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Today — 18 July 2025News

They Grew Up on Mexican Coke. Trump’s Cane Sugar Plan Makes Them Uneasy.

By: Mike Ives
17 July 2025 at 23:41
After President Trump announced that Coke will be made with cane sugar in the U.S., as it is in Mexico, foodies of Mexican heritage said in interviews that they weren’t excited.

© Isabelle Souriment/Hans Lucas, via Reuters

A Coca-Cola truck driving through Izamal, Mexico, last year.
Yesterday — 17 July 2025News

Iraq's shopping centre fire leaves 61 dead, many missing

17 July 2025 at 22:47
BBC Breaking NewsBBC

A fire that tore through a shopping centre in the Iraqi city of Kut has left dozens dead and injured, state media has reported.

The blaze at the mall, which had reportedly opened five days ago, broke out on Wednesday night and has since been brought under control.

"The number of victims has reached about 50 people," Wasit province governor Mohammed al-Miyahi told Iraqi news agency INA.

Most of the victims in the fire were women and children, he said, adding that legal action would be brought against the shopping centre's owner.

Videos on INA's news channel show flames ripping through several floors of a multi-storey building as firefighters try to douse them.

Other clips circulating on social media appear to show a small number of people on the roof during the fire, as well as the burned out insides of the centre.

This story is being updated.

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

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Pope expresses sadness after Israeli strike on Gaza church kills three

17 July 2025 at 22:54
Reuters Father Gabriele Romanelli of the Church of the Holy Family receives medical attention after he was wounded in what the Latin Patriarchate called a "raid" on the church, at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City (17 July 2025)Reuters
Father Gabriele Romanelli was among those who needed medical treatment

Several people have been injured at the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, with some unconfirmed reports that it was hit by Israeli artillery shells.

Catholic Church leaders referred only to it being "struck by a raid" in a statement, but Italy's prime minister blamed Israeli forces.

The Israeli military said it was aware of the reports of damage and casualties at the church, adding that "the circumstances of the incident are under review".

Many displaced Christian families from the small local community have been living in the Roman Catholic church since the war began after their own homes were destroyed. While he was alive, the late Pope Francis called them on a near-daily basis.

The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem said the Argentine parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, was among those injured and denied initial reports of fatalities.

It added that the church had been damaged.

A video and photos shared with the BBC showed the roof was hit, close to the cross, and that windows were broken.

The Latin Patriarchate said it would provide additional details when they were confirmed.

A video aired on Arab TV showed Father Gabriel walking unsteadily and checking on a man on a stretcher at the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, where those injured are being treated.

Reuters A wounded Palestinian Christian woman is brought to Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City after what the Latin Patriarchate called a "raid" on the Church of the Holy Family (17 July 2025)Reuters
Casualties from the church were brought to al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni blamed Israel, saying: "The attacks against the civilian population that Israel has been carrying out for months are unacceptable."

"No military action can justify such an attitude," she added.

The Vatican has so far not responded to a request for comment.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem condemned the strike, which it called a "flagrant violation of human dignity and a blatant violation of the sanctity of life and the sanctity of religious sites, which are supposed to provide a safe haven in times of war".

It estimated that 600 displaced people were sheltering inside at the time, the majority of whom were children as well as 54 people with special needs.

The Holy Family Church falls within part of Gaza City that the Israeli military has previously told locals to leave.

Israel launched its war in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 others being taken hostage.

Israeli attacks have since killed more than 58,500 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The ministry's figures are quoted by the UN and others as the most reliable source of statistics available on casualties.

Plans for direct train to Berlin in new UK-Germany treaty

17 July 2025 at 21:46
AFP via Getty Images A black inflatable boat full of people - some wearing red life jackets - crossing the English Channel in June.AFP via Getty Images

Germany is set to tighten its laws to crack down on gangs smuggling migrants to the UK by the end of the year, Downing Street has said.

The announcement comes alongside a new agreement between the UK and Germany covering areas including migration, business and defence, which will be signed during Friedrich Merz's first official visit to the UK as German chancellor on Thursday.

The changes will make it illegal in Germany to facilitate illegal migration to the UK.

Facilitating people-smuggling is not technically illegal in Germany currently, if it is to a country outside the European Union - which, following Brexit, includes the UK.

Downing Street said the move will make it easier for German authorities to investigate and take action against warehouses and storage facilities used by smugglers to conceal small boats intended for illegal Channel crossings to the UK.

Berlin agreed to tighten its legislation in December under the previous government but the new chancellor is now expected to commit to changing the law by the end of the year.

A BBC investigation last year exposed the significant German connection to small boat crossings, with the country becoming a central location for the storage of boats and engines.

Sir Keir said: "Chancellor Merz's commitment to make necessary changes to German law to disrupt the supply lines of the dangerous vessels which carry illegal migrants across the Channel is hugely welcome."

The German agreement comes a week after the UK announced a new pilot returns scheme with France, during President Emmanuel Macron's state visit.

Under the "one in, one out" deal, some small boat arrivals would be returned to France in exchange for the UK accepting an equivalent number of asylum seekers with connections to the UK.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to tackle the number of people crossing the Channel in small boats.

More than 21,000 people have made the dangerous journey so far this year - a 56% increase on the same period in 2024.

The Conservatives' shadow home secretary Chris Philp claimed the figures showed " the crisis in the Channel continues to spiral".

"This is just more of the same tired, headline-chasing from Keir Starmer," he said.

"He's scrambling to stay relevant with yet another gimmick, but this latest press release is not a plan but a distraction...

"This government has clearly lost control of our borders and left the country exposed when they cancelled our returns deterrent."

Defence and security is also on the agenda for the visit, with the leaders set to discuss support for Ukraine.

The pair will unveil a new agreement to boost UK defence exports such as Boxer armoured vehicles and Typhoon jets, through joint export campaigns for co-produced equipment.

Downing Street said the agreement was likely to lead to billions of pounds of additional defence exports in the coming years, boosting the economy and jobs.

A cooperation treaty will also establish a new UK-Germany Business Forum to facilitate investment in the two countries.

A series of commercial investments in the UK are being announced to coincide with the visit, worth more than £200m and creating more than 600 new jobs.

Among the companies involved are defence tech firm STARK, which will create 100 jobs through a new facility in Swindon - marking the the company's first expansion outside of Germany.

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Israeli Strike on a Gaza Church Kills Three

17 July 2025 at 23:21
As cease-fire talks stalled, a deadly strike on a Catholic church in Gaza City prompted Pope Leo XIV to call for an immediate end to the fighting.

© Omar Al-Qattaa/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Transporting a person who was injured in the strike on the Holy Family Catholic Church to Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City on Thursday.

Trump’s Attacks on Powell and the Fed Ripple Through Global Economy

17 July 2025 at 23:07
The independence of central banks, which allows policymakers to operate free from political meddling, is considered sacrosanct by investors and economists.

© European Central Bank/via Reuters

Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank. and Jerome H. Powell, chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, in 2022. Ms. Lagarde recently called Mr. Powell “courageous.”

Maurene Comey, Prosecutor Fired by Trump, Calls Fear the ‘Tool of the Tyrant’

Maurene Comey, who helped prosecute Jeffrey Epstein and Sean Combs, was dismissed without a detailed explanation. She is the daughter of James B. Comey, a longtime adversary of President Trump.

© Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters

Maurene Comey was the lead prosecutor in the recent trial of Sean Combs, the hip-hop entrepreneur who was recently acquitted of the most serious charges against him.

Arizona Dems oust their party chair

17 July 2025 at 22:57

Arizona Democrats voted late Wednesday to boot their embattled party chair, Robert E. Branscomb II, ending a brief tenure that was defined by infighting. Statewide officials had already redirected their campaign efforts through a county party amid the squabbling.

The party voted 476-56 after hours of delays, clearing the required two-thirds threshold by eight votes.

Branscomb defended himself until the very end, telling attendees on the call that the effort to remove him was “rooted in misrepresentation, divisive tactics and does not reflect our democratic values.”

The controversy surrounding Branscomb dates back to April, when he sent a letter to members of the state committee that attacked Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego and aired private disagreements among them.

In response, all of the state’s top elected Democrats said in a letter that Branscomb “lost their trust.”

Gov. Katie Hobbs, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Attorney General Kris Mayes — who are all up for reelection in 2026 — went on to create a statewide coordinated campaign to circumvent the state party, a prospect POLITICO first reported in April.

💾

© Rebecca Noble/AFP via Getty Images

Ron Wyden, a Democrat, Won’t Let Go of the Jeffrey Epstein Case, Either

17 July 2025 at 22:53
Senator Ron Wyden has found that four banks waited until Mr. Epstein’s arrest on federal charges to flag $1.5 billion in suspicious transactions. Mr. Wyden wants the documents made public.

© Eric Lee for The New York Times

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, who has been digging into Jeffrey Epstein’s financial network for the past three years, said his investigation had taken on new urgency.

苹果斥资5亿 采购美国本土稀土磁体

17 July 2025 at 22:47
德才
2025-07-17T14:41:33.045Z
中国几乎垄断了钕磁体材料的开采与加工。图为钕磁体和二氧化铷

(德国之声中文网)苹果公司本周发布公告表示,与美国MP Materials签署了价值5亿美元的长期协议。后者是美国唯一一家具备从采矿到加工稀土材料成品的企业。

根据公告,MP Materials公司将在德克萨斯州沃斯堡(Fort Worth)生产稀土磁体材料,稀土回收工厂则设在加利福尼亚的芒廷帕斯(Mountain Pass)。苹果公司CEO库克(Tim Cook)在公告中强调了稀土材料以及本土投资的重要性----与MP Materials公司的长期协议是苹果公司未来四年在美国本土投资5000亿美元计划的一部分。

这项协议也被业界人士视作针对特朗普政府的公关行动。后者二度入主白宫以来,已经多次对美国公司在中国、印度生产手机的做法表示不满,他在5月底甚至威胁苹果以及三星称,将来在美国销售并非在美国本土生产的手机都将面临25%的关税。

MP Materials计划为苹果扩建沃斯堡工厂的钕磁铁生产线,在美国生产的磁体材料将在美国国内和全球范围内销售,以满足全球需求。此次扩建预计将创造数十个制造和研发岗位。两家公司都致力于培训员工,打造人才库,并打造磁铁生产方面的专业技术。

中国目前几乎垄断稀土磁体材料的全球市场,此类材料对电动汽车等产品至关重要。因此,中国此前将稀土出口管制作为反制美国的贸易战手段引发了全球企业的担忧,欧洲一些汽车企业近期甚至因此面临停产威胁。不过,在6月的中美会谈中,北京方面已经许诺向美国出口稀土等材料。在这一背景下,美国方面近期在高性能芯片出口管制方面做出了让步,包括英伟达H20人工智能芯片在内的一些先进半导体产品都重新向中国出售。

(综合报道)

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。

Harvard Creates New Public Service Program, as Trump Slashes Federal Jobs

17 July 2025 at 21:00
The Kennedy School will award scholarships to at least 50 students, in hopes of fostering careers in government service.

© Sophie Park for The New York Times

The fellowships are valued at $100,000, covering tuition, fees and an additional stipend.

Two men framed by corrupt officer decades ago cleared by appeal court

17 July 2025 at 20:39
Getty Images The Royal Courts of Justice in LondonGetty Images
The Court of Appeal quashed the convictions of two men on Thursday

Two men wrongly convicted in separate trials in the 1970s following allegations made by a corrupt police officer have had their names cleared by the Court of Appeal.

Errol Campbell, who died in 2004, was jailed for 18 months for theft and conspiracy to steal while Ronald De Souza, who was part of the group known as the Stockwell Six, was detained for six months for attempted robbery.

Both were convicted based on evidence given by British Transport Police (BTP) officer Det Sgt Derek Ridgewell, who was responsible for racist miscarriages of justice. So far, all 13 referred cases have been overturned.

Lord Justice Holroyde said it was with "regret" the court could not undo Mr Campbell's suffering.

A black and white photo of Derek Ridgewell
Det Sgt Derek Ridgewell was responsible for a series of racist miscarriages of justice

In April 1977 Mr Campbell was found guilty of theft and conspiracy to steal from the Bricklayers Arms Goods Depot, where he was a British Rail employee. He was sentenced to a total of 18 months' imprisonment.

Ridgewell led the case against Mr Campbell and several others, but along with colleagues DC Douglas Ellis and DC Alan Keeling, later pleaded guilty to stealing from the same goods depot.

In August 2023, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) referred the convictions of Mr Campbell's co-defendants, Saliah Mehmet and Basil Peterkin, after it tracked down their family members.

Their convictions were both quashed in January 2024.

'Bore the burden'

The CCRC reviewed Mr De Souza's conviction after the convictions of his co-defendants Paul Green, Courtney Harriot, Cleveland Davidson and Texo Johnson were quashed in 2021.

The sixth member of the so-called Stockwell Six, Everet Mullins, was acquitted because it was shown that his reading ability was not good enough for him to have read and fully understood his signed statement, which was written for him by Ridgewell.

In his ruling on Thursday, Lord Justice Holroyde said that Mr De Souza, who did not attend court, "bore the burden of his wrongful conviction throughout his adult life".

"We regret this court cannot put right all that he has suffered over half a century," he said.

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Several injured after Gaza church struck, patriarchate says

17 July 2025 at 18:43
Reuters Father Gabriele Romanelli of the Church of the Holy Family receives medical attention after he was wounded in what the Latin Patriarchate called a "raid" on the church, at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City (17 July 2025)Reuters
Father Gabriele Romanelli was among those who needed medical treatment

Several people have been injured at the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, with some unconfirmed reports that it was hit by Israeli artillery shells.

Catholic Church leaders referred only to it being "struck by a raid" in a statement, but Italy's prime minister blamed Israeli forces.

The Israeli military said it was aware of the reports of damage and casualties at the church, adding that "the circumstances of the incident are under review".

Many displaced Christian families from the small local community have been living in the Roman Catholic church since the war began after their own homes were destroyed. While he was alive, the late Pope Francis called them on a near-daily basis.

The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem said the Argentine parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, was among those injured and denied initial reports of fatalities.

It added that the church had been damaged.

A video and photos shared with the BBC showed the roof was hit, close to the cross, and that windows were broken.

The Latin Patriarchate said it would provide additional details when they were confirmed.

A video aired on Arab TV showed Father Gabriel walking unsteadily and checking on a man on a stretcher at the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, where those injured are being treated.

Reuters A wounded Palestinian Christian woman is brought to Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City after what the Latin Patriarchate called a "raid" on the Church of the Holy Family (17 July 2025)Reuters
Casualties from the church were brought to al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni blamed Israel, saying: "The attacks against the civilian population that Israel has been carrying out for months are unacceptable."

"No military action can justify such an attitude," she added.

The Vatican has so far not responded to a request for comment.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem condemned the strike, which it called a "flagrant violation of human dignity and a blatant violation of the sanctity of life and the sanctity of religious sites, which are supposed to provide a safe haven in times of war".

It estimated that 600 displaced people were sheltering inside at the time, the majority of whom were children as well as 54 people with special needs.

The Holy Family Church falls within part of Gaza City that the Israeli military has previously told locals to leave.

Israel launched its war in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 others being taken hostage.

Israeli attacks have since killed more than 58,500 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The ministry's figures are quoted by the UN and others as the most reliable source of statistics available on casualties.

Ariana Grande tells fans she's not abandoning music after Dr Seuss film casting

17 July 2025 at 18:52
Getty Images Ariana Grande posing for a picture on the red carpet for the premiere of Wicked in Australia in 2024. She has both of hands placed on her hips and is wearing a pink dress with a silver butterfly necklace. Getty Images
Ariana Grande bagged three Grammy nominations for her last studio album Eternal Sunshine

Ariana Grande says she has no plans to abandon her music career after announcing she was working on another film project.

After starring alongside Cynthia Erivo in Wicked, the Positions singer confirmed on Wednesday she'd been cast in the film adaptation of the Dr. Seuss book, Oh, The Places You'll Go.

But posting on socials, Ariana reassured fans that more acting roles doesn't mean an end to her music career, insisting there's room for both.

Singing and music "is and has always been my lifeline", she says. "There will need to be room made for all of it."

The US singer released her latest album, Eternal Sunshine, in 2024 but fans haven't had the opportunity to see her perform it live yet.

She hasn't toured since her Sweetener World Tour in 2019, but also teased she may have plans to be back on the road soon.

"I'm working on a plan to sing for you all next year," she posted. "Even if it's just for a little."

Getty Images Ariana Grande pictured in 2019 on her Sweetener tour. She has her long hair tied back in her trademark high ponytail and wears an orange puffer jacket over an orange bralet. She sings into a pink microphone, the staging dark behind her. Getty Images
Ariana's last world tour was in 2019

Ariana also has a make-up business and says balancing her other projects means her music career "may not look exactly like it did before but I much prefer how it looks in my head".

"I feel grateful and excited and inspired. Finding a balance between many projects and endeavours I love and doing it my own way."

Super fan Michael Rodrigues De Jesus says he "internally screamed really loudly" when he saw the post and the hint of a tour.

But he thinks if Ariana does go on the road, it would be "a mini tour" and "a lot of fans might be upset".

"I've seen different discourses online where people are really upset that she's doing movies," the 23-year-old from Luton says.

Michael also thinks the fandom is split with some disappointed music isn't the star's sole focus.

"I did feel a bit of that same sentiment," he says.

"Like are we ever going to get another tour? Has she found a home in acting that she wants to stay in forever? What's my personality going to be if not an Ariana music lover?"

But overall, Michael says he "doesn't think anyone's missed out".

"As a fan it's exciting to see an artist you like doing a lot of things. You get to experience their talent in a lot more ways."

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Jaguar Land Rover to cut up to 500 UK jobs

17 July 2025 at 19:42
Getty Images Front of a bright red Land Rover in a JLR factoryGetty Images

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is to cut up to 500 management jobs, with experts blaming US trade tariffs for the move.

Last week, the carmaker revealed a drop in sales in the three months to June caused partly by it pausing exports to the US because of tariffs and also due to the planned wind-down of older Jaguar models.

JLR said it would launch a voluntary redundancy scheme, and that the reduction was not expected to exceed 1.5% of its British workforce. The firm described the move as "normal business practice".

The company warned last month that US President Donald Trump's decision to impose a 10% tariff on British cars exported to the US would hit its profits.

Car industry expert Professor David Bailey of the Birmingham Business School said the tariffs "play a big role in this".

"It wasn't that long ago that JLR was reporting bumper profits - £2.5bn profit to the year ending in March - which was its best results in a decade," he told the BBC's Wake Up to Money programme.

The firm has also been taking on workers in preparation for producing more electric cars so the tariffs "have definitely had an impact", he said.

Although tariffs UK carmakers face have come down from 27.5% to 10%, that is still "a big increase" from the previous tariff of 2.5%, he said, adding that one of its best selling cars, the Defender, is made in Slovakia and that still faces a 27.5% tariff.

US President Donald Trump has brought in a number of the taxes, which are paid by importers.

JLR initially stopped shipments of its vehicles to the US earlier this year after Trump announced a raft of tariffs.

The import tax was later reduced after the UK reached a deal with the US and JLR restarted shipments.

JLR is a large employer in the UK automotive sector with more than 30,000 workers.

Speaking before JLR made its announcement about job cuts, Preet Kaur Gill, Labour MP for Edgbaston in Birmingham, highlighted the importance of the UK's recent trade deal with the US which cut tariffs on UK cars from 27.5% to 10%.

She told BBC Politics Live that it had helped preserve jobs at the company.

"In my region, Jaguar Land Rover is a really important employer. The fact that we've managed to save 12,000 jobs, bring tariffs down... this is an ongoing relationship and our commitment is to make sure we continue that," she said.

JLR has sites in Solihull, Wolverhampton and Halewood on Merseyside, and builds Range Rover SUV models in the UK.

How will votes at 16 and changes to voter ID work?

17 July 2025 at 20:08
Getty Images A young woman wearing a headscarf walks past a polling station on 4 July 2024. She has a brown shoulder bag and holds a mobile phone in her hand.Getty Images

The voting age will be lowered to 16 across the UK before the next general election, the government has said.

The move is part of wider changes to election rules, which also include expanding the range of voter ID and moving towards automatic voter registration.

What is the plan to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to vote?

The changes mean around 1.5 million 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in the next general election, which must be held by 2029 but could be earlier.

The government says the change will give young people a chance to have a say in how the UK is run.

"At 16, a young person can work, they pay taxes, they can join the Army. So there's no reason why from that age, they shouldn't have a say in who governs our country," said Democracy Minister Rushanara Ali.

The commitment to lower the voting age was in Labour's 2024 election manifesto.

It represents the biggest change to the make-up of the electorate since voter age was reduced from 21 to 18 in 1969.

It means 16-year-olds will be able to vote in all elections across the UK. As is the case in Scotland, young people will also be able to register to vote from age 14.

The minimum voting age is already 16 for local council elections in Scotland and Wales, as well as for elections to the Welsh Parliament and Scottish Parliament.

However, you currently need to be 18 to vote in UK parliamentary elections, local elections in England and all elections in Northern Ireland.

You will still need to be 18 to stand as a candidate.

What ID will voters be able to use?

In future, voters will be able to prove their ID with a UK-issued bank card showing their name, the govenment says.

Since May 2023, voters in England, Scotland and Wales have to show valid photo ID to vote in person in all general, local and national elections.

There are currently more than 20 acceptable forms of ID, including passports, driving licences, bus passes and Armed Forces Veteran Cards.

Anyone without valid ID can apply for a free document called a voter authority certificate.

However, some 4% of people who did not vote in the 2024 general election said it was because of voter ID rules, according to the Electoral Commission, which monitors UK elections.

The rules are different in Northern Ireland where voters have had to show photo ID since 2003.

How could voters be automatically registered?

At the moment eligible adults in the UK need to register in order to vote, which can be done online or using a paper form.

The Electoral Commission estimates that around seven million people are incorrectly registered or missing from the electoral register entirely, which means they cannot vote.

It says this disproportionately affects private renters and young people.

The government says it will work towards creating an automated voter registration scheme over the coming years. It says there will be safeguards so that people are aware of their registration status and can opt-out if they wish.

Voters will have to opt-in to be included in the open electoral register, which is made publicly-available. Nobody under 16 will appear on the open register.

A 2023 Electoral Commision report suggested automated registration could involve organisations like the Passport Office providing Electoral Registration Officers with the names and addresses of people eligible to vote.

The government says it will look closely at a number of automatic registration systems being piloted by the Welsh government for local council elections and elections to Senedd Cymru.

When is the next general election?

The latest a Parliament can be dissolved for a general election is on the fifth anniversary of the day it first met.

However, 25 working days are then allowed to prepare for the election.

The current Parliament began on 9 July, which means the next general election must be held by August 2029.

However, the prime minister can call an election at a time of their choosing, within the five-year period.

How do general elections work?

The UK is divided into 650 areas, called constituencies.

In a general election, voters in each constituency choose a Member of Parliament - or MP - to represent them in the House of Commons.

Most candidates belong to a particular political party, but some are independent.

Each person has one vote. Under a system called "first past the post", the candidate with the most votes becomes the MP for that area.

The party with the most MPs typically forms the next government, and its leader usually becomes the prime minister.

The 2024 general election used new constituency boundaries, redrawn to reflect population changes and to even out voter numbers.

Mystery surrounds Russian mum and children found in Indian cave

17 July 2025 at 07:01
Karnataka police Policemen talking to the Russian woman who stands outside her cave dwelling Karnataka police
Kutina has defended her lifestyle saying she and her children were happy living in the cave

Police in India are trying to piece together the story of a Russian woman who was found living in a cave in the southern state of Karnataka with her two young daughters.

Nina Kutina was rescued on 9 July by policemen who were on a routine patrol near Ramteertha hills in the Gokarna forest, which borders the tourist paradise of Goa.

Authorities say the 40-year-old and her daughters - six and five years old - do not have valid documents to stay in India. They have been lodged in a detention centre for foreigners near Bengaluru, the state capital, and will be deported soon.

Kutina has defended her lifestyle in two video interviews to Indian news agency ANI, saying she and her children were happy living in the cave and that "nature gives good health".

But even a week after they were found, there is very little clarity on how the woman and her children came to be in a forest infested with snakes and wild animals; how long they had been living there and who they really are.

Police stumble on the cave dwelling

"The area is popular with tourists, especially foreigners. But it has a lot of snakes and it's prone to landslides, especially during the rainy season. To ensure the safety of tourists, we started patrolling the forests last year," M Narayana, superintendent of police for Uttara Kannada district, told the BBC.

A second policeman who cannot be named and was part of the patrol party that stumbled on the cave dwelling said they walked down a steep hill to investigate when they saw bright clothes that had been hung outdoors to dry.

When they got closer to the cave - the entrance to which had been curtained off with brightly coloured saris - "a little blonde girl came running out". When the shocked policemen followed her inside, they found Nina Kutina and the other child.

Their possessions were meagre - plastic mats, clothes, packets of instant noodles and some other grocery items - and the cave was leaking.

Videos shot by the police at the cave dwelling which the BBC has seen, show the children dressed in colourful Indian clothes, smiling into the camera.

"The woman and her children appeared quite comfortable in the place," Mr Narayana said. "It took us some time to convince her that it was dangerous to live there," he added.

Police said when they told her that the cave was unsafe because of the presence of snakes and wild animals in the forest, she told them: "Animals and snakes are our friends. Humans are dangerous."

Kutina and her daughters were taken to a hospital for a check-up after their rescue and were certified to be medically fit.

Who is Nina Kutina?

ANI Russian woman Nina Kutina after being rescued from a Gokarna cave with her children
ANI
Nina Kutina has said she was born in Russia but hasn't lived there for 15 years

An official in India's Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) has told the BBC that she's Russian and that she will be repatriated once the formalities are completed.

He says they have reached out to the Russian consulate in Chennai - the BBC has also written to the Russian embassy in Delhi but they are yet to respond.

In video interviews with India's ANI and PTI news agencies, Kutina said she was born in Russia but hadn't lived there for 15 years and travelled to "a lot of countries, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Bali, Thailand, Nepal, Ukraine".

In her interviews with both agencies, Kutina said she had four children between the ages of 20 and 5 years. She talked about the eldest - "my big son" - who died in a road accident in Goa last year.

Officials say her second son is 11-years-old and is in Russia - and that they have shared the information with the consulate.

On Tuesday night, the FRRO said they had tracked down the father of the girls - Dror Goldstein - and that he was an Israeli businessman. They said he was in India at the moment and that they met him and were trying to persuade him to pay for Kutina and her daughters' repatriation.

On Wednesday, Goldstein told India's NDTV channel that Kutina had left Goa without informing him and that he had lodged a missing complaint with the police there.

He said he wanted joint custody of his daughters and would do everything to prevent the government from sending them to Russia.

When did she come to Gokarna?

There is no clarity on how and when Kutina and her daughters reached the forest in Karnataka.

Police said she told them that they had been living in the cave for a week. They added that she had bought some vegetables and groceries, including a popular brand of instant noodles, from a local store, a week ago.

They said she told them that she arrived in Karnataka from Goa where she also claimed to have lived in a cave. She also said that one of her daughters was born in a Goa cave.

In her interview to PTI on Wednesday, she complained about the detention centre where she's been lodged with her daughters saying "it is like jail".

"We lived in a very good place. But now we cannot be alone. We cannot go outside. Here it's very dirty, and there's not enough food," she added.

It's not clear when and how Kutina came to India.

Police say she told them she had lost her passport, but they were able to find an older expired passport among her belongings which showed that she had come to India on a business visa which was valid from 18 October 2016 to 17 April 2017.

But she overstayed, was caught a year later, and the Goa office of the FRRO issued her "an exit permit" to leave India. According to immigration stamps in her passport, she entered Nepal on 19 April 2018 and exited three months later.

It's not clear where she went after that, but Kutina told ANI that overall she had "travelled to at least 20 countries" - at least "four of them since leaving India in 2018".

It's also not clear when she returned to India next, although some reports say she's been back since February 2020. She told PTI that she returned because "we really love India".

Kutina admitted that her visa expired a few months back. "We don't have our visa, valid visa, our visa finished," she said, adding that the lapse happened because she was grieving for her dead son and couldn't think of anything else.

Why was Kutina living in a cave?

Karnataka police Policemen stand outside the cave in Gokarna forestKarnataka police
The entrance to the cave where Kutina was living with her daughters had been curtained off with brightly coloured saris

After an idol of Panduranga Vittala, a form of Hindu god Krishna, was found in her cave dwelling, it was reported that she had gone there to do meditation and for spiritual reasons.

But in her interview to ANI, she rejected the narrative. "It is not about spiritually. We just like nature because it gives us health... it's very big health, it's not like you live in a home."

She added she had "big experience to stay in natural, in jungle" and insisted that her daughters were happy and healthy there. The cave she had chosen was "very big and beautiful" and it was "very close to a village" so she could buy food and other necessities.

"We were not dying, and I did not bring my children, my daughters, to die in jungle. They were very happy, they swam in the waterfall, they had a very good place for sleeping, a lot of lessons in art making, we made from clay, we painted, we ate good, I was cooking very good and tasty food," she told ANI.

Kutina also rejected suggestions that living in the forest exposed her children to danger.

"For all the time we lived there, yes we saw a few snakes," she said, but added that it was similar to people reporting finding snakes in their homes, kitchens or toilets.

21亿美元遗产纠纷曝光:娃哈哈家族内斗与国资“失语”

“目前家族成员间未就遗产分配达成统一协议的情况下,任何单方面转移或处置行为,均可能构成侵害他人合法继承权。”

大量核心经营资产已通过浙江恒枫投资有限公司等宗氏家族的离岸与国内控制企业持有,“而非集中于娃哈哈集团公司主体下”。

南方周末特约撰稿 石楠 南方周末记者 施璇

责任编辑:冯叶

宗馥莉与宗庆后。视觉中国/图

宗馥莉与宗庆后。视觉中国/图

一场价值21亿美元的遗产诉讼,令娃哈哈再度陷入风暴中心。

此前,香港高等法院对一起财产纠纷案进行了内庭聆讯,被告为娃哈哈现任董事长宗馥莉及一家英属维京群岛公司Jian Hao Ventures Limited,原告则为三名自称其同父异母的弟弟妹妹宗继昌、宗婕莉、宗继盛。

作为创立近四十年的中国饮料品牌,娃哈哈集团的所有权结构历来错综复杂,此次家族成员围绕境外资产的争夺,将家族秘闻逐一牵出。

与此同时,作为娃哈哈集团最大股东的地方国资,则在纷争中表现出持续的“沉默”。

境外遗产之争

《每日经济新闻》披露的香港法庭文件显示,三位原告要求冻结一个以Jian Hao Ventures Limited名义在香港汇丰银行开设的账户,并限制宗馥莉处置或转移其内的资产。

该账户余额在2024年初约为18亿美元,截至同年5月已有逾108万美元资金转出。法院已发出临时禁止令,并要求宗馥莉就资金流向作出书面说明。

根据香港高等法院签发的法庭正式命令,宗馥莉及Jian Hao Ventures被明令不得以任何方式处置、转移或减少该汇丰账户中自2024年2月2日以来的任何资产或其可追踪收益。

同时,两被告需在命令送达后

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校对:吴依兰

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

“读书无用论”属不良信息:一份征求意见稿的认定与边界

根据北京师范大学发布的《青少年网络素养调查报告》,72.6%的未成年人每周上网时间超过20小时,其中接触不良信息的比例达38.9%。

刘晓春表示,在现有治理框架下,“未成年人模式”中已基本不包含不良信息。然而,仍有大量未成年人未启用或绕过该模式,可能接触到未经筛选、具有潜在风险的内容。

南方周末记者 陈怡帆 南方周末实习生 张钰馨

责任编辑:钱昊平

2025年6月13日,国家网信办发布关于征求《可能影响未成年人身心健康的网络信息分类办法(征求意见稿)》意见的通知。(视觉中国|供图)

2025年6月13日,国家网信办发布关于征求《可能影响未成年人身心健康的网络信息分类办法(征求意见稿)》意见的通知。(视觉中国|供图)

使用网络黑话烂梗、诱导未成年人盲目追星的网络信息将得到进一步规制。

2025年6月13日,国家网信办发布关于征求《可能影响未成年人身心健康的网络信息分类办法(征求意见稿)》(下称“分类办法”)意见的通知。

分类办法共10条,从可能诱发未成年模仿、可能影响未成年人价值观、诱导沉迷网络、不当使用未成年人形象和不当披露未成年人个人信息5个维度,对“可能影响未成年人身心健康的网络信息“做了进一步划分,并要求内容生产者和平台采取相应防范措施。

2024年世界互联网大会发布的《第六次中国未成年人互联网使用情况调查报告》显示,未成年网民规模已达1.96亿,互联网普及率97.3%。

作为《未成年人网络保护条例》的配套文件,分类办法弥补了粗略式列举不良信息类型的不足,并与未成年人保护制度体系相衔接。

不过,有学者指出,分类办法的落地,也有一些问题需要解决,包括如何界定“可能影响未成年人身心健康”的实质标准,对平台治理措施的评估机制该如何建设。

“读书无用论”属不良信息

什么是“可能影响未成年人身心健康”的网络信息?

2023年,国

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校对:星歌

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

The UK Plans to Lower the Voting Age to 16. Here’s What to Know.

17 July 2025 at 22:38
The plan has been described as the largest expansion of voting rights in Britain in decades.

© Carlos Jasso/Reuters

A polling station in Brighton, England, last year. Britain has set the minimum voting age for general elections at 18 since 1969.

Several injured after Gaza church struck, patriarchate says

17 July 2025 at 18:43
Reuters Father Gabriele Romanelli of the Church of the Holy Family receives medical attention after he was wounded in what the Latin Patriarchate called a "raid" on the church, at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City (17 July 2025)Reuters
Father Gabriele Romanelli was among those who needed medical treatment

Several people have been injured at the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, with some unconfirmed reports that it was hit by Israeli artillery shells.

Catholic Church leaders referred only to it being "struck by a raid" in a statement, but Italy's prime minister blamed Israeli forces.

The Israeli military said it was aware of the reports of damage and casualties at the church, adding that "the circumstances of the incident are under review".

Many displaced Christian families from the small local community have been living in the Roman Catholic church since the war began after their own homes were destroyed. While he was alive, the late Pope Francis called them on a near-daily basis.

The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem said the Argentine parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, was among those injured and denied initial reports of fatalities.

It added that the church had been damaged.

A video and photos shared with the BBC showed the roof was hit, close to the cross, and that windows were broken.

The Latin Patriarchate said it would provide additional details when they were confirmed.

A video aired on Arab TV showed Father Gabriel walking unsteadily and checking on a man on a stretcher at the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, where those injured are being treated.

Reuters A wounded Palestinian Christian woman is brought to Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City after what the Latin Patriarchate called a "raid" on the Church of the Holy Family (17 July 2025)Reuters
Casualties from the church were brought to al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni blamed Israel, saying: "The attacks against the civilian population that Israel has been carrying out for months are unacceptable."

"No military action can justify such an attitude," she added.

The Vatican has so far not responded to a request for comment.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem condemned the strike, which it called a "flagrant violation of human dignity and a blatant violation of the sanctity of life and the sanctity of religious sites, which are supposed to provide a safe haven in times of war".

It estimated that 600 displaced people were sheltering inside at the time, the majority of whom were children as well as 54 people with special needs.

The Holy Family Church falls within part of Gaza City that the Israeli military has previously told locals to leave.

Israel launched its war in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 others being taken hostage.

Israeli attacks have since killed more than 58,500 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The ministry's figures are quoted by the UN and others as the most reliable source of statistics available on casualties.

Tomorrowland organisers say festival will go ahead after fire destroys main stage

17 July 2025 at 17:24
Fire engulfs main stage of Tomorrowland music festival

Tens of thousands of campers have arrived at Tomorrowland in Belgium, a day after a fire destroyed the festival's main stage.

Festival organisers have insisted that the event in the town of Boom, south of Antwerp, will continue without the stage, adding that they are "focused on finding solutions".

Nobody was injured in Wednesday evening's blaze and experts are working to determine a cause.

The electronic dance music festival is due to start on Friday, with 400,000 people expected to attend over two weekends.

Hundreds of artists, including David Guetta, Lost Frequencies, Swedish House Mafia and Charlotte De Witte are expected to perform.

The local fire service has declared the site safe and a decision will now be made about whether to demolish the structure before the festival begins on Friday.

The campsite, known as DreamVille, has opened and so far organisers say this weekend's event will continue.

In its latest post on Instagram on Thursday, Tomorrowland said: "It is impossible to put into words what we're feeling."

It added that the Orbyz main stage "wasn't just a stage... it was was living breathing world."

Organisers said they had worked through the night to come up with solutions. A meeting was held with safety experts and members of local government on Thursday morning to discuss a contingency plan.

The mayor of Rumst, just north of Boom, told local media that another meeting discussing more ideas for an alternative to the main stage would be discussed in the afternoon.

"Cancelling the festival completely is the last thing we want to do," Jurgen Callaerts said.

There are 14 other stages at the festival, all much smaller than the main stage.

Getty Images The Tomorrowland main stage after the fire which broke out on Wednesday eveningGetty Images

The fire started around 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Videos posted on social media showed thick grey smoke engulfing the stage.

Some residents were evacuated as firefighters worked to stop the flames from reaching neighbouring homes and woodland.

One employee who had been working on the site described "an apocalyptic scene" as the fire broke out.

"We suddenly heard bangs and saw fire near the stage, a huge amount of fire," the unnamed individual told Het Nieuwsblad newspaper.

"We were just putting the finishing touches on it. One more day and it would be finished. Four weeks of work... gone in half an hour."

Tomorrowland began in 2005 and has become the biggest electronic dance festival in the world, attracting music fans from every continent.

Ariana Grande says she's not abandoning music for film

17 July 2025 at 18:52
Getty Images Ariana Grande posing for a picture on the red carpet for the premiere of Wicked in Australia in 2024. She has both of hands placed on her hips and is wearing a pink dress with a silver butterfly necklace. Getty Images
Ariana Grande bagged three Grammy nominations for her last studio album Eternal Sunshine

Ariana Grande says she has no plans to abandon her music career after announcing she was working on another film project.

After starring alongside Cynthia Erivo in Wicked, the Positions singer confirmed on Wednesday she'd been cast in the film adaptation of the Dr. Seuss book, Oh, The Places You'll Go.

But posting on socials, Ariana reassured fans that more acting roles doesn't mean an end to her music career, insisting there's room for both.

Singing and music "is and has always been my lifeline", she says. "There will need to be room made for all of it."

The US singer released her latest album, Eternal Sunshine, in 2024 but fans haven't had the opportunity to see her perform it live yet.

She hasn't toured since her Sweetener World Tour in 2019, but also teased she may have plans to be back on the road soon.

"I'm working on a plan to sing for you all next year," she posted. "Even if it's just for a little."

Getty Images Ariana Grande pictured in 2019 on her Sweetener tour. She has her long hair tied back in her trademark high ponytail and wears an orange puffer jacket over an orange bralet. She sings into a pink microphone, the staging dark behind her. Getty Images
Ariana's last world tour was in 2019

Ariana also has a make-up business and says balancing her other projects means her music career "may not look exactly like it did before but I much prefer how it looks in my head".

"I feel grateful and excited and inspired. Finding a balance between many projects and endeavours I love and doing it my own way."

Super fan Michael Rodrigues De Jesus says he "internally screamed really loudly" when he saw the post and the hint of a tour.

But he thinks if Ariana does go on the road, it would be "a mini tour" and "a lot of fans might be upset".

"I've seen different discourses online where people are really upset that she's doing movies," the 23-year-old from Luton says.

Michael also thinks the fandom is split with some disappointed music isn't the star's sole focus.

"I did feel a bit of that same sentiment," he says.

"Like are we ever going to get another tour? Has she found a home in acting that she wants to stay in forever? What's my personality going to be if not an Ariana music lover?"

But overall, Michael says he "doesn't think anyone's missed out".

"As a fan it's exciting to see an artist you like doing a lot of things. You get to experience their talent in a lot more ways."

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Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.

Sirens and evacuations as Taipei rehearses to counter China invasion threat

17 July 2025 at 17:46
Getty Images Shoppers and supermarket employees crouch and cover their heads and ears in an underground shelter during an air raid evacuation rehearsal in TaipeiGetty Images
Volunteers rehearsed taking cover in a supermarket basement in an air raid rehearsal in Taipei earlier this month

Taiwan's capital Taipei came to a standstill on Thursday as the island held one of its largest-ever civil defence exercises against possible Chinese invasion.

Air raid sirens rang out across the metropolitan area and in some areas residents sought shelter indoors, while traffic ground to a halt. The city also held mass evacuation drills and mass casualty event rehearsals.

The exercise was held in conjunction with Taiwan's largest ever war games - the annual Han Kuang exercises - as the island increasingly attempts to ramp up its defences.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to "reunify" with the island.

Getty Images Two Taiwanese soldiers leap out of a military vehicle while holding rifles in a military exercise in TaichungGetty Images
Soldiers rehearsed an urban warfare scenario in Taichung city on Wednesday

Tensions have increased since last year when Taiwan elected its president William Lai, whom China reviles as a "separatist".

Thursday's event was attended by Lai, government and city officials, and foreign officials including Raymond Greene, the head of the American Institute of Taiwan which serves as a de facto US embassy on the island.

In a speech at the end of the exercise, Lai stressed the importance of unity and resilience of Taiwan's society to protect the island and its democratic values.

He also stressed that the Han Kuang and Urban Resilience exercises were aimed at building up Taiwan's defences and that the island was not seeking war.

"We hope by preparing for war, we can avoid war, to achieve the goal of peace," he said. "With preparation, we have strength."

China has criticised the exercises as "a bluff and self-deceiving stance" by Lai and his ruling Democratic Progressive Party aimed at pushing a pro-independence agenda.

While previous Han Kuang exercises also had civil defence components, this year authorities have combined them in a single Urban Resilience exercise across the island which began on Tuesday and ends on Friday.

Each day of the exercise sees air raid sirens ringing out for half an hour in several cities.

Residents in designated areas in each city must shelter indoors or risk incurring a fine. All shops and restaurants must also pause operations. Road traffic must also come to a stop, with drivers required to pull over and head indoors immediately.

In Taipei, hundreds of emergency workers and volunteers took part in air raid drills and evacuations at a busy temple square, schools, subway stations and highways.

They also held a mock mass casualty event simulating missile or bomb strikes on buildings, where emergency personnel pulled out survivors and treated their injuries, and set up distribution points for emergency supplies.

A rescue worker in a yellow helmet and a fluroscent jacket holds a bandage as a volunteer posing as an injured person holds his hand out. The volunteer, dressed in a black t-shirt and grey shorts has fake blood on his right hand and bandages on his left leg and both arms.
In Taipei, hundreds of emergency workers and volunteers took part in air raid drills and evacuations

This week's Urban Resilience exercise is the latest civil defence drill Taiwan has held this year as it tries to prepare its cities for possible attacks and raise its population's defence awareness.

While US officials have warned of an imminent threat from China and that President Xi Jinping wants his military to be capable of invading Taiwan by 2027, most Taiwanese remain sceptical that an actual invasion will take place.

One poll done last October by a government-linked think tank, the Institute for National Defence and Security Research (INDSR), found that more than 60% of Taiwanese do not believe China will invade in the next five years.

"The chances of China invading are low. If they really wanted to invade us, they would have done it long ago," said Ben, a 29-year-old finance professional interviewed by the BBC in Taipei on Wednesday.

"But I do believe we need these drills, every country needs it and you need to practise your defence… I believe there is still a threat from China."

Others were more sceptical.

"There is just too big a difference in the strengths of China and Taiwan's militaries," said Mr Xue, a 48-year-old office worker. "There is no use defending ourselves against an attack."

The IDSR poll had found that only half of Taiwan's population had confidence in their armed forces' capability to defend the island.

It is a long-running sentiment that has spurred the Taiwanese government in recent years to beef up its military and expand Han Kuang.

More than 22,000 soldiers - about 50% more than last year – rehearsed defending the island from potential attacks from China in land, sea and air drills.

Newly acquired military hardware such as the US-supplied Himars mobile missile system as well as Taiwan-made rockets were tested.

This year's Han Kuang exercise also focused on combating greyzone warfare and misinformation from China, as well as rehearsing military defence in cities.

In recent days soldiers took part in urban warfare exercises in an exhibition centre and on the subway in Taipei.

On Thursday morning at a riverside park in a Taipei suburb, troops practised re-fueling and re-arming Black Hawk and Apache helicopters with Hellfire and Stinger missiles supplied by the US.

The day before the military rehearsed pushing back enemy troops on the streets of Taichung city, and turned a high school in Taoyuan into a battle tank repair station.

台北举行防空演习 模拟中国攻台

17 July 2025 at 21:17
德正
2025-07-17T12:53:23.564Z
图为台湾“2025城镇韧性(防空)演习”,参与者模拟大规模伤亡疏散的场景

(德国之声中文网)当地时间下午1点30分,台北全城响起防空警报,这座拥有250万人口的城市像被按下暂停键。行驶的摩托车、汽车和公交车停了下来,人们被引导进入地下停车场、地铁站等避难场所。还有一些人躲进办公楼或便利店。

这是台北在进行年度民防演习,本周在台湾各个城市举行。据台湾国防部官网消息,名为“2025城镇韧性(防空)演习”旨在提升民众防空意识,采取“有预警、分区异时”的方式,结合汉光演习,于7月15日至7月18日,依台湾中部、南部、北部、东部及外、离岛地区的顺序实施。演习也模拟战时援助物资分发和大规模伤亡的情况。

图为2025年7月17日人们在台北参加防空演习,演习旨在提升民众防空意识,提高对战争的准备能力

“让民众熟悉撤离路线非常重要”

虽然1949年中共建政以来,中国从未统治过台湾,但北京坚称台湾是其领土一部分,并表示不排除武统的可能。台湾进行汉光军演以及民防演习,是在为应对中国可能发动的袭击做好准备。

自去年上任以来,台湾总统赖清德更是致力于提高公众对中国威胁的认识。

谈到这次演习,25岁的王先生对法新社说:“我认为这很有必要,因为目前两岸局势非常紧张”,“所以,让我们这些普通民众更熟悉撤离路线非常重要。”

演习包括道路和地铁系统防空洞演习,模拟公众在遇到袭击时如何躲避

向世界展示其提升国防实力的决心

台湾也渴望向世界,尤其是其主要安全盟友华盛顿,展示其对提升国防实力的认真态度。

为期10天的汉光演习将于周五(7月18日)结束,除了台湾常规军之外,台湾这次还动员了史上最大规模的预备役军人,不仅演习了在海岸击退大陆的进攻,还演练了在城市街道上与入侵部队作战。

美国智库大西洋理事会学者廖彦棻(Kitsch Liao)表示:“这既是训练,也是让台湾民众适应现代战争现实。”

在夜间演习中,全副武装的部队携带美国提供的“毒刺”防空导弹,涌入台北地铁系统。

来自美国的高科技机动导弹发射器也部署在台北等地,公众可以一览无余。

图为演习中,一名参与者使用反无人机武器

模拟各种场景

对于一些人而言,防空演习有些意外。在台北一家超市,一位70岁的老妇告诉法新社,“我不知道会有演习”。她说,“我的心跳得很快,而且不可避免地很紧张。我认为演习的目的是让你知道如果发生什么,应该躲在哪里。”

台湾国防官员表示,部队演习还模拟了各种场景,包括“灰色地带骚扰行动”以及“远程精确打击”。

演习期间,军车发生的几起轻微事故凸显了在台湾狭窄街道上行进的挑战。

台湾国防专家揭仲表示,此类事故在城市地区“难以避免”。“在台湾,许多道路和桥梁对装甲车辆的通行带来了很大限制,”台北的“中华战略前瞻协会”研究员揭仲说。“因此,这对攻防双方来说都是问题和障碍。”

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Harvard Creates New Public Service Program, as Trump Slashes Federal Jobs

17 July 2025 at 21:00
The Kennedy School will award scholarships to at least 50 students, in hopes of fostering careers in government service.

© Sophie Park for The New York Times

The fellowships are valued at $100,000, covering tuition, fees and an additional stipend.
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