司(NBC)采访时警告称,如果乌克兰问题不能达成和平协议,将会产生“后果”,包括可能对俄罗斯实施新的制裁。

非洲贝宁忧其在加蓬侨民处境

18 August 2025 at 06:15
17/08/2025 - 23:53

非洲国家贝宁(le Bénin,中文或译贝南)旅居加蓬(le Gabon,中文或译加彭)的侨民们是否受到威胁?这是本台法广非洲组(RFI Afrique)在本周末的法文报道中的话题之一。来自利伯维尔(Libreville)的消息显示,科托努(Cotonou)方面已经通过官方渠道表示关切,尤其担忧在加蓬中部城市兰巴雷内(Lambaréné)市场从事贸易的贝宁公民。

据本台法广非洲组(RFI Afrique)报道,贝宁外交部于2025年8月14日(周四)发布声明,表示对居住在加蓬,特别是旅居该国中部城市兰巴雷内(Lambaréné)的贝宁公民的处境表示关切。这些在当地市场从事贸易的贝宁公民有可能面临威胁。贝宁方面指出,将派遣一支代表团前往加蓬,实地了解有意自愿离开(départ volontaire)的贝宁公民情况。

-- 贝宁公民在加蓬的处境是否真的如此危急?--

本台法广(RFI Afrique)非洲通讯员于2025年08月16日星期六发自利伯维尔(Libreville)的消息说,一切源自一名女网红(influenceuse)及其朋友在加蓬总统布里斯·恩圭马(président Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema)于2025年08月11日星期一出席兰巴雷内(Lambaréné)市场开幕剪彩仪式前一天发布的一段愤怒的排外信息(message)。

存档地图 / 非洲 - 加蓬 : 旅游城市兰巴雷内(Lambaréné)位于该国中部,距离首都利伯维尔(Libreville)260公里。
carte archive / Afrique - Bénin : la ville touristique de Lambaréné est située à 260 kilomètres au sud-est de Libreville, capitale du pays.
存档地图 / 非洲 - 加蓬 : 旅游城市兰巴雷内(Lambaréné)位于该国中部,距离首都利伯维尔(Libreville)260公里。 carte archive / Afrique - Bénin : la ville touristique de Lambaréné est située à 260 kilomètres au sud-est de Libreville, capitale du pays. RFI

这名女网红(influenceuse)指责兰巴雷内(Lambaréné)市政府在新市场摊位分配上优先考虑外国商贩,而不是本国加蓬人。她特别提到贝宁妇女(Béninoises),声称她们不应该被允许进入这个市场。

-- 加蓬当局迅速反应已传讯发布排外视频者 --

同一篇法文报道提到,女网红的排外视频在社交媒体上直播后不久,她与她的同伴就因扰乱公共秩序(trouble à l'ordre public)而被传唤并接受讯问。他们被带到警察局并遭短暂拘留,随后得以获释。

存档地图 / 非洲:贝宁及其首都波多诺伏(Porto-Novo)和经济中心科托努(Cotonou)。 
RFI carte / Afrique : Bénin et sa capitale Porto Novo + centre d'économie Cotonou.
存档地图 / 非洲:贝宁及其首都波多诺伏(Porto-Novo)和经济中心科托努(Cotonou)。 RFI carte / Afrique : Bénin et sa capitale Porto Novo + centre d'économie Cotonou. © Studio graphique FMM

本台法广(RFI)非洲通讯员在其发自加蓬首都的这篇法文报道最后段落中还引用了兰巴雷内(Lambaréné)市政府的一名消息来源。该消息源表示,获得当地新市场摊位的商贩们原本都是露天经营,他们之前被清理并做了重新登记。市政府此前承诺会在新市场里优先安置他们,而今这一承诺得以兑现。这一消息源还表示:“兰巴雷内(Lambaréné)充满了和平与和谐,没有任何社区感到担忧。”

法广存档图片 / 非洲 - 加蓬 : 兰巴雷内(Lambaréné)市场。
RFI Image Archive / Afrique - le Gabon : Ici, sur le marché du débarcadère Isaac, à Lambaréné. (illustration)
法广存档图片 / 非洲 - 加蓬 : 兰巴雷内(Lambaréné)市场。 RFI Image Archive / Afrique - le Gabon : Ici, sur le marché du débarcadère Isaac, à Lambaréné. (illustration) RFI/Carine Frenk
( 翻译和编辑:法广 RFI 电台 尼古拉 

~. Fin .~

Putin agreed to 'robust' security guarantees for Ukraine, says US envoy

18 August 2025 at 03:13
EPA Volodymyr Zelensky, Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron chat after holding a meeting during a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, UK, on 2 March 2025.EPA

European leaders have said they will join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.

Those travelling include UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

It comes after Trump failed to reach a deal on ending the war in Ukraine during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

The US president has since said he wants to bypass securing a ceasefire in Ukraine in favour of a permanent peace agreement.

Securing a ceasefire in Ukraine had been one of Trump's core demands before meeting Putin, but afterwards posted on social media that they "often times do not hold up" and that it would be better "to go directly to a peace agreement".

European leaders have reacted with caution to the outcome of the Trump-Putin meeting, seeking not to criticise the change of direction despite their long-held support for a ceasefire.

Putin reportedly presented Trump with a peace offer that would require Ukraine withdrawing from the Donetsk region of the Donbas, in return for Russia freezing the front lines in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Russia claims the Donbas as Russian territory, controlling most of Luhansk and about 70% of Donetsk. It also illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, eight years before launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The BBC's US partner CBS has reported, citing diplomatic sources, that European officials were concerned Trump may try to pressure Zelensky into agreeing to the possible terms discussed in Alaska when they meet on Monday.

Ukraine's president has previously ruled out ceding control of the Donbas - composed of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions - saying it could be used as a springboard for future Russian attacks.

Watch: How the Trump-Putin summit unfolded... in under 2 minutes

Von der Leyen, who is meeting Zelensky in Brussels on Sunday, wrote on X that she would join Zelensky at the White House at the Ukrainian president's request.

Macron, Rutte, Sir Keir, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni all followed in quick succession.

Downing Street said in a statement that it "follows the Prime Minister commending President Trump's efforts to end Russia's illegal war in Ukraine, reasserting his position that the path to peace cannot be decided without President Zelensky".

Monday's White House meeting will be Zelensky's first since an acrimonious public exchange in the Oval Office in February, when Trump told him to be more "thankful" for US support and accused him of "gambling with World War Three" in front of the world's media.

In unprecedented scenes, Zelensky was told to leave the White House, but European leaders have since worked to repair the relationship.

The two leaders appeared to reconcile in April, in what the White House described as a "very productive" 15-minute meeting on the sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral.

Ukraine has also signed a minerals deal that gave the US a financial stake in the country, and Kyiv made it clear they were willing to pay for US arms.

But there will have been concern in Kyiv and other European capitals following the Trump-Putin meeting on Friday.

The Russian president, who is facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, stepped off his jet and onto a red carpet to be warmly received by Trump, who later said they had a "fantastic relationship".

Watch in full: The remarkable exchange between Zelensky, Vance and Trump

Ukraine's ket demand has been a quick ceasefire so that talks on a longer-term settlement do not take place on the backdrop of continued fighting.

Zelensky said following the Alaska summit that a "real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions".

European leaders have managed to maintain good relations with Trump since his return to the White House, with Sir Keir building an especially warm relationship with the US president.

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