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This ‘Trial of the Century’ Is 100. Its Lessons Could Save the Democrats.
舞剧《牡丹亭》:文学经典的新想象
(本文首发于南方人物周刊)
南方人物周刊特约撰稿 蔡浩杰
责任编辑:杨静茹
(广州大剧院/图)
2025年4月底,舞剧《牡丹亭》开启巡演。“情不知所起,一往而深”,汤显祖的文学经典焕发出新的生命力。该剧由青年舞蹈艺术家黎星和编导黄佳园联合执导,剧作家罗怀臻担任编剧,全篇分为“梦卷”与“画卷”两部分,时长近三小时,角色凝练为杜丽娘、柳梦梅、春香、花神、陈最良、判官等六个核心人物,讲述了杜丽娘与柳梦梅超越生死的爱情故事。
开场前15分钟,丫鬟春香上台暖场,或坐或卧,时而躺在中央,时而在舞台边荡着双腿,她眼神清澈,笑语盈盈,悲喜拉开帷幕。
在传统戏曲舞台上,私塾先生陈最良总是刻板迂腐的,到了舞剧《牡丹亭》中,陈最良除了教学尽责之外,他愿陪着春香闹,会拉柳梦梅一把,似乎关照起每个角色的心情,甚至在闹学之后,他还悄悄捡起地上的鲜花
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校对:赵立宇
东北流动的人口,为什么偏爱沈阳?
老工业基地的蜕变,在升级沈阳工业实力的同时,也带动了信息服务业、科技服务业、金融业等生产性服务业向专业化和价值链高端延伸。
核心地段集聚的优质公共资源与深入城市毛细血管的便民网络,共同构成了沈阳“有生活”的内核。
南方周末研究员 郑颖琦 南方周末实习生 阚泽宇
责任编辑:戴春晨
让我们将目光投向东北。曾经,东北是中国工业体系最耀眼的明珠,“共和国工业长子”的称谓昭示着这片土地的领先。后来,全球化的浪潮滚滚向前,珠三角地区、上海浦东和江浙地区凭借着改革开放的东风先后崛起,东北的辉煌渐渐被沿海地区取代。
对外经济贸易大学教授刘岩曾撰文称,在从计划经济向市场经济过渡的伟大叙事中,东北又以全国最高的城市和工业人口比重扮演了最典型的悲情角色,被公认为是深受旧体制束缚而转型艰难的“老工业基地”。
2023年年末,由景区退票事件引爆的热搜接连不断,让哈尔滨这座不算热门的旅游城市迎来盛大的流量加冕。在互联网传播的作用下,哈尔滨连同鹤岗、漠河等东北城市一起,重新回归人们的视野。
东北近年留给大众的印象一度是经济发展掉队、人口不断外流,垂垂老矣。然而近两年,从经济、人口、文旅热度等维度观测,东北三省似乎有恢复活力的迹象。
在东北的复苏中,表现最优秀的并非“顶流”哈尔滨,而是另一座副省级城市。在南方周末研究院连续五年的“理想之城”的评估中,沈阳、大连、长春、哈尔滨,正在用稳步上升的排名,为东北争取一张冲击“理想之城第六极”的入场券。这其中,沈阳在《57城理想之城榜2024》中排名第14,位列东北三省之首。
沈阳,如今发生了什么变化?
沈阳故宫博物院与城市天际线交相辉映。(视觉中国 / 图)
老工业基地的新使命
自2011年起,东北三省的常住人口呈现长期下跌、偶有回流的态势。过去十年间,东北三省的人口规模骤降1100万余人。这相当于东北人口第一城哈尔滨的规模。
东北地区率先出现人口负增长,是人口结构和经济变迁的叠加影响。这个时间节点,正好是我国宣布经济结构从增量扩能为主转向调整存量、做优增量并举的深度调整。
换句话说,东北经济发展的黄金十年结束了。
但将观察的视角缩小,沈阳的情况有所不同。
在几乎整个东北地区青年劳动力不断流失的情况下,沈阳却连年保持常住人口上涨。放眼东北地区,沈阳的增量最高。再考虑上低生育率、深度老龄化的影响,其常住人口增长的含金量就更大了,即人口的增长更多源于外来人口的流入。
《中国人口普查年鉴-2020》显示,黑龙江和吉林往辽宁流动的趋势明显。在现住地为辽宁的人口中,五年前常住地为黑龙江和吉林的人口数量占据前二,其次是内蒙古。
也就是说,在流出东北与留在本地之间,东北人还有一个“离家近、有钱赚、有生活”的“超择优点”——沈阳。
在“有钱赚”方面,沈阳2023年居民人均可支配收入与大连基本持平,比哈尔滨、长春均高出近1万元。而沈阳更大的优势在于,其房租、房价收入比是“东北F4”中最低的。实际上,沈阳的安居指数在东北之外也极具竞争力,位列理想之城57座样本城市的第11。
低房价主要源于房地产黄金时期的经济发展“失速”,而当下相对可观的收入,则源于近年的产业转型升级。
2022年起,沈阳打破多年僵局,GDP增速持续三年跑赢全国。
与此同时,沈阳第三产业占比逐年走高。2015年,沈阳三次产业结构(即第一、二、三产业增加值占国内生产总值比重)为4.7∶48.1∶47.2,到了2024年,这一数值变成3.6∶35.1∶61.3。
同期,我国三次产业结构分别为9∶40.5∶50.5和6.8∶36.5∶56.7。可以看到,沈阳的第三产业逐渐成为其经济增长的“强引擎”。
产业结构变化的背后,是老工业基地正在践行的新使命——新时代全国先进制造业基地。更具体地说,生产性服务业的兴起,支撑了第三产业比重的扩大。
近年来,沈阳通过上“云”、用“数”、赋“智”,推进制造业企业全生命周期实施数字化、网络化、智能化改造,着力变“工业锈带”为“智造走廊”。
这一改造场景出现在装备制造、石油化工、新能源汽车、生物医药、机器人等沈阳工业领域的重点产业中。截至2025年5月底,沈阳获批智能工厂和数字化车间分别为68个和103个。
上述依托传统优势产业基础拓展新兴产业的转型模式,是沈阳目前发展新质生产力的主要路径。除此之外,沈阳依托当地的高水平研究型大学和科研院所,重点布局半导体、航空航天等领域,发展完全新兴产业。
老工业基地的蜕变,在升级沈阳工业实力的同时,也带动了信息服务业、科技服务业、金融业等生产性服务业向专业化和价值链高端延伸。
在生活性服务业方面,沈阳持续运用新业态、新模式、新技术、新场景,创造出更多居民消费新需求。此外,更值得一提的是沈阳的文旅产业。
2024年,沈阳全市接待游客首次突破2亿人次,居东北各城之首。“赏冰乐雪”之外,通过数字化、场景化手段“活化”沈阳故宫、1905文化创意园等丰富的历史文化遗产、工业遗产和自然资源,成为吸引年轻游客的特色。
旧工业厂房的新形态
提到沈阳的文化底色,你会想到什么?
承载7200年文明史、2300年建城史和400年都城史的厚重历史文脉,刻入城市基因的英雄叙事,极具感染力、亲和力的“草根喜剧”,象征着东北文艺复兴的《钢的琴》《漫长的季节》里工业辉煌与“下岗潮”形成鲜明对照的工业文明,都可能成为答案。
如今,工业遗存与公共空间的融合,正在塑造沈阳当下的文化根基。
无数工业遗产镶嵌在广袤的黑土地上,成为沈阳工业转型的亲历者和见证者。而工业遗产的活化利用,让它们不再满载生产任务,日夜轰鸣作响、连轴运转,而是以博物馆、图书馆、文创空间、影剧院等文化空间的形态实现其功能和象征意义的蜕变——既是承载城市记忆的重要容器,也是沈阳人精神食粮的纳藏点。
例如,由沈阳铸造厂厂房改建而成的我国首个工业博物馆,收藏着多项“工业之最”;原沈阳重型机械厂的二金车间,则蜕变为沈阳首个由工业遗存改造成的文创园——1905文化创意园;由沈阳电缆厂工人的文化阵地改建成的沈阳工人会堂,曾因“刘老根大舞台”焕新出彩,如今承接各类会议、文艺演出及庆祝活动。
中国工业博物馆铁西馆。(视觉中国 / 图)
以上从工业遗存到博物馆、文创空间、影剧院的转变,往往由政府部门牵头,规模也较大。而在旧厂房往图书空间的延伸上,除了公共图书馆的批量改造,还能发现不少独立书店主理人探索的身影。
近年来,多座城市聚力打造“15分钟阅读圈”,沈阳也充分运用工业遗存,将多个废弃厂房改造为城市书房,包括莫子山城市书房、陵东书屋等。
而在沈阳不少的独立书店中,同样可以窥见锅炉房、印刷厂等工业厂房的影子。上世纪留存的工业遗产,正在新思路、新技术、新形式的包装下,呈现别具一格的新形态。
阅读新空间的持续涌现,滋养着沈阳人充满“文气”的内里。
中国书刊发行业协会发布的《2019-2020中国实体书店产业报告》显示,2019年沈阳实体书店数量位居全国第三。根据《57城理想之城榜2024》,沈阳的公共图书馆人均藏书量居东北四城之首,位列57城第10。
实际上,“15分钟阅读圈”只是沈阳提升居民生活幸福感的微小切面。
自2021年入选全国首批城市一刻钟便民生活圈试点地区后,沈阳正在通过数千个“生活圈新建、改造项目”,为居民勾勒新的生活图景:大到保健养生、社区养老、幼儿托管,小到吃饭、买菜、看书,居民以社区为中心步行约15分钟即可实现。
与此同时,作为辽宁的政治、经济、文化中心和交通枢纽,沈阳拥有丰富的医疗卫生资源、优质的高等教育体系和便捷的交通网络。
核心地段集聚的优质公共资源与深入城市毛细血管的便民网络,共同构成了沈阳“有生活”的内核。在理想之城榜的市民待遇、公共空间供给维度,沈阳的排名均处于57城前列。
“锈带复兴”之困
城市或区域的衰退,往往是产业低迷、人口流失和资产价格下跌三者之间的恶性循环。从美国五大湖地区、德国鲁尔区、伦敦工业区等“铁锈地带”的复兴实践来看,这一过程通常会持续很久。
对照其他国家“锈带复兴”的路径,共性经验有两个。一是通过科技创新驱动产业转型升级,促使第二产业对经济增长的贡献率不断下降,第三产业对经济增长的贡献率不断走高,从而利用服务业的壮大催生新的庞大的就业需求。但是,这并非意味着抛弃制造业,而是因地制宜地探寻二三产业的最优配比。
二是培育优质劳动力以支撑产业发展。这其中包括提升原有劳动力技能水平,打造具有活力的就业市场吸引外来人才,以及构建生育友好型社会提高人口自然增长率等,最终目标是实现人口的高质量发展,即人口规模与人口质量的协同发展。
这也折射出沈阳振兴之路亟待解决的几大问题。
首先是产业提质方面。沈阳虽然在传统产业转型升级和战略性新兴产业培育上已初见成效,但工业发展仍未挣脱路径依赖,距离新产业形成经济规模并对传统产业形成较大规模替代的目标仍有差距。
2024年,沈阳规模以上高技术制造业(包括医药制造业,航空、航天器及设备制造业等)增加值占规模以上工业增加值的比重为10.2%,而工业第一城深圳的该项数值为58.2%。
最为关键的是,沈阳民营企业规模和竞争力较之东南沿海地区差距仍存,且龙头民营企业集中在传统产业。
上奇产业通统计的2024年新增民营企业数量显示,沈阳2024年新增43887家民营企业,在全国城市中排名第37,该数量是排位第1的广州的1/8。而中华全国工商业联合会发布的《2024中国民营企业500强》榜单中,沈阳仅禾丰食品股份有限公司1家民营企业上榜。
民营经济发展缺乏活力,导致沈阳产业发展的灵活性和市场敏感度不足,难以在布局新兴产业时抢占先机。
其次是人口结构的失衡。《中国统计年鉴2024》的数据显示,辽宁是全国老龄化程度最高的省份,已经步入重度老龄化社会,沈阳也不例外。与此同时,在各城大力向青年人才抛出橄榄枝的“混战”中,沈阳也不具优势。尽管沈阳常住人口保持正增长态势,但增量有限,未能减弱东北三省人口持续外流的趋势。
产业与人口之外,区域发展不均衡也是沈阳需要重视的问题。这其中既包括沈阳市辖区内县域经济过于薄弱所致的区域内发展失衡,也包括更大范围的区域经济失衡——沈阳与沈阳现代化都市圈内的城市尚未形成功能互补的分工模式。
毕竟,无论是中心地理论、生长极理论还是核心-边缘理论,均指向城市并非孤立存在的空间形态,而是与其所在区域共生共荣的辩证关系。
沈阳要更加加把劲了。
参考资料:
[1] 东北三省,十年少了一个“哈尔滨”.刘旭强.澎湃新闻,2025-04-20
[2] 推动东北全面振兴取得新突破[N].经济日报,2025-06-27(011)
[3] 美国“锈带复兴”之鉴.夏文辉.北京青年报,2016-04-03
[4] 曲美潼.论《漫长的季节》对东北叙事模式的继承与突围[J].当代电视,2023(09)
校对:赵立宇
Kyiv facing massive Russian attack, Ukraine says


Ukraine's capital Kyiv is again under a massive overnight Russian drone attack, local officials say, with at least eight people reported injured and fires burning across the city.
Authorities in Kyiv say drone wreckage has hit the roof of a residential building in the central Shevchenkivskyi district.
Footage on social media, as yet unverified by the BBC, shows explosions in the night sky, as air defence units begin repelling the attack. Ukraine's military has also warned of a threat of a ballistic missile attack.
Last night, Ukraine reported the biggest ever aerial attack from Russia, after 728 drones and 13 cruise or ballistic missiles struck cities around the country in multiple waves.
In the early hours of Thursday, morning Kyiv's military administration reported Russian drone strikes in six city districts.
"Residential buildings, vehicles, warehouses, office and non-residential buildings are burning," administration head Tymur Tkachenko said in a post on Telegram.
He urged city residents to shelter until the air raid siren was lifted.
Overnight, Ukraine's air force reported a threat of Russian drone attacks in a number of regions. It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties outside Kyiv.
Russia's military has not commented on the reported latest attack.
In other developments:
- Ukraine's emergency service DSNS said late on Wednesday that three people had been killed in a Russian air strike in the town of Kostiantynivka - close to the front line in eastern Ukraine
- The US resumed sending some weapons to Ukraine, Reuters reported late on Wednesday, days after it halted shipments of some critical arms
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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Kyiv facing massive Russian attack, Ukraine says


Ukraine's capital Kyiv is again under a massive overnight Russian drone attack, local officials say, with at least eight people reported injured and fires burning across the city.
Authorities in Kyiv say drone wreckage has hit the roof of a residential building in the central Shevchenkivskyi district.
Footage on social media, as yet unverified by the BBC, shows explosions in the night sky, as air defence units begin repelling the attack. Ukraine's military has also warned of a threat of a ballistic missile attack.
Last night, Ukraine reported the biggest ever aerial attack from Russia, after 728 drones and 13 cruise or ballistic missiles struck cities around the country in multiple waves.
In the early hours of Thursday, morning Kyiv's military administration reported Russian drone strikes in six city districts.
"Residential buildings, vehicles, warehouses, office and non-residential buildings are burning," administration head Tymur Tkachenko said in a post on Telegram.
He urged city residents to shelter until the air raid siren was lifted.
Overnight, Ukraine's air force reported a threat of Russian drone attacks in a number of regions. It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties outside Kyiv.
Russia's military has not commented on the reported latest attack.
In other developments:
- Ukraine's emergency service DSNS said late on Wednesday that three people had been killed in a Russian air strike in the town of Kostiantynivka - close to the front line in eastern Ukraine
- The US resumed sending some weapons to Ukraine, Reuters reported late on Wednesday, days after it halted shipments of some critical arms
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Trump Pledges 50% Tariffs Against Brazil, Citing ‘Witch Hunt’ Against Bolsonaro
© Victor Moriyama for The New York Times
川普發出第二波關稅通知信 巴西遭課徵50%
2025-07-10T02:29:39.086Z

(德國之聲中文網)美國總統川普週三(7月9日)發出第二波關稅通知,公布對8個國家的新關稅稅率,其中巴西遭課徵50%的關稅,為目前公布的所有國家之中稅率最高。今年4月初,川普對巴西設下的對等關稅僅為10%。新的50%關稅將自8月1日起適用。
川普致巴西總統盧拉(Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva)的信上聲稱,巴西對美國企業存在「不公平貿易行為」,下令美國貿易代表格里爾(James Greer)調查。值得注意的是,不同於寫給其他國家幾乎完全相同的通知信,這封信函還特別提到了巴西的國內政治,稱巴西不該讓前總統博索納羅(Jair Bolsonaro)受審,「這是獵巫,應該立刻停止!」
川普曾把博索納羅稱為他的朋友,2020年還曾在佛州海湖莊園接待他來訪;美聯社解讀,這顯示川普施加關稅的動機不僅僅是經貿因素,還涉及個人恩怨。
博索納羅有「巴西川普」之稱,2022年大選敗給盧拉後試圖推翻選舉結果,因而遭以密謀策劃政變等罪名起訴。這樣的情節似曾相識:川普2020年落選後亦拒不接受選舉結果,遭控煽動了2021年的國會山莊暴動事件,並遭到彈劾。
面對川普課徵高額關稅,巴西政府9日晚間緊急召開應對會議。盧拉表示,巴西將依照該國法律,對美國的關稅做出對等回應。
巴西副總統阿爾克明(Geraldo Alckmin)稱川普「被誤導」,並表示博索納羅的審判屬於巴西司法部門的管轄權;巴西議員法里亞斯(Lindbergh Farias)則在社群平台寫道:「(美國)報復巴西的每個理由都涉及政治,彷彿博索納羅受到了政治迫害……博索納羅肯定非常樂見巴西的經濟被傷害。」
美國是巴西第二大貿易夥伴,僅次於中國。川普對巴西徵收50%關稅消息公布後,巴西貨幣雷亞爾兌美元匯率下跌近3%;巴西航空工業公司(Embraer)、巴西石油公司(Petrobras)在美國股市價格也下跌。
巴西也是美國第二大鋼鐵來源國,且美國國內約有三分之一的咖啡、超過一半的柳橙汁進口自巴西。巴西柳橙汁業界人士聶托(Ibiapaba Netto)指出,美國此舉不只影響巴西,還會衝擊美國整個果汁產業。
巴西與美國關係緊張
對巴西加徵關稅前,川普便不只一次對博索納羅受審一事表達不滿。
週三,巴西外交部召見了美國派駐的外交人員,因為美國使館先前發布的一份聲明內把博索納羅稱為政治迫害的受害者。同一天,川普在白宮會晤非洲國家領袖時提到巴西,稱其「對美國很不好」。
上週末,盧拉在里約主辦金磚國家(BRICS)峰會,該組織上週末發布的聯合聲明雖未點名美國,但仍對單邊關稅表示關切。隨後,川普在「真實社群」平台發文:「任何與金磚國家的反美政策同一陣線的國家,都將被額外徵收10%的關稅。這項政策將不會有任何例外。」
隔天,盧拉向川普喊話:「世界在改變,我們不需要一個皇帝,我們的國家擁有主權。如果川普施加關稅,其他國家也有權這麼做……我認為,像美國這樣的國家,其總統在社群平台威脅全世界要徵收關稅,這是很不負責任的。」
相关图集:特朗普关税战2.0时间线梳理













美國公布其他7國關稅稅率
10日,川普也宣布將對菲律賓徵收20%關稅,對汶萊、摩爾多瓦徵25%,對阿爾及利亞、伊拉克及利比亞則徵收30%。
這些關稅通知信跟川普7日寄給日本、韓國等14國的信函幾乎相同,同樣警告各貿易夥伴不要以報復性關稅反擊,否則美國也會在原來的關稅基礎上再「等價奉還」。但他仍保留了談判空間,稱關稅可能會根據雙邊關係上修或下調。
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Historical sexual abuse claims against former bishop and vicar investigated


A convicted bishop and a former vicar of the Church in Wales are being investigated by detectives over allegations of historical sexual abuse, the BBC can reveal.
Four people have told BBC Wales Investigates about abuse being ignored at the crisis-hit Church and have called for an independent inquiry.
Former Bishop of Swansea and Brecon Anthony Pierce, jailed for child sexual abuse earlier this year, faces fresh historical sex abuse allegations while a former vicar is also being investigated by South Wales Police.
The Church in Wales have said they were "profoundly sorry" and apologised to "anyone who has suffered or been let down by failings."
Warning: This story contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault
The BBC investigation found concerns about Pierce were reported to Church officials in 1986 - 13 years before he became Bishop of Swansea and Brecon - but nothing was done.
One victim has waived his right to anonymity to speak out and questions how a "predator" was allowed to become a Bishop when serious concerns had been raised about him.


It is the latest controversy to hit the Church in Wales after the Archbishop of Wales retired last month after two critical reports highlighted safeguarding concerns where "sexual boundaries seemed blurred" at his north Wales diocese of Bangor.
People who sang with the Bangor Cathedral choir also told the BBC there had been a "binge drinking culture".
Although there is no suggestion the former archbishop behaved inappropriately, the church's representative body said there must be a "change in leadership, procedures and governance in the diocese of Bangor".
BBC Wales understands the current police investigation is looking into historical sexual abuse allegations against Pierce, as well as a former vicar of the Church in Wales.
Three alleged victims, from across Wales whose allegations span decades, have told BBC Wales Investigates they want an independent inquiry into the Church in Wales abuse.
Alisdair Adams was 18 and at University College Swansea, now Swansea University, when he first met Pierce who was a parish priest in the city in the 1980s.


"He invited me to his house for dinner to see how we could work together and gave me lots of white wine and no food," said Alisdair, now 59.
Alisdair said Pierce moved to sit on the arm of the sofa before the lights went out suddenly.
"He grabbed me and pulled me into him and held me tightly," he added. "I could feel his erect penis through his brown nylon trousers."
'He was the predator and we were the prey'
Alisdair said he left immediately and reported the incident to a Methodist minister.
He said he was invited to speak to the Anglican campus chaplain and said two other students were interviewed that day about Pierce.


BBC Wales Investigates has spoken to Mark Dickey-Collas, who was also interviewed.
He said he was also invited to Pierce's house and offered alcohol before the lights went out and Pierce came onto him.
Mark said the chaplain reported his concerns to the Church and Pierce was banned from campus and university halls.
The Church in Wales said it was not aware of the report but confirmed it was undertaking enquiries into how it responded at the time.


Pierce continued as a priest and worked as chaplain at Swansea's Singleton Hospital.
He became Bishop of Swansea and Brecon in 1999, and met the then Prince Charles, now King Charles, while he was on a visit to Swansea in 2002.
Pierce admitted five charges of indecent assault against a boy under the age of 16 between 1985 and 1990 and was sentenced to four years and one month in March.


"I'm dumbfounded as to why this man with allegations swirling around him in 1985 and 1986 was allowed to be employed by the church," Alisdair told BBC Wales Investigates.
"And they promoted him to Bishop. He was a predator and we were the prey and the Church did nothing about it."
The Church is currently holding a review into claims "senior figures" were aware of a separate allegation of abuse against Pierce in 1993 which was not passed to police until 2010.
After becoming Bishop, Pierce was in ultimate charge of Church safeguarding in his diocese.


Ruth, not her real name, told BBC Wales serious allegations she made about a choirmaster were not acted on by Pierce.
She says Brecon Cathedral choirmaster David Gedge assaulted her on a choir exchange to Ireland in 2001 when she was 17 years old.
"He suggested we go for a walk," said Ruth, who was a chorister at the cathedral.
"He held my arm and turned me round and kissed me. In that moment I felt just kind of shattered."


"He put his hand underneath my top and was touching me. He talked about his wife and as he was talking about this his hands were moving and he put his hands down my trousers and into my pants.
"All of this was happening whilst I was really frozen."
She said she was scared to report the abuse initially, but eventually did two years later to try and protect other choristers.
'The Church allowed my abuser to have more opportunities'
Pierce was Bishop of Swansea and Brecon at the time - and Ruth says he did nothing.
The Church in Wales admitted there was no record of action against Mr Gedge in 2003 and any decisions about the case would have been made by Pierce.
Mr Gedge continued to work with children in the choir for four years before retiring.


"Anthony Pierce did not abuse me, but he allowed my abuse to go unaccounted for and for my abuser to have many more opportunities to do the same thing," said Ruth.
"I don't know how many other people are without justice because Anthony Pierce stopped their case from moving forward - maybe to protect his friends, maybe to take the eyes off him."
Ruth said she went to the police in 2012 after the lack of action by the Church.


BBC Wales Investigates has seen police documents that say Mr Gedge admitted holding Ruth's hand, taking her for a walk and talking to her about intimate details of his life but he denied assaulting her.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in Ireland said there appeared to be substance to Ruth's allegations but it was unlikely a prosecution would be successful.
Mr Gedge was prevented from holding any role in the Church after 2012. He died in 2016.
Former priest Graham Sawyer started working in Pontypool in south Wales in 2003 when he raised concerns about Darren Jenkins, a youth leader and lay reader - someone who can preach and take services.
'I was told I should be very careful about reporting abuse'
"I was worried about the inappropriate touching," he said. "It didn't appear sexual, it was hugging."
As a former sexual abuse victim himself, Graham tried to raise the alarm.
"I was told that I should be very careful or I'd end up in court," he said.
He said he went to the police after he became concerned at the lack of action by the Church in Wales and left Pontypool for Australia.
Jenkins was jailed in 2006 for raping a 16-year-old boy five times.
Graham said cases like Pierce's show "the culture has not changed".


"Whenever there's a problem, they will close ranks and ignore. If that doesn't work, they would attack you with great ferocity," he told BBC Wales Investigates.
The Church in Wales is a separate body to the Church of England and both have separate safeguarding departments to protect vulnerable people including children.
Graham has written to Welsh politicians urging them to call on the Senedd to hold an independent inquiry.
The Church in Wales has been subject to two independent safeguarding reports to date - the Historic Cases Review in 2009 and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse (IICSA) which started in 2014.
Justin Welby stepped down as the Archbishop of Canterbury in 2024 after a damning report into a prolific child abuser associated with the Church of England.
An IICSA panel member has questioned if the Church in Wales has done enough since that report and thought there should be an external review into the Church.


"We did make it very clear that there were quite a lot of significant gaps and operational shortcomings," Professor Sir Malcolm Evans told the BBC.
"But there doesn't seem to have been a broad-ranging discussion as to the future in Wales as there has been in the Church of England. What we now need is that level of discussion, reflection, and action."
Church in Wales promise culture review
The Church in Wales has apologised and told the BBC that an external safeguarding audit of all cathedrals in Wales would be commissioned as well as a review into its culture.
"There is no place in the Church for abuse, misconduct or concealment," a Church in Wales spokesman said.
"We are determined that the issues identified will be fully addressed and practices improved so that all church members, and the wider society, can have confidence that the church is, as it should be, a safe and supportive environment for all."
The Church added its complaints handling process is now more independent, professional and robust and it is committed to continuous improvement.
For information and support about any issues raised in this story contact the BBC Action Line.
Additional reporting by Michela Riva
《哪吒2》英文版将上映,杨紫琼参与配音
《哪吒2》英文版将上映,杨紫琼参与配音

Immigration Officials Used Shadowy Pro-Israel Group to Target Student Activists
© Valerie Plesch for The New York Times
Rubio Visits Asia as Trump Raises Trade-War Tensions
© Pool photo by Mandel Ngan
【重温】卡扎克|哈萨克斯坦媒体评《我的阿勒泰》:一部殖民者视角下的政治宣传片

CDT编辑注:本文原载于哈萨克斯坦媒体98Mag,由Matters创作者卡扎克翻译。
哈萨克斯坦媒体对《我的阿勒泰》的影评,简要总结就是“殖民者视角下拍摄的对政府当下政策进行美化的政治宣传片”。
哈国媒体评论:《我的阿勒泰》是谁的阿勒泰?
近日,根据中国作家李娟的自传小说改编有关新疆哈萨克族的八集电视剧《我的阿勒泰》上映。
该电视剧在中国受到广泛认可,并入围戛纳电影节。
在与中国国家广播电视总局和爱奇艺公司的代表会面后,有消息称哈萨克斯坦第七频道将引进这部电视剧并在哈萨克斯坦播出。
电视剧讲了什么故事?
该剧讲述了梦想成为马场驯马师的哈萨克族男孩巴泰和梦想成为作家的汉族女孩文绣之间的爱情故事。
原著小说讲述的是20世纪末哈萨克人的生活故事。
巴泰是训鹰人苏丹的幼子,根据传统是要继承主家的人。由于家里的长子穆拉特因酗酒而死,因此苏丹希望幼子能够迎娶守寡的大儿媳托肯。但巴泰反对,而儿媳妇托肯也有自己的想法-她与邻村的蒙古男子相互心生爱慕。
虽然苏丹老汉最终很不情愿但也无奈地允许他的儿媳托肯嫁给一个蒙古男人,但他并不赞成将自己的孙子们也送到蒙古人那里。当他发现幼子爱上了一名汉族女孩后,他的反对变得更加强烈。
以上是电视剧中最主要的情节戏剧冲突内容。紧张气氛就此结束。
当然,虽然最后第七和第八集的主要反派是一个挖宝石、挖草根的汉人走私犯,但他的形象更像是一个西方资本家。
总的来说,编剧似乎没有勇气去塑造一个哈萨克族的反派人物,因此把哈萨克有关的故事中的戏剧冲突全部放在了“异族通婚”这个主题里面,用了近乎所有的力气去铺陈这个主题下的故事。
最终,苏丹老汉的传统游牧世界观崩塌了,他向更先进的“文明世界”新生活举手投降。老人把自己的孙儿托付给了儿媳妇托肯,并允许她嫁给一个蒙古男人。最后一部分结束时,在苏丹老汉和村长的带领下,哈萨克人在文秀的家和平地聚会,吃饺子,放鞭炮。
而进城三年的巴泰也在此时回到了家乡。新的一年,烟花爆竹!巴泰回来了!巴泰和文秀重逢了!政治宣传片主旋律最美妙的胜利结局。
训鹰人苏丹老汉的形象
巴泰的父亲苏丹是故事中最重要的人物之一。他是一位猎人,一位著名的训鹰人。然而,当中国政府禁止狩猎和持枪后,他无奈的意识到,自己正在失去一切。他更喜欢保留游牧生活,将现代生活视为陌生的侵入者。在时代的大势下,他极力试图保存传统,但最终无奈的选择了屈服。
某种程度上,苏丹的形象可以更接近地与来自新疆的哈萨克人移民的形象进行比较,他们移民到哈萨克斯坦是为了将自己的文化从中国政府不断强化的汉化政策中拯救出来。
而电视剧的主题则很明显的、不遗余力的试图将苏丹和与他相同立场的哈萨克人,置于“现代生活”的对立面,并把接受异族通婚作为接受现代生活的证据进行宣扬。
诚然,在当今社会,异族通婚很正常,选择配偶是个人自由,但一部以宣称讲述哈萨克人文化为主题的电视剧,整个故事的情节为何如此重视它,实在让我们感到疑惑。
而且,虽然电视剧的编剧力图将苏丹老汉塑造为“草原上的游牧之主”,但又刻意的安排了一段他为了拯救一个汉人,而用(为了不交给政府)而藏匿枪,射杀了代表突厥文化的图腾的狼的情节。影片最后,巴泰也为了保护文绣用弓箭射杀了马,这是又一段明显刻意安排的,哈萨克人为保护汉人而杀死象征突厥文化的图腾动物的情节。
关于作者
这部电视剧的原著作者是一位新疆女作家,曾获得中国多项著名作家奖项。她有许多描写新疆阿尔泰地区游牧民族生活的作品。此前曾出版过《阿勒泰》、《冬牧场》、《我的阿勒泰》等多部著作。作家在接受BCAF.org.cn网站采访时表示,新疆哈萨克人的游牧生活正在消失,而在哈萨克斯坦则已经完全消失。她认为两国的哈萨克人存在差异,并认为哈萨克斯坦的哈萨克人已经俄罗斯化了。
电视剧的影响
尽管通过展现阿拜歌曲、哈萨克曲调、黑走马和哈萨克人的传统服饰、乡村生活等镜头,将哈萨克文化在中国观众面前进行了展示,但与此同时,影片依然没有摆脱殖民主义者视角下经常出现的,将当地人描绘成酒鬼的刻板方式。
在中国媒体对电视剧上映后的报道宣传中,大篇幅讲述的都是该电视剧如何吸引游客前去欣赏阿勒泰的山水风光,以及扮演哈萨克人的汉人演员于适如何优秀之类。此外在其他新闻页面上,经常提到该电视剧入围戛纳电影节。
结论
剥夺原住民自我发声的能力,将其从主体变成客体,并按照意识形态给他们贴上刻板标签,是殖民者国家最常见的手段之一。这一点在《我的阿勒泰》中有着明确的体现。
这部电视剧中的第二个意识形态方向,是殖民者试图通过指责被殖民者与他不同的思维,以及竭尽全力的突出被殖民者的生活方式和思想“多么落后”,而自己则多么的代表着先进的现代生活,来正当化自己对原住民文化的入侵和摧残。
总的来说,这部电视剧是中国当局在对自己在新疆的政策进行的美化,是彻头彻尾的政治宣传。
与此同时,考虑到该剧将在“第七频道”播出,再次给人留下了哈萨克斯坦政府对新疆哈萨克族的命运不屑一顾,并积极支持中国在新疆的政治政策的印象。
Lawmakers in Liberal States Want ICE Agents to Show Their Faces
© Todd Heisler/The New York Times
特朗普掌控美国经济:全方位推进议程,未来荣衰有待检验
特朗普掌控美国经济:全方位推进议程,未来荣衰有待检验




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The Guardian | World
- Trump praises English of the leader of Liberia – where English is the official language
Trump praises English of the leader of Liberia – where English is the official language

Donald Trump was basking in the praise of a group of African leaders on Wednesday, when the Liberian president took the microphone.
“Liberia is a longtime friend of the United States and we believe in your policy of making America great again,” President Joseph Boakai said in English at a White House meeting before advocating for US investment in his country. “We just want to thank you so much for this opportunity.”
Trump, clearly impressed, inquired where Boakai got his language skills.
“Such good English, such beautiful …” Trump said. “Where did you learn to speak so beautifully? Where were you educated?”
Boakai seemed to chuckle. English is the official language of Liberia.
“In Liberia?” Trump asked. “Yes sir,” Boakai said.
“That’s very interesting, that’s beautiful English” Trump said. “I have people at this table who can’t speak nearly as well.”
Liberia was founded in 1822 as a colony for free Black Americans, the brainchild of white Americans trying to address what they saw as a problem – the future for Black people in the US once slavery ended. English is Liberia’s official language, though multiple Indigenous languages are spoken there as well.
Trump hosted the leaders from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal at the White House on Wednesday, telling them that he was shifting the US approach to the continent from aid to trade and that the US is a better partner for Africa than China. Many of the leaders at the meeting spoke in their own languages through interpreters.
Trump said his administration was committed to strengthening friendships in Africa, which he hoped to visit at some point.
“We’re shifting from aid to trade,” he said at the start of a White House meeting. “There’s great economic potential in Africa, like few other places. In many ways, in the long run, this will be far more effective and sustainable and beneficial than anything else that we can be doing together.”
The African leaders, in turn, heaped praise on the US president for brokering peace deals around the world and expressed support for his receiving a Nobel Prize.
“We are not poor countries. We are rich countries when it comes to raw materials. But we need partners to support us and help us develop those resources,” said Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, president of Gabon. “You are welcome to come and invest. Otherwise, other countries might come instead of you.”
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariff and demands Bolsonaro's trial end


US President Donald Trump said he was planning to impose a 50% tax on goods made in Brazil, escalating his fight with the South American country.
He announced the plan in his latest tariff letter, shared on social media, accusing Brazil of "attacks" on US tech companies and conducting a "witch hunt" against former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, who is facing prosecution over his role trying to overturn the 2022 election.
Trump had already sparred with Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva over Bolsonaro's trial earlier this week.
At the time, President Lula said Brazil would not accept "interference" from anyone and added: "No one is above the law."
Trump has posted 22 letters to countries around the world this week, including trade partners such as Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka, outlining new tariffs on their goods he says will come into force on 1 August.
The moves have largely served to revive plans he had put forward in April but that were put on hold after financial markets recoiled at the measures.
But the message to Brazil was a far more targeted missive and threatened a significant increase from the 10% rate the White House had previously announced.
Bullying, anorexia, trauma - how the Post Office scandal hurt children


Millie Castleton was only eight years old when her father lost his job managing the post office in Bridlington, Yorkshire, and her family was branded as "thieves and liars" in the local community.
Nearly a decade later, after facing bullying at school, developing an eating disorder and dropping out of university, she is still struggling with the impact.
Millie's story was singled out by a report published this week, looking into the scandal around subpostmasters who were wrongly accused of fiddling the books.
But hundreds of other children suffered similar experiences, shunned by friends, suffering financial hardship, and watching their parents fall apart under the strain of being accused.
"Part of me will always feel a little broken-up," Millie told the official inquiry into the Post Office scandal, which produced this week's report.
"That nagging voice in my head still says ugly things sometimes. It still tells me that my past and my family's struggle will define me, that it will be a branding on my skin forever. Broken, thief or liar."
Like many subpostmasters, Millie's father, Lee Castleton, challenged the Post Office's allegations that he had taken funds from the branch he managed.
But it took years to win official recognition that people had been wrongly accused and that faulty software on the Post Office system could make it look as though money was missing when it wasn't.
In the meantime, Millie told the inquiry "confusion, frustration and anxiety... was leeching into my home".
At 17 Millie's mental health began to suffer. She experienced "self-loathing, depression and feeling like a burden to [her] family".
Millie managed to take up a place at university but dropped out at the start of her second year after developing anorexia.
Even now, at 29, she finds it hard to trust anyone, she says.
"I sabotage myself by not asking for help with anything. Asking for equipment, advice or resources feels terrifying. Like I'm unworthy."
The report provides glimpses into the impact on other families.
Janine Powell's daughter, aged 10, went to live with a friend when Janine, postmistress at a branch near Tiverton in Devon, was convicted and spent five months in prison. The separation from her mother, change of school and deep-seated unhappiness in her new home formed a traumatic experience for the child, the inquiry's report states, leading to mental illness.
Robert Thomson, a subpostmaster in a rural community near Alloa in Scotland, said his children, aged 10 and 13 at the time, were teased and bullied at school, while his wife became reclusive and depressed because she was "so embarrassed and ashamed".
Mahesh Kumar Kalia said his family was "dysfunctional" and his parents separated after their relationship became "toxic and turbulent" following his father's conviction. Mahesh and his father were estranged for 17 years until he understood his father had been wrongly convicted.
"Between the ages of 17 and 35, I did not have a relationship with my dad. We will never get back this time," he told the inquiry.
The government has confirmed that it is setting up a scheme, along the lines recommended in the report, to compensate "close family members" if they "suffered serious adverse consequences" from the scandal. So far there are no details of how the scheme will work or how soon they will see any results.
"We don't want to wait like our parents for three or four year for claims to be settled," said Rebekah Foot.
She established the charity Lost Chances a year and a half ago for the children of wronged subpostmasters and said there was a sense of relief that their situation was now being acknowledged.
Many of the 250 people who have joined Lost Chances had their education disrupted, had to take care of parents or siblings, some watching parents become alcoholics, or have other breakdowns, she said.
Compensation could help some of them return to education or pay for therapy they might otherwise not be able to afford, she said.
"Loss of childhood - we're not sure how that gets put into a claim," she added. That is what happened in her case, she said.
She spent her teenage years looking after her five siblings and working in a chip shop at the weekends while her mother became a recluse.
Rebekah said Lost Chances would be involved in the process of drawing up the new compensation scheme, meeting with ministers in the Department for Business in the coming weeks.




The report acknowledges that it may prove difficult to agree which family members should be entitled to compensation, what evidence should be required for a claim to be made, and what the scale of the compensation should be.
However, Professor Richard Moorhead, an expert in law and ethics at the University of Exeter, said the stories about children highlighted by the report had been "heartbreaking" and welcomed the recommendation for compensation.
"Compensation will not right the wrongs or reclaim the time. Their lives have been blighted, but I hope and expect it to make a substantial difference to improving the chances of those children," he said.
Wiegman delivers 'proper England' performance
Wiegman delivers 'proper England' performance
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England defeat Netherlands to get title defence back on track
- Published
With doubts circling and pressure increasing, England needed to step up at Euro 2025 - and they did.
A 2-1 defeat by France on Saturday meant the defending champions had catching up to do in Group D.
But England ensured their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals remained intact with a commanding 4-0 victory over the Netherlands.
"Proper England", as midfielder Georgia Stanway had called it earlier this week, returned as Sarina Wiegman's side played with fluidity and creativity.
They were back to their defensive best and Wiegman's positional switches worked a treat.
Now they must build momentum.
- Published9 minutes ago
How Wiegman dealt with scrutiny
Wiegman knows what it means to be under the spotlight, having led England to back-to-back major tournament finals.
When you have set that standard, anything less is a disappointment.
England's level dropped dramatically against France which increased scrutiny on Wiegman, who suffered her first defeat at a Euros after winning 12 games in a row over the previous two tournaments.
It was also the first time the reigning women's European champions had lost the first match of their defence at the following finals.
Wiegman admitted the scrutiny was "hard" but she focused on the task in hand.
"I always knew ahead of this tournament that it was a very hard group. It can happen but then you need to win the other games," she said.
"So yes, I was excited, but at the same time I felt a little tense too. I think that's completely normal as you really want to stay in the tournament and you want to win.
"I just had to focus on my job, review well and think about how we could bring people together."
Wiegman has often delivered in the big moments and no manager has won more Euros matches than the Dutchwoman (13 - level with Germany's former manager Tina Theune).
She also boasts the best goals-per-game rate in the competition among managers to take charge of four or more matches, with her sides scoring 40 in 14 games.
Having come under criticism for her decision to start Lauren James in the number 10 role against France - which left England vulnerable defensively - Wiegman made all the right choices against the Netherlands.
James started on the right wing, with Manchester United's Ella Toone starting in the number 10 role. They scored three of the four goals on the night.
Jess Carter, who struggled against France at left-back, was moved into central defence, swapping with Alex Greenwood, and England kept a clean sheet.
"The priority was that we wanted to skip and exploit space. The Netherlands pushed up so we wanted to go over them. That worked really well," said Wiegman.
"When you're in their half of the pitch, you can start playing. We had some nice crosses and we spoke about that too.
"[James] came in good positions but she can also do that in midfield. In midfield today we wanted Ella [Toone] because she can make good runs in behind."
The plan worked.
Netherlands striker Vivianne Miedema had just eight touches in the first half and the Dutch conceded more than two goals in a single match at a major women's tournament for the first time.
They also managed just four shots against England - their fewest on record (since 2011) at a major tournament.
'That's a proper English performance'
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'That should be three points for England' - James makes it 3-0
England midfielder Keira Walsh said the players "had to acknowledge that sometimes it is a bad day and it was a really bad day against France".
They wanted to put it behind them and do their talking on the pitch, as team-mate Stanway stressed this week.
Striker Alessia Russo felt they produced the "proper England" performance that Stanway had talked about.
"'Proper English' to us means we'll work hard until we can't run any more, stick together and know that we are very dominant on the ball," said Russo.
"We were picking up the ball in right areas and were clinical with our chances. We wanted to return to our roots and we know we're capable of performances like that."
Russo was among the standout performers as she picked up three assists - the first player on record (since 2013) to provide as many in a women's Euros match.
James' double means she has now been directly involved in more goals (eight) than any other European player at the past two major tournaments.
Stanway and Toone impressed in midfield, while Carter thrived in the centre-back role, with Greenwood producing the goods at left-back.
"We can change the structure of the team with so many different players. That's a strength of ours, that each individual player is so good at something," said Lucy Bronze.
"[Greenwood] isn't the fastest player on the pitch and I think she completely marked Chasity Grant out of the game. She was front-footed, she was aggressive.
"Jess Carter was covering her every single minute of the game as well. I think that's a proper English performance."
Carter told BBC Radio 5 Live that the two defenders had felt "isolated" in the defeat by France and they wanted to combat that.
Wiegman made the decision to swap them in training and tested it out.
"I'm not one to question and ask for a reason, I just do the job I'm asked to do," said Carter.
"This game felt the total opposite with Alex and the whole team. She was phenomenal at left-back."
Has optimism been revived?
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Toone and Russo combine for England's fourth
England were one of the pre-tournament favourites and despite defeat by France, qualification for the quarter-finals is in their hands.
If they beat Wales in their final group game, they will qualify for the last eight.
Wiegman admitted the "consequences of the result were huge" against the Netherlands - but it was nothing they did not expect.
"We knew exactly that we were going straight into finals [against strong opposition]," she added.
"Losing the first game, it was not the end of the world but it doesn't put you in the best position.
"We knew we had to perform really well and the team did."
Were England written off too soon? They won Euro 2022 and reached the 2023 World Cup final after all.
"Everybody else was panic stations, but we still needed to win this game whether we beat France or not and we knew that," said Walsh.
"The objective didn't change. We wanted to take the game to them and put things right that we didn't the other day.
"I think we did back up what we said in the media and I think everyone was just on it from the first whistle to the last."
Holidays to Spain, Cyprus and Turkey soar in price


All-inclusive family package holidays from the UK have jumped in price for some of the most popular destinations, including Spain, Cyprus and Turkey.
The average price for a week in Cyprus in August has gone up by 23%, from £950 per person to £1,166, figures compiled for the BBC by TravelSupermarket show.
Of the top 10 most-searched countries, Italy and Tunisia are the only ones to see prices drop by 11% and 4% respectively compared with 2024.
Travel agents say holidaymakers are booking shorter stays or travelling mid-week to cut costs.
The top five destinations in order of most searched are: Spain, Greece, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Portugal. They have all seen price rises.
Trips to the UAE have seen the biggest jump, up 26% from £1,210 in August 2024 to £1,525 this year.
Cyprus had the next biggest rise and came in at number nine in terms of search popularity.
The figures are based on online searches, made on TravelSupermarket from 18 April to 17 June, for all-inclusive, seven-night family holidays in August 2024 and 2025.
While this snapshot of data reveals a general trend, costs will vary depending on exactly where a family goes and when they book.


Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of travel agent industry group Advantage Travel Partnership, said the price rises were down to a number of factors.
"These increases simply keep pace with the broader cost of doing business and reflect the reality of higher operational costs, from increased energy bills affecting hotels, to elevated food costs impacting restaurants and rising wages across the hospitality sector," she said.
But she added the group had seen evidence that some holidaymakers still had money to spend.
Some customers were upgrading to more premium all-inclusive packages and booking more expensive cabin seats on long-haul flights to locations such as Dubai, she said.


Holiday destinations are a frequent topic of conversation at the hairdressers.
At Voodou in Liverpool, Ellie Mooney talked to us as she got a last-minute trim before jetting off to Turkey.
"We've been going for the past 20 years or so. We normally book a year ahead then save up in dribs and drabs," she said.
Hope Curran, 21, was getting her highlights done and she and her partner had just got back from holiday in Rhodes in Greece.
"We did an all-inclusive trip because it was a bit more manageable, but it's not cheap," she said.


End of life care nurse Francesca Ramsden, 35, from Rossendale, has made it her mission to cut the cost of holidays, saving where she can and hunting for a bargain at every turn.
"My husband is sick of me, he'll ask 'have you found anything yet' and I'll say no, rocking in the corner after looking for 10,000 hours.
"The longest I've booked a holiday in advance is two to three months and I find that the closer you get, the cheaper it is."
She said she spent hours trying to save as much as possible on a May half-term break to Fuerte Ventura for her family of four which came in at £1,600.
She now shares her budgeting tips on social media.
"I've mastered the art of packing a week's worth of clothes into a backpack. I always book the earliest or latest flight I can, and midweek when it's cheaper."


Luke Fitzpatrick, a travel consultant at Perfect Getaways in Liverpool, said people were cutting the length of their holidays to save money.
"Last year we did a lot for 10 nights and this year we've got a lot of people dropping to four or seven nights, just a short little weekend vacation, just getting away in the sun," he said.
He has also seen more people choosing to wait until the last minute to book a trip away.
"People are coming in with their suitcases asking if they can go away today or tomorrow," he added.
"Yesterday we had a couple come in with their passports and we got them on a flight last night from Liverpool to Turkey."


How to save money on your holiday
- Choose a cheaper location. A UK holiday eliminates travel and currency costs, but overseas destinations vary a lot too
- To decide whether all-inclusive will save you money, first look at local costs for eating out and don't forget about drinks and airport transfers
- Travel outside the school holidays if you can
- Booking early can help, especially if you have to travel at peak times
- Check whether you can get a cheaper flight by travelling mid-week
- Haggle. Call the travel agent to see if they can better the price you found online
- Choose destinations where the value of the pound is strong. This year that includes Turkey, Bulgaria and Portugal
Source: Which? and TravelSupermarket
'No ceiling' on talent of 'unstoppable' James
'No ceiling' on talent of 'unstoppable' James
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James is so difficult to defend against - White
- Published
"There's no ceiling on her talent - we're looking at a potential global star."
The plaudits were many for Lauren James following England's brilliant 4-0 Group D win over the Netherlands, but the words of Brighton striker Nikita Parris summed up how highly she is rated.
When the defending European champions had their backs against the wall at Euro 2025, the Chelsea forward stepped up to deliver.
James dazzled against the Dutch, scoring the Lionesses' first and third goals as they went from a potential early exit to the cusp of the quarter-finals.
Following criticism in their opening-game defeat by France, she provided much-needed inspiration for England to claim a vital first victory in the tournament.
Her first strike was superb as she finished off a sweet counter-attack with three tight touches to get the ball out of her feet and finish with a dreamy drive into the top corner from the edge of the box.
The second on the hour mark was effectively the moment that sealed the success at 3-0 - a calm sweeping first-time finish into the bottom corner from 10 yards out after Ella Toone's effort had been saved.
James' nonchalant celebration of pretending to put her hands in her pockets and staring down the camera almost does her performance a disservice.
The goals were far from routine and in a pressured environment with so much at stake for her team.
They were special strikes by a special player to kickstart England's Euros defence into life.
- Published2 hours ago
- Published2 minutes ago
Tactical tweak leads to 'assured performance'
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'Lionesses have lift off!' James fires England ahead
James was also described as "unstoppable" and a "massive talent" by England team-mate Toone after the impressive showing.
Defender Jess Carter added the 23-year-old was a "phenomenal player" who "thrives under pressure", while Georgia Stanway called her "class".
The England camp love James, who responded superbly to a below-par performance from her and the team against France on Saturday.
She had the fewest amount of touches in that game of all the starting players, before being substituted with England 2-0 down after 60 minutes.
Undeterred, manager Sarina Wiegman gave James even more attacking freedom against the Dutch, allowing her to roam in the inside-right channel and often making late darts forward to overload the box.
Those runs often led to confusion in the Dutch defence with who should have been marking James when she skipped between the lines? A midfielder dropping back or a defender pushing up and leaving space in behind?
"The variety of threat James provides for this England side is tremendous," former England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley told BBC Radio 5 Live. "If I was facing her I would have broken my ankles from being turned inside and out."
James took the joint-most shots in England's win (five), all while having the game's best passing accuracy (93.8%) and regularly carving out chances for team-mates.
"We want James in our starting 11. That is her position coming off that right-hand-side," added ex-England captain Steph Houghton on BBC One.
"Having that defensive responsibility is not her game. We need her on the ball, we need her to make things happen.
"That was a very assured performance and a great tactical change by Sarina Wiegman."

Lauren James celebrated her first goal by pretending to put her hands in pockets and staring down the TV cameras. The picture on the right shows James' heat map against the Netherlands. The forward found plenty of joy in the inside-right channel
'She has a wonderful aura'
Well done if you remembered we've been here before.
James was also England's creative force in their run to the World Cup final two years ago, even if she did miss two matches through suspension and was often limited to appearances off the bench.
She has now been directly involved in eight goals in just five starts at major tournaments (World Cups and European Championships - five goals, three assists), the most of any player who has appeared at both Euro 2025 and the 2023 World Cup.
And, after England's record goalscorer Ellen White, James is only the second Lioness to net twice in both a World Cup and European Championship match.
"Lauren James has a wonderful aura. She is cool, calm, and collected," White said on BBC One.
"I would love to have some of that talent. England work defensively for James and it gives her the freedom to roam."
Hampton's 'exquisite' pass

England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton made 38 passes. Only Lucy Bronze (51), Keira Walsh (45), Leah Williamson (43) and Alex Greenwood (41) completed more
While James may rightfully claim the headlines, England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton deserves far more than just a paragraph.
The Chelsea stopper is her country's definitive number one after Mary Earps retired from international duty earlier this year.
The 24-year-old had very few saves to make, but impressed with the ball at her feet to make an impact at the other end.
Hampton's drilled line-breaking pass, from inside her own box forward to a counter-attacking Alessia Russo, led to England's first goal.
The ball caught out the entirety of the Netherlands' midfield, allowing Russo to drive upfield before slipping the ball to James for a fantastic left-foot finish.
"The bravery to play that pass in a game like this, for me, says everything you need to know about her mindset," said Bardsley.
And White added: "Exquisite, perfection, this is what Hannah Hampton can bring to this England team."

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Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariff and demands Bolsonaro's trial end


US President Donald Trump said he was planning to impose a 50% tax on goods made in Brazil, escalating his fight with the South American country.
He announced the plan in his latest tariff letter, shared on social media, accusing Brazil of "attacks" on US tech companies and conducting a "witch hunt" against former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, who is facing prosecution over his role trying to overturn the 2022 election.
Trump had already sparred with Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva over Bolsonaro's trial earlier this week.
At the time, President Lula said Brazil would not accept "interference" from anyone and added: "No one is above the law."
Trump has posted 22 letters to countries around the world this week, including trade partners such as Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka, outlining new tariffs on their goods he says will come into force on 1 August.
The moves have largely served to revive plans he had put forward in April but that were put on hold after financial markets recoiled at the measures.
But the message to Brazil was a far more targeted missive and threatened a significant increase from the 10% rate the White House had previously announced.
US sanctions UN expert Francesca Albanese, critic of Israel's Gaza offensive


The Trump administration is imposing sanctions on the UN Human Rights Council special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, an outspoken critic of Israel's military offensive in Gaza.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio linked the move to her support for the International Criminal Court (ICC), some of whose judges have already been sanctioned by the US.
Rubio said the US was sanctioning Ms Albanese for directly engaging with the ICC in its efforts to prosecute American or Israeli nationals, accusing her of being unfit for service as a UN Special Rapporteur.
The sanctions are likely to prevent Ms Albanese from travelling to the US and would block any assets she has in the country.
It is the latest escalation by the Trump administration as it wages a campaign against the ICC, having already sanctioned four its judges after the court last year issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his then defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza, accusations they reject.
Mr Rubio also accused Ms Albanese of having "spewed unabashed antisemitism, expressed support for terrorism, and open contempt for the United States, Israel, and the West."
The move is likely to provoke a fierce backlash from those who argue for accountability over the civilian death toll from Israel's military offensive in Gaza.
The special rapporteur has longed argued that Western governments are not doing enough to support the rights of Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories, and with her outspoken stance has attracted significant support among those who accuse Israeli and US leaders of weaponising accusations of antisemitism in order to silence criticism of their policies.
The timing of the sanctions announcement is notable with Netanyahu currently in Washington, where he on Wednesday received an extended honour cordon at the Pentagon.
Ms Albanese has previously rejected similar claims against her, telling the BBC in October: "I don't take these remarks and the defamation they carry lightly, but at the same time, I know this is not about me, as my predecessors knew that it was not about them.
"I also know these member states [making accusations of antisemitism] have done absolutely nothing to abide by international law."
Her office has been approached for comment.
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 57,575 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
Most of Gaza's population has also been displaced multiple times. More than 90% of homes are estimated to be damaged or destroyed; the healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene systems have collapsed; and there are shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.