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Today — 17 October 2025News

Trump says he will meet Putin in Hungary for Ukraine talks after 'very productive' call

17 October 2025 at 04:42
Reuters Putin and Trump in file pic at Anchorage talks in August 2025Reuters
Putin and Trump met in person at a US base in Alaska in August 2025

US President Donald Trump says "great progress" was made during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, with the pair agreeing to face-to-face talks in Hungary.

He said the call, the first with Putin since mid-August, was "very productive", adding that teams from Washington and Moscow will meet next week.

Trump did not confirm a date for his meeting with Putin in Budapest. The Kremlin said work on the summit would begin "immediately" after the "extremely frank and trustful" call.

The talks came a day before Ukraine's President Zelensky was to visit the White House, and with Trump weighing whether to arm Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep into Russia.

As he arrived in the US, Zelensky said Moscow was "rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks".

Writing on his Truth Social platform after the call concluded, Trump said he and Putin "spent a great deal of time talking about Trade between Russia and the United States when the War with Ukraine is over".

He said "high level advisors" from both countries would meet at an unspecified location next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the American delegation.

Trump also said he would update Zelensky on his talks with Putin on Friday, adding: "I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation."

He later told reporters he expected to meet Putin "within two weeks".

Asked about the prospect of giving the missiles to Ukraine after his call with Putin, Trump said "we can't deplete" the US stockpile of Tomahawks, adding "we need them too... so I don't know what we can do about that".

Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Olga Stefanishyna, said Russia launching overnight strikes on Ukraine "hours before" Putin's call with Trump "exposes Moscow's real attitude toward peace".

In a statement to the BBC's US partner CBS, she added: "These assaults show that Moscow's strategy is one of terror and exhaustion. The only effective response is pressure - through tougher sanctions, reinforced air defense, and the supply of long-range capabilities."

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on X the planned Budapest meeting was "great news for the peace-loving people of the world".

Earlier, he also said: "Peace requires patience, strength, and humility. Europe must shift its stance. Instead of arrogance and fanning the flames of endless war, we need negotiations with Russia. Only dialogue can bring peace to our continent."

Trump has taken a much tougher line towards Putin over the Ukraine war since a face-to-face summit in Alaska in August failed to produce a decisive breakthrough in attempts to broker a peace deal.

The pair met on US soil on 15 August for a summit which the US president hoped would help convince the Russian president to enter comprehensive peace talks to end the Ukraine war. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

EPA Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump walking together on the runway in AlaskaEPA
The two leaders last met in Alaska in August for a summit which last only a few hours

They spoke again days later when Trump interrupted a meeting with Zelensky and European leaders to call Putin.

Since then, neither the White House or Kremlin have public confirmed any communications between the two.

During his presidential election campaign, Trump claimed he would be able to end the war in Ukraine within days but has since admitted resolving the conflict has been more challenging than any he has been involved in since returning to power.

Trump had been seen as more sympathetic to Russia than his predecessor Joe Biden, and strained relations with Zelensky came to a head on 28 February when he and Vice-President JD Vance berated the Ukrainian president in the Oval Office on live television.

But public relations with Zelensky have vastly improved in recent months.

In September, Trump signalled a major shift in his view of the conflict, saying he believed Kyiv could "win all of Ukraine back in its original form", a far cry from his public calls for Kyiv to cede territory occupied by Russia.

During Zelensky's upcoming visit to Washington on Friday, his third since January, the subject of Tomahawk missiles is likely to be high on the agenda.

Zelensky has called on the US to provide Ukraine with the advanced missiles, which have a range of 2,500 km (1,500 miles).

Asked earlier this week if he was considering giving Ukraine the missiles, he said: "We'll see... I may."

A graphic depicting a Tomahawk missile and a map indicating its range if fired from Ukraine

In late July, Trump set Putin a deadline of less than a fortnight to agree to a ceasefire or face sweeping sanctions, including measures against countries which still trade with Russia.

But he did not follow through the threat after Putin agreed to meet Trump in Alaska, which the US president hailed as a significant diplomatic success at the time, despite it not producing any tangible outcome.

Earlier on Thursday, India's foreign ministry cast doubt on a claim made by Trump a day earlier saying Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil.

An Indian government spokesman said he was "not aware of any conversation between the two leaders" taking place the previous day, after Trump said Modi had assured him purchases would stop "within a short period of time".

The US has pushed for countries - in particular India, China and Nato members - to stop buying Russian energy in an effort to increase economic pressure on the Kremlin. Zelensky has also repeatedly echoed those calls.

Aid group suspends Gaza operations after ceasefire

17 October 2025 at 03:58
BBC A file photo showing a man carrying a box with aidBBC

The controversial US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has confirmed it suspended operations in Gaza after the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas came into effect on 10 October.

Despite being funded until November, the organisation said its final delivery was on Friday.

The GHF has been heavily criticised after hundreds of Palestinians were killed while collecting food near its distribution sites. Witnesses say most were killed by Israeli forces.

Israel has regularly denied that its troops fired on civilians at or near the sites and the GHF has maintained that aid distribution at its sites has been carried out "without incident".

The group's northernmost aid distribution site, known as SDS4, was shut down because it was no longer in IDF-controlled territory, said a spokesman.

Satellite imagery revealed it was dismantled shortly after the 10 October ceasefire came into effect. Images show tyre tracks, disturbed earth and detritus strewn across the former compound.

Satellite imagery from 7 October and 10 October showing the GHF's aid distribution site, known as SDS4

"Right now we're paused," the GHF spokesman said. "We feel like there's still a need, a surge for as much aid as possible. Our goal is to resume aid distribution."

Despite the group's apparent desire to continue there has been speculation the final terms of the ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel would exclude them.

Meanwhile, analysis of UN-supplied data shows little change in aid collected from crossings after the ceasefire deal came into effect last Friday.

The average amount of aid "collected" - defined by the UN as when it leaves an Israeli-controlled crossing - each day has increased slightly compared with the previous week, but it remains in line with September figures.

UN data shows about 20% of aid leaving a crossing has made it to its intended destination since 19 May. More than 7,000 aid trucks have been "intercepted" either "peacefully by hungry people or forcefully by armed actors", according to UN data.

Aid sources told the BBC they hoped looting would subside in coming weeks as law and order is re-established and the populace is given assurances the ceasefire would hold.

A spokesperson from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said while it was critical for the ceasefire to allow for an increase in aid and other essential supplies, it was important to reach vulnerable Gazans, including in areas that were inaccessible until recently.

OCHA has hundreds of community and household service points involved in distributing aid. It lost access to many, sometimes due to conflict and sometimes due to Israel denying it access.

"We need to re-establish our service points, we need looting to reduce, we need roads to be cleared of unexploded ordnance and we need safety assurances," the OCHA spokesperson said.

Venezuelan fishermen in fear after US strikes on boats in the Caribbean

17 October 2025 at 04:21
Gustavo Ocando Alex Wilder wears a grey hoodie while standing on a beach littered with bottles and branches. He has pulled the hood over a black baseball cap. Draped over his left shoulder is a fishing net. With his right arm he points towards the seaGustavo Ocando Alex
Wilder Fernández is a young fisherman in the west of Venezuela who is concerned by the US military presence in the Caribbean

Wilder Fernández has caught four good-sized fish in the murky waters of a small bay north of Lake Maracaibo.

The contents of his net will serve as dinner for his small team before they set out to go fishing again in the evening.

But this daily task is a job he has recently become scared of doing.

After 13 years as a fisherman, Mr Fernández confesses that he now fears his job could turn lethal.

He is afraid he could die in these waters not at the hands of a night-time attacker - a threat fishermen like him encountered in the past - but rather, killed in a strike launched by a foreign power.

"It's crazy, man," he says of the deployment of US warships, fighter jets, a submarine and thousands of US troops in waters north of Venezuela's coast.

The US force patrolling in the Caribbean is part of a military operation targeting suspected "narco-terrorists", which according to the White House have links to the Venezuelan government led by Nicolás Maduro.

Since 2 September, the US has carried out a number of strikes against what it labelled "narco-boats", in which at least 27 people have been killed.

The US has accused those killed of smuggling drugs but has so far not presented any evidence. Experts have suggested the strikes could be illegal under international law.

Tensions between the US and Venezuela escalated further on Wednesday when US President Donald Trump said that he was considering strikes on Venezuelan soil.

He also confirmed that he had authorised the CIA to carry out covert operations inside Venezuela.

Gustavo Ocando Alex A man sits inside a small boat propped up on dry land while another leans on the boat to speak to himGustavo Ocando Alex
Many fishermen are wary of going out to sea given the new risks

Mr Fernández is across the latest news.

Even though the strikes are said by the US to have happened thousands of kilometres from where he fishes, his wife has been trying to convince him to leave Lake Maracaibo.

Every day she begs him to leave his fishing job. "She tells me to look for another job, but there's nowhere to go," he explains.

He does not rule out that his boat could be hit "by mistake".

"Of course it worries me, you never know. I think about it every day, man," the father of three says.

One day after BBC Mundo spoke to Mr Fernández, Trump announced that "six narco-terrorists" had been killed in the latest US strike in international waters off the Venezuelan coast.

Trump added that "intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics, was associated with illicit narcoterrorist networks".

Reuters Image shows an explosion on board of one of the boats attacked by the US in international waters in the CaribbeanReuters
The US government has shared images of the boats it has attacked, saying that they originated in Venezuela

The Trump administration accuses Maduro of leading the Cartel of the Suns drug trafficking gang and is offering a $50m (£37m) reward for information leading to his capture.

Maduro, whose legitimacy as Venezuela's president is internationally contested after disputed elections last year, has denied the cartel accusations. He has dismissed them as an attempt by the White House to oust him from office.

In his most recent statement, he appealed on TV for peace with the US.

Meanwhile, Venezuela's Defence Minister General Vladimir Padrino has warned Venezuelans to prepare "for the worst".

Speaking after the incursion on 2 October of five F-35 fighter jets in Venezuelan airspace, Gen Padrino said that his nation was facing a "serious threat" which he warned could involve "aerial bombings, naval blockades, undercover commandos landing on Venezuelan beaches or in the Venezuelan jungle, swarms of drones, sabotage, and targeted killings of leaders".

Venezuela also denounced the "mounting threats" from the US at the United Nations Security Council last week.

In response, the US representative at the UN meeting, John Kelley, stressed that his country "will not waver in our action to protect our nation from narcoterrorists".

Gustavo Ocando Alex Four silhouetted men next to a boat in a covered space facing the sea
Gustavo Ocando Alex
The US government claims the attacked Venezuelan ships were transporting drugs, but has not presented evidence

Meanwhile, the attacks in the Caribbean have undermined the security of the fishermen in Venezuela, laments Jennifer Nava, spokeswoman for the Council of Fishermen in El Bajo, in Venezuela's Zulia state.

Ms Nava tells BBC Mundo that people employed in the fishing industry fear being hit in the crossfire between US forces and alleged drug traffickers.

AFP vía Getty Images Two fishermen sit in a small boat, A Venezuelan flag flies above them and a fishing rod can be made outAFP vía Getty Images
There are more than 115,000 people employed in the fishing sector in Venezuela

Ms Nava argues that the added risks fishermen are facing could drive some of them into the arms of drug and arms smugglers looking to recruit people to transport their illicit shipments.

"Some of these guys are approached by traffickers," she explains, adding that a downturn in the fishing industry could leave fishermen more vulnerable to those approaches.

There is certainly a sense of nervousness among the fishermen of Lake Maracaibo.

Most of the crew of two small fishing boats owned by Usbaldo Albornoz refused to work when news of the US strikes broke.

Mr Albornoz, who has been in the fishing business for 32 years, describes the situation as "worrying".

"The guys didn't want to go out to sea to fish," he told BBC Mundo on the beach in San Francisco de Zulia, which sits at the northern shore of Lake Maracaibo where it meets the Gulf of Venezuela.

Gustavo Ocando Alex Usbaldo Albornoz gestures as he stands on the beach underneath a make-shift roof Gustavo Ocando Alex
Usbaldo Albornoz says his employees have refused to go out and fish

The fear of being hit by a US strike is the the latest of a long list of risks he and his men face, including pirates, oil spills and a decline in earnings in recent years, Mr Albornoz explains.

In a leaked memo recently sent to US lawmakers, the Trump administration said it had determined it was involved in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug-trafficking organisations.

The White House described the attacks on the boats in the Caribbean as "self-defence" in response to criticism by legal experts who said they were illegal.

Gustavo Ocando Alex José Luzardo gestures as he stands by the shore of the Venezuelan gulf. Gustavo Ocando Alex
José Luzardo is defiant in the face of the US deployment

But beyond the fear many are experiencing, there is also a feeling of defiance.

At the end of September, hundreds of fishermen on dozens of boats took to Lake Maracaibo in a show of support for the Maduro government and in protest at the US military deployment.

José Luzardo was one of them. A spokesman for the fishermen of El Bajo, he has been fishing for almost 40 years and accuses the US of "pointing its cannons towards our Venezuela".

He says he is not afraid and would give his life to defend his homeland.

Gustavo Ocando Alex Un joven en una lancha blanca amarrada en un muelle.Gustavo Ocando Alex
Fear of US strikes is just one of the issues threatening the fishing industry

"The Trump administration has us cornered. If we have to lay down our lives to defend the government, then we'll do it, so that this whole shebang is over," he says.

He insists that what the fishermen want is "peace and work", not war, but gets visibly angry when he refers to the "military barrier" he says the US has deployed in the Caribbean.

Last month, the Venezuelan government mobilised members of the militia and called on those who had not signed up to the civilian force to do so.

More than 16,000 fishermen followed his call, according to fisheries minister Juan Carlos Loyo.

Luzardo, who has been fishing since he was 11 years old says he will "be ready for battle, wherever needed".

"If they [the US] want to kill us, then so be it, but we're not afraid."

Trump says he will meet Putin in Hungary for Ukraine talks after 'very productive' call

17 October 2025 at 04:42
Reuters Putin and Trump in file pic at Anchorage talks in August 2025Reuters
Putin and Trump met in person at a US base in Alaska in August 2025

US President Donald Trump says "great progress" was made during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, with the pair agreeing to face-to-face talks in Hungary.

He said the call, the first with Putin since mid-August, was "very productive", adding that teams from Washington and Moscow will meet next week.

Trump did not confirm a date for his meeting with Putin in Budapest. The Kremlin said work on the summit would begin "immediately" after the "extremely frank and trustful" call.

The talks came a day before Ukraine's President Zelensky was to visit the White House, and with Trump weighing whether to arm Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep into Russia.

As he arrived in the US, Zelensky said Moscow was "rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks".

Writing on his Truth Social platform after the call concluded, Trump said he and Putin "spent a great deal of time talking about Trade between Russia and the United States when the War with Ukraine is over".

He said "high level advisors" from both countries would meet at an unspecified location next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the American delegation.

Trump also said he would update Zelensky on his talks with Putin on Friday, adding: "I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation."

He later told reporters he expected to meet Putin "within two weeks".

Asked about the prospect of giving the missiles to Ukraine after his call with Putin, Trump said "we can't deplete" the US stockpile of Tomahawks, adding "we need them too... so I don't know what we can do about that".

Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Olga Stefanishyna, said Russia launching overnight strikes on Ukraine "hours before" Putin's call with Trump "exposes Moscow's real attitude toward peace".

In a statement to the BBC's US partner CBS, she added: "These assaults show that Moscow's strategy is one of terror and exhaustion. The only effective response is pressure - through tougher sanctions, reinforced air defense, and the supply of long-range capabilities."

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on X the planned Budapest meeting was "great news for the peace-loving people of the world".

Earlier, he also said: "Peace requires patience, strength, and humility. Europe must shift its stance. Instead of arrogance and fanning the flames of endless war, we need negotiations with Russia. Only dialogue can bring peace to our continent."

Trump has taken a much tougher line towards Putin over the Ukraine war since a face-to-face summit in Alaska in August failed to produce a decisive breakthrough in attempts to broker a peace deal.

The pair met on US soil on 15 August for a summit which the US president hoped would help convince the Russian president to enter comprehensive peace talks to end the Ukraine war. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

EPA Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump walking together on the runway in AlaskaEPA
The two leaders last met in Alaska in August for a summit which last only a few hours

They spoke again days later when Trump interrupted a meeting with Zelensky and European leaders to call Putin.

Since then, neither the White House or Kremlin have public confirmed any communications between the two.

During his presidential election campaign, Trump claimed he would be able to end the war in Ukraine within days but has since admitted resolving the conflict has been more challenging than any he has been involved in since returning to power.

Trump had been seen as more sympathetic to Russia than his predecessor Joe Biden, and strained relations with Zelensky came to a head on 28 February when he and Vice-President JD Vance berated the Ukrainian president in the Oval Office on live television.

But public relations with Zelensky have vastly improved in recent months.

In September, Trump signalled a major shift in his view of the conflict, saying he believed Kyiv could "win all of Ukraine back in its original form", a far cry from his public calls for Kyiv to cede territory occupied by Russia.

During Zelensky's upcoming visit to Washington on Friday, his third since January, the subject of Tomahawk missiles is likely to be high on the agenda.

Zelensky has called on the US to provide Ukraine with the advanced missiles, which have a range of 2,500 km (1,500 miles).

Asked earlier this week if he was considering giving Ukraine the missiles, he said: "We'll see... I may."

A graphic depicting a Tomahawk missile and a map indicating its range if fired from Ukraine

In late July, Trump set Putin a deadline of less than a fortnight to agree to a ceasefire or face sweeping sanctions, including measures against countries which still trade with Russia.

But he did not follow through the threat after Putin agreed to meet Trump in Alaska, which the US president hailed as a significant diplomatic success at the time, despite it not producing any tangible outcome.

Earlier on Thursday, India's foreign ministry cast doubt on a claim made by Trump a day earlier saying Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil.

An Indian government spokesman said he was "not aware of any conversation between the two leaders" taking place the previous day, after Trump said Modi had assured him purchases would stop "within a short period of time".

The US has pushed for countries - in particular India, China and Nato members - to stop buying Russian energy in an effort to increase economic pressure on the Kremlin. Zelensky has also repeatedly echoed those calls.

'Wrong' to block Tel Aviv fans from Aston Villa match, says PM

17 October 2025 at 05:30
PA Media Villa Park. Fireworks go off as players walk out onto the pitchPA Media
The match will take place at Birmingham's Villa Park in November

Blocking Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending an Aston Villa match is the "wrong decision", the prime minister has said.

Followers of the Israeli team will not be allowed to attend the Europa League match on 6 November because of safety concerns, the body responsible for issuing safety certificates for matches said on Thursday.

Sir Keir Starmer criticised the move, saying "we will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets" and that the role of police was "to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation".

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch branded the decision a "national disgrace" and suggested Sir Keir should act to reverse it.

She wrote on X that Starmer should "guarantee that Jewish fans can walk into any football stadium in this country".

"If not, it sends a horrendous and shameful message: there are parts of Britain where Jews simply cannot go."

West Midlands Police said the game had been classified as high risk based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including "violent clashes and hate crime offences" between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a match in Amsterdam in November 2024.

The force said it had concerns about its ability to deal with potential protests at the match at Villa Park.

The Safety Advisory Group, which issues safety certificates for matches, told Aston Villa that no travelling fans would be permitted at the match in Birmingham.

Ayoub Khan, the Independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, welcomed the decision.

He said: "From the moment that the match was announced, it was clear that there were latent safety risks that even our capable security and police authorities would not be able to fully manage.

"With so much hostility and uncertainty around the match, it was only right to take drastic measures."

Former Trump adviser John Bolton criminally indicted

17 October 2025 at 05:51
Getty Images A close-up image of John Bolton, who is looking straight ahead. He is wearing glasses, a black blazer, a stripped blue and white shirt and a red tie. Getty Images
Bolton, who Trump fired from his first administration in 2019, has been a vocal critic of the president

John Bolton, who served as Donald Trump's national security adviser before becoming a vocal critic of the president, has been criminally indicted on federal charges.

The Department of Justice presented a case to a grand jury in Maryland on Thursday, and they agreed there was enough evidence to indict Bolton.

It comes after FBI agents searched Bolton's home and office in August as part of an investigation into the handling of classified information.

The indictment makes Bolton, 76, the third of the US president's political opponents to face charges in recent week, after former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Bolton has not yet commented, but he has denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, earlier said Bolton had handled records appropriately.

He was fired from Trump's first administration in 2019. His 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened, recounted his time working under Trump and portrayed him as a president who was ill-informed about geopolitics and whose decision-making was dominated by a desire to be re-elected.

The White House filed a lawsuit to block the book from being published, arguing it contained classified information and had not been properly vetted. A judge denied the request and the book was released days later.

The US Department of Justice then opened an investigation into whether Bolton had mishandled classified information by disclosing certain information in the book.

Asked about the indictment on Thursday at the White House, Trump said he did not know about it, but added that Bolton was "a bad guy".

Trump has previously described Bolton as "grossly incompetent" and "a liar". He has also called for him to be prosecuted.

Asked in August about the investigation into Bolton, Trump said he did not "want to get involved" and had not directly ordered the searches of Bolton's home and office, but referred to Bolton as a "sleazebag".

Watch: How the FBI raids on John Bolton's home and office unfolded

Around the time the searches began, FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X: "NO ONE is above the law." The post did not name Bolton.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi shared the post and added: "America's safety isn't negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always."

Bolton, who served as George W Bush's UN ambassador, was among former officials critical of Trump who had their Secret Service protection stripped by the Trump administration in January.

He is the third Trump critic to be criminally charged since September.

New York City Attorney General Letitia James was criminally indicted on bank fraud charges in October.

Former FBI director James Comey was indicted in late September on charges of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding.

The indictments followed a social media post from Trump, where he called on US Attorney General Pam Bondi, who leads the justice department, to prosecute his political opponents.

The post named Comey, James and Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, who oversaw Trump's first impeachment trial.

"We can't delay any longer, it's killing our reputation and credibility," he wrote.

Sam Fender wins 2025 Mercury Prize for album of the year

17 October 2025 at 06:00
PA Media Sam Fender wins the Mercury PrizePA Media
Judges praised the "character and ambition" of Sam Fender's album, adding: "It felt like a classic."

Sam Fender has won the 2025 Mercury Prize for his third album, People Watching, a steely-eyed dissection of working-class life in the north of England.

The singer looked stunned when his name was announced. "I didn't think that was going to happen at all," he told the BBC as he came off stage. "I've spent the last 10 minutes crying."

Fender beat the likes of Pulp and Wolf Alice - both former winners of the £25,000 prize for the best British or Irish album of the year - at a star-studded ceremony in Newcastle's Utilita Arena.

His victory was met with a deafening cheer from the hometown crowd; who had earlier sung along to every word as he performed the title track of his prize-winning album.

The 31-year-old is no stranger to the Mercury Prize – having previously received a nomination for his second record, Seventeen Going Under, in 2022.

People Watching was released in February and immediately topped the charts, selling 107,000 copies - making it the fastest-selling album by a British artist since Harry Styles' Harry's House in 2022.

Mercury Prize judges called the record "melody-rich and expansive, marrying heartland rock with the realities of everyday life and the importance of community."

"It felt like a classic," added Radio 1's Sian Eleri, announcing the prize.

Taking to the stage, Fender dedicated the award to his late mentor, Annie Orwin, who he previously described as "a surrogate mother in a lot of ways".

"I was honoured and lucky enough to be with her in the last week of her life, and the title track was about her and about grief," he told the BBC.

"Then the rest of the album is very much local stories, little pictures of Shields, and the people I've grown up with.

"So, very much like every other album I've done, but I think we got it right this time."

PA Media Sam Fender and his band clink together glasses of champagne as they celebrate winning the Mercury PrizePA Media
The musician celebrated backstage with his band

The North Shields native has become a hero in Newcastle, where he played three sold-out stadium shows at St James' Park this summer, attracting some 150,000 fans.

Winning the Mercury Prize on home soil was as poetic as it was well-deserved. As Elton John said a couple of years ago: "He's a British rock 'n' roll artist who's the best rock 'n' roll artist there is."

But Fender had downplayed his status as the voice of a generation, or even his hometown.

"People bandy about those terms all the time, and it's ridiculous," he told the LA Times in May.

"Saying that somebody's the voice of a generation - I'm not, honestly. I'm an idiot. I'm just writing about my experiences and the experiences of people I know, and people attach such weight to it."

Speaking backstage, Fender's bandmates joked that he'd celebrate his £25,000 prize with "a pyjama party" at his house.

But the musician said he'd celebrate in a more traditional manner.

"I'm gonna have a beer."

PA Media Cmat with her Mercury PrizePA Media

In the run-up to the ceremony, Irish singer CMAT had been the bookmakers' favourite for her third album, Euro-Country.

A sharp and witty collection of songs that tackle everything from body shaming to the collapse of Ireland's economy in 2008, it reached number two in the album charts this August, bolstered by a summer of joyous festival perfomances.

Speaking to the BBC before the Mercury Prize she joked that she'd "flip over a table" if she lost.

Other nominees included folk singer Martin Carthy, and pop star PinkPantheress - whose 20-minute mixtape Fancy That was the shortest ever entrant for the Mercury Prize.

'Talent is everywhere'

Established in 1992, the Mercury Prize was envisaged as an antidote to the commercially-focused Brit Awards, recognising albums that moved music forwards, without any recourse to fashion or trends.

Of the last 34 winners, 20 have been debuts - from artists including Arctic Monkeys, Suede and Franz Ferdinand.

Many people have mistakenly assumed it is a prize for first albums - but this year's shortlist included only two: Jacob Alon's delicate and beautiful In Limerence, and Joe Webb's Hamstrings and Hurricanes, a jazz album partially influenced by Oasis.

This year saw the ceremony move from London to Newcastle, as part of a wider music industry initiative towards decentralisation.

"Talent is everywhere but opportunity isn't," said Jo Twist, says chief executive of the BPI, which organises the awards.

"So it's only right that we bring these large scale shows (outside London) to show there are opportunities within the music industry without having to move city."

Fender noted the change, saying Newcastle had "always been in an isolated bubble" from the music industry.

"So for it to be recognised is really important. Hopefully it can be the beginning of many other wonderful things."

Get to know Sam Fender's album People Watching

Polydor Records Artwork for Sam Fender's People WatchingPolydor Records

Sam Fender's an unusual proposition. He's a festival headliner with punch-the-sky choruses whose lyrics are overtly political.

On this, his third album, he picks at the scabs of northern working-class life, and rails against a system that leaves families mired in bureaucratic neglect.

Death and loss loom large. The title track was inspired by visiting his mentor and "surrogate mother" Annie Orwin in a palliative care home - and he paints a bleak picture of a "faciilty fallin' to bits / understaffed and overruled by callous hands".

The wistful Crumbling Empire draws parallels between the post-industrial decline of Detroit and Fender's hometown of North Shields, while Rein Me In finds him struggling to shake the ghosts of a failed relationship.

Fender said his ambition for People Watching was to write "11 songs about ordinary people", but this vexed, anxious album ends up being something more substantial - a tribute to human spirit in a time of deprivation and indifference.

Strange shrieks as tensions rise in Celebrity Traitors

17 October 2025 at 06:25
BBC A scene from Celebrity Traitors around a wellBBC

Spoiler warning: This article reveals details from the fourth episode of The Celebrity Traitors

The latest episode of The Celebrity Traitors has taken place, and all we're talking about is which celebrity can shriek the best.

During a challenge, the contestants - including Alan Carr, Celia Imrie and Lucy Beaumont - were tasked with asking a group of banshees to sing, before relaying the songs down a well.

For many social media users, it was the subtitles that stole the show.

"Celia shrieks strangely," read one, while another said: "They repeat the wail."

"The people responsible for the subtitles deserve a raise," wrote one X user.

Singer Charlotte Church was, unsurprisingly, the most impressive. Meanwhile, Imrie's efforts - and facial expressions - won her more love online, with one calling her "the funniest person to have ever existed".

There was also a rare moment where presenter Claudia Winkleman's mask appeared to slip, as national treasure Sir Stephen Fry plunged his head into a well.

"Oh no, Stephen Fry is in the water, I can't look" she said.

"I'm a grown man, what the hell am I doing," said Sir Stephen after he emerged, in a quote that could sum up the entire series.

Elsewhere, the celebrities' continued inability to pick out a Traitor was the big talking point of the night.

"They're hopeless, absolutely hopeless," said TV critic Toby Earle.

TV sports presenter Clare Balding become the latest celebrity to be banished from the castle.

The 54-year-old received seven votes from her fellow contestants during Thursday's episode of the BBC reality gameshow, before revealing she was in fact a faithful.

"What are the odds of us being so useless," said Sir Stephen, while Winkelman urged the celebrities to do better. "Stop being so polite," she told them.

Other faithfuls - YouTube star Niko Omilana, known for his online prank videos, and actress Tameka Empson - were both already voted out at separate roundtables.

Earlier in the episode, another of the younger celebrities - actress Ruth Codd, 29 - was murdered by the traitors.

Codd had won fans with her cutting one-liners, and there was sadness on social media to see her go. "Icon down," wrote one X user.

Her murder comes after she raised her suspicions about TV presenter Jonathan Ross being a traitor during Wednesday's episode.

Fellow traitor Cat Burns warned that "it could backfire on you" to remove his prime suspect, but Ross replied: "Look, if I was a traitor, I wouldn't have done that."

The words "double bluff" were bandied around throughout the episode - but in the end, Ross survived to tell the tale.

"How am I still here. I've got to be the luckiest traitor in the history of the game," Ross wondered.

Elsewhere, Fartgate hasn't gone away. At one point, the celebrities were playing badminton, and Alan Carr shouted out to Imrie: "Celia, we need a bit of wind to get it over the net."

The Celebrity Traitors is on BBC One on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:00 BST and on BBC iPlayer. There will be nine episodes.

Housing designed to combat loneliness wins top architecture award

17 October 2025 at 06:13
Philip Vile/Riba Courtyard containing several tall trees and other plants, surrounded by three timber-and-glass sides of the five-storey buildingPhilip Vile/Riba

A modern answer to the traditional almshouse, designed to combat loneliness, has won a prestigious architecture award for Britain's best new building.

Appleby Blue Almshouse, which provides affordable flats for over-65s in Southwark, south London, has won this year's Royal Institute of British Architechts' (Riba) Stirling Prize.

The complex, in Bermondsey, has 59 flats plus communal facilities, including a roof garden, courtyard and community kitchen.

The Stirling Prize judges said it "sets an ambitious standard for social housing among older people".

Philip Vile/Riba Looking in through large open glass doors to a double-height timber-walled communal room with a large table and chairs of different coloursPhilip Vile/Riba

Architects Witherford Watson Mann have crafted "high-quality" and "thoughtful" spaces to create environments that truly care for their residents", according to jury member Ingrid Schroder, director of the Architectural Association (AA) School of Architecture.

Philip Vile/Riba Exterior brick wall with a row of bay windows, evoking the traditional almshouse stylePhilip Vile/Riba

The building was praised for its "generous" homes, terracotta-paved hallways with benches and plants, and a water feature that gives the building the "sense of a woodland oasis".

That all creates an "aspirational living environment" that stands "in stark contrast to the institutional atmosphere often associated with older people's housing", Riba said.

Philip Vile/Riba Wider exterior shot of the large building, with cars and people in the foregroundPhilip Vile/Riba

The Appleby Blue Almshouse was built on the site of an old care home by United St Saviour's Charity, which subsidises the flats for people on low incomes.

Almshouses were traditionally built from the Middle Ages to provide charitable accommodation for people in need.

Philip Vile/Riba The roof garden with a row of large rectangular planters and a resident walking beside themPhilip Vile/Riba

Appleby Blue beat a range of other nominated buildings and architecture projects to this year's Stirling Prize, ranging from the restoration of the Big Ben tower in London to a new fashion college campus, a science laboratory and an "inventive" home extension.

The other contenders were:

House of Commons Elizabeth TowerHouse of Commons
Rory Gaylor Hastings HouseRory Gaylor

The Elizabeth Tower
Hastings House

The prize is given to the building judged to be "the most significant of the year for the evolution of architecture and the built environment", and is judged on criteria including design vision, innovation and originality.

This is Witherford Watson Mann's second time as winning architects, 12 years after they were selected for their design for a groundbreaking modern holiday home inside the ancient Astley Castle in Warwickshire.

The Elizabeth line - London's east-west train line - won the prestigious award last year.

Other previous winners of the prize - first presented in 1996 - include Liverpool's Everyman Theatre, Hastings Pier and the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh.

Parties Brace for a Political Future Without the Voting Rights Act

17 October 2025 at 05:54
After the Supreme Court appeared poised to weaken a key provision of the landmark civil rights law, both parties began to reckon with an uncertain future.

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

Some Democrats expressed alarmed at the new political reality that could be ushered in by the Supreme Court gutting the Voting Rights Act.

‘I'm ashamed’: In debate, Virginia’s Jones apologizes for violence-themed texts

17 October 2025 at 06:35

RICHMOND, Virginia — Jay Jones, the Democratic Virginia attorney general hopeful whose violence-themed text messages triggered a nationwide GOP backlash, said during a Thursday debate that his messages should not disqualify him from being elected as the state’s top law enforcement official.

“I'm ashamed, I'm embarrassed and I'm sorry,” Jones said Thursday in what will be the only televised debate with incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, who he characterized as a “willing cheerleader” of President Donald Trump.

Jones, again apologized for his 2022 texts that were first reported by the National Review. In the messages, he opined that former Virginia Republican House Speaker Todd Gilbert should get “two bullets to the head” and separately that he would urinate on the graves of some state GOP delegates after they died.

In his first extensive comments about the texts, Jones sought to explain his actions as something that he’s already been held accountable for, including by leaders of his party. Jones also said the stakes were too high for Virginia to focus on his past mistakes, and suggested Miyares was playing politics by focusing on his past statements — but not on language by Republicans.

Miyares condemned Jones’ texts and accused the Democrat of being unfit to serve as Virginia’s top lawyer, adding, “Jay Jones is a criminal first, victim last politician.”

“Jay Jones has not had the experience or the judgment to serve as the top prosecutor,” he continued. “We have seen a window to who Jay Jones is and what he thinks that people disagree with him.”

Republican incumbent Jason Miyares participates in the Virginia attorney general debate with Democrat Jay Jones in Richmond, Va., Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Mike Kropf/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP, Pool)


Miyares also slammed Jones for believing laws don’t apply to him — a reference to a recent Richmond Times-Dispatch report reporting that Jones was caught driving 116 mph in a 70 mph zone and struck a deal to forgo jail time by paying a fine and performing community service. He completed some of those hours while working at his own political action committee, the Times-Dispatch also reported.

Jones told the audience he “completed the terms of the community service as outlined and approved” by county officials at that time.

Republicans across the country, including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, have condemned Jones over the texts and attacked Democrats for supporting him. Republicans have been especially critical of Jones’ violent rhetoric in the aftermath of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed in September while speaking on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

Heading into the debate, Democrats were hopeful they could exploit their party’s anger toward Trumps, his handling of the economy and the ongoing federal government shutdown to win the statewide races for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general — which are currently held by Republicans.

But Jones’ text messaging scandal is putting that in jeopardy.

Miyares, who is seeking a second term, is looking to capitalize on some Democrats’ unease over Jones by releasing an ad released this week encouraging Spanberger voters to split their tickets and “say no to Jay Jones.”

Chris LaCavita, the former co-manager of Trump's 2024 campaign, posted on X ahead of the debate: “This is what a smart campaign does” in response to the Miyares ad.

Republican strategists in the state said they have been far more impressed by Miyares’ campaign compared to Earle-Sears at the top of the ticket, whose campaign was plagued by tepid fundraising and staffing shake ups. Trump seems to agree as Miyares is the only of the three statewide GOP candidates that’s received his endorsement.

Jones, a former Virginia state lawmaker, is the son of prominent judges in the state, and had been seen as a potential future governor of the state prior to the unearthing of the texts. Democrats view him as the best candidate to push back against the Trump administration, who they argue has done irrevocable damage to the state, in particular with firings of the federal workforce by the Department of Government Efficiency, which disproportionately impact voters in the northern Virginia suburbs outside the nation’s capital.

© AP

加拿大相信G7可减少对来自中国的稀土依赖 日本呼吁共同应对

17 October 2025 at 06:45
17/10/2025 - 00:18

日本财务大臣加藤胜信周四在华盛顿表示,面对中国管控其稀土出口,七国集团应团结一致共同应对。加拿大财长商鹏飞则表示,相信七国集团可减少对来自中国的稀土依赖。

正在华盛顿出席国际货币基金组织与世界银行年会的日本财相加藤胜信表示,“日本对中国上周宣布限制稀土出口深感忧虑,七国集团必须团结一致应对这一局势。”

中国是全球第一大稀土生产国,10月9日,北京以国家安全为由,宣布进一步收紧对含有中国成分的部分境外稀土相关物项以及稀土相关技术实施出口管制。

日本财政大臣是在与美国财长贝森特举行双边会谈后发表上述讲话的。贝森特周三表示,中国管控稀土的做法是在“与世界对抗”。呼吁“全球”联合,对抗北京限制对世界经济至关重要的稀土出口。

他还表示,“我们不会让北京的一群官僚企图控制全世界的生产链。”更早些时候,这位财长接受英国金融时报采访时谴责“中国似乎在奉行一种列宁式商业模式,以伤害客户为手段。”

加拿大财长商鹏飞周四则表示,七国集团财长利用两个年会的空隙举行圆桌会议,特别讨论了稀土问题。他表示,“七国集团拥有应对这一挑战的所有解决方案,其中加拿大本身就拥有丰富的关键性矿产资源。”

在华盛顿出席同一年会的英国财政大臣里夫斯批评北京的做法是一个“很糟糕的决定,对全球经济很危险。”

她在新闻发布会上对美国和加拿大准备在七国集团框架下寻求改善战略矿产安全表示赞赏。她说,七国集团开始关切这些战略矿物来自何处,这是一个积极的改变。

与此同时,欧盟也在寻求与美国及其他七国集团伙伴协调行动,以应对中国近期加强的稀土出口管控。欧盟警告说,中国有关措施已对欧洲产业造成冲击,并可能引发更广泛的供应链风险。

欧盟贸易专员谢夫乔维奇表示,G7国家正研究多种应对方案,其中包括通过合作项目拓展关键矿产的开采与加工渠道,以降低对中国供应的依赖。

七国集团包括美国、日本、加拿大、英国、法国、德国和意大利。

特朗普与普京通话 同意布达佩斯会晤寻求俄乌战争终结

17 October 2025 at 06:45
16/10/2025 - 23:22

美国总统特朗普(Donald Trump)于10月16日证实,已与俄罗斯总统普京(Vladimir Putin)进行电话会谈,双方同意将于未来数周在匈牙利首都布达佩斯举行高峰会,以寻求结束俄罗斯对乌克兰的战争。此次通话发生在特朗普即将于周五接待乌克兰总统泽连斯基(Volodymyr Zelenskyy)之前,标志着俄乌战争爆发以来,美国在外交策略上的一项重大转折。

特朗普在社交平台Truth Social发文形容此次通话“极具成果”,称双方不仅讨论了和平可能,也同意先由双边高级代表于下周展开预备性磋商,美方代表将由国务卿卢比奥(Marco Rubio)领衔。

特朗普表示,他与普京稍后将于布达佩斯亲自会晤,以推进结束这场他称之为“不光彩”(inglorious)的战争。

白宫发言人莱维特(Leavitt)周四告诉记者,两国元首的电话交谈历时超过两小时,是自今年8月阿拉斯加峰会后,双方最长的直接交流。

根据特朗普在Truth Social的贴文内容,他表示普京对美国在中东停火协议上所取得的进展表达祝贺,称那是“几世纪以来的梦想”。特朗普暗示,中东和平的进展可能为俄乌战争的谈判带来积极示范效应。他补充,两人也讨论了战后的美俄贸易前景,并称普京对第一夫人梅拉尼娅(Melania Trump)参与儿童议题表达高度赞赏。

尽管双方的会谈内容看似友好,实际上,特朗普近日对俄方施压的态度也日益明确。他上周警告普京,若不展开认真的和平谈判,美国将考虑向乌克兰提供长程“战斧”巡弋飞弹(Tomahawk missiles)。这种飞弹射程达1500公里,足以攻击俄罗斯境内深层战略设施,包括莫斯科与圣彼得堡。

特朗普与普京的通话时间点引发各界关注,因为他将在隔日于白宫会晤泽连斯基。乌克兰总统此行的核心目标之一,就是敦促美国提供包括战斧巡弋飞弹在内的远程打击武器,以扭转前线陷入僵局的局势。据知情官员透露,泽连斯基亦将与美国国会议员、国防与能源企业代表见面,争取更多军事与经济支持。

美国官员指出,自从特朗普与普京于阿拉斯加举行未果峰会后,美方已显著改变对乌军事援助的限制政策。此前,美国曾要求乌克兰避免攻击俄罗斯能源基础设施,但如今美国不仅放宽限制,甚至扩大对乌克兰的情报分享,包含俄罗斯境内深层目标,尤其是能源相关设施。

一位美国官员向媒体透露:“在阿拉斯加峰会无果之后,我们希望对普京施加更多压力,让他重新考虑是否继续这场战争。”

俄罗斯先前对可能的战斧导弹交付表示强烈反对。前俄罗斯总统、现任国家安全会议副主席梅德韦杰夫(Dmitri Medvedev)警告,若乌克兰获得美制战斧,将导致“对所有人来说都很糟糕的结果”,并可能摧毁美俄残存的外交联系。

此外,俄方持续指控,这类武器可能需要美军技术人员操作,且战斧本身具备核武改装潜能,暗示美方此举可能跨越红线。

但泽连斯基则强调:“我们看到俄罗斯对战斧的恐惧,这说明压力可能会奏效。”

美国媒体CNN报道美国政府近日批准价值8.25亿美元的军售案,包含3,350枚延程攻击弹药(ERAM),显示出美国对协助乌克兰强化战略打击能力的决心。相较于战术飞弹系统ATACMS,ERAM与战斧具备更广射程,能避开俄军防空系统并打击战略基础设施。

乌克兰军方也已改变作战策略,开始集中攻击俄罗斯能源相关目标,并尝试以此产生战略效果,迫使俄方回到谈判桌。一位与乌方接触密切的美国情报官员表示:“战线已基本停滞,乌克兰相信破坏能源基础设施,是目前为数不多还能产生效果的方式之一。”



这张卡脖子的稀土牌 习近平是否打过头

17 October 2025 at 06:45
17/10/2025 - 00:30

美中四轮贸易谈判的核心人物,美国财长贝森特周三在谴责北京最新管控稀土举措是“与世界对抗”的同时,公开点名指责中方代表团中有一名“较低级官员”“精神失常”。这就是位置次于中共政治局委员、副总理何立峰的 正部级国际贸易代表兼商务部副部长李成刚。

贝森特指责李成刚“无礼”,“不请自来”华盛顿,发表煽动性言论,威胁如果对停靠美国港口的船舶征收港口运输费,中方将引发全球混乱。贝森特指其在推出新的出口管制措施方面“任意妄为”,但贝森特称他不相信中国希望成为混乱的制造者。

贝森特的表述直白得令人惊讶。这位直通特朗普的美国高官谴责“较低级官员”,轻轻放过了何立峰,乃至中国最高领导人习近平。一些分析认为贝森特这样做是以进为退,留有余地,把锅甩给李成刚,为他与中国副总理何立峰的后续谈判留下空间,也为特朗普与习近平可能的会晤铺路。

美中经过四轮贸易谈判,达成贸易休战,然而一夜之间“灰飞烟灭”,“肇事者”当然是中国商务部的一纸“禁令”,该部10月9日出招,以中国国家安全为由,严厉管控稀土及与稀土相关的技术项目出口,美国旋即认定北京在尝试“长臂管辖”,把手伸向全世界,企图卡住美国的咽喉,特朗普随即威胁11月1日起将把对中国关税提升至100%。

美中4轮谈判,对美方而言大约最关键的协议就是中国同意放松稀土出口,中方10月9日的稀土公告很突然,完全是一种要与美国彻底翻脸的感觉。北京的做法成谜?

中国商务部周四承认,这是对美国商务部9月29日“出台出口管制实体清单穿透性规则,事实上将数千家中国企业延伸列入‘实体清单’的反击”。中国商务部还补充说,中美马德里谈判之后,“美方密集出台20项对华打压措施”,其中包括“不顾中方磋商诚意,执意于10月14日落地对华造船“301”调查港口费措施”等等。

纽约时报周四在“中国对特朗普亮出最强底牌,妙招还是昏招”一文中披露的细节发人深思。该报援引与中国官员交谈过的分析人士表示,中方认为美国商务部9月29日的决定,是特朗普政府中鹰派成员所为。北京的感觉是,专注于加沙谈判和美国政府停摆的特朗普“需要意识到这些举措的后果”,于是,北京通过向美方发起强烈反击来提醒特朗普,“必须亲自处理与中国的关系,而不是放任‘鹰派人士’破坏两国关系。”

怪罪“鹰派人士”,认为特朗普本人“不意识”,于是其手下的人士乘其忙于中东事务之际从中搅局,贝森特对李成刚的指责表面看似乎如出一辙,指责“较低级官员”“任意妄为”。然而紧接着一句“不相信中国希望成为混乱的制造者”,棉里藏刀,话锋指向中国的统治者。

在外交场合公开点名指责中国官员李成刚,但随后又放缓语气,认为中国对对话解决问题持开放态度,而且据他了解的信息,特朗普总统仍打算与中国国家主席习近平在不久后会面,软硬结合,其中利害,北京自己权衡吧。

北京的稀土牌是否打过了头?中共四中全会临近,习近平此举应是向国内民众展示实力:中国绝不会向美国让步。纽约时报援引分析指出,“中国误判了形势”。面对房地产危机与通缩,出口已是中国经济为数不多的增长动力之一,这样做只能加剧贸易紧张局势。“这是一种吸引特朗普关注的糟糕方式。”

中国过于自信,以为这样做能够让华盛顿撤回其最新的制裁措施,同时避免全球范围的反弹。然而北京的决定已经引发强烈的反弹,七国集团正在磋商对策,意识到危险的欧盟也准备与七国集团统一行动。

周四主持七国集团圆桌会议的加拿大财政部长商鹏飞就表示,中国可拿稀土卡脖子于一时,岂能永久?相信七国集团可减少对来自中国的稀土依赖。

北京继续沿着10月9日稀土公告的思维前进,中国商务部周四驳斥贝森特“无端指责”李成刚,要求“美方能够认识到自身错误行为”,颇有孤注一掷的感觉。



中国部署了能够打击超视距目标的陆地坦克 令对手不满

17 October 2025 at 06:15
17/10/2025 - 00:04

中国部署了能够打击超视距目标的陆地坦克。据报道,北京凭借新型式战车 Type 100 坦克,达到了令西方国家担忧的技术里程碑。这款装甲车能够进行超视距打击,开启了陆战向空海战靠拢的时代。迄今为止,只有中国海军和空军拥有超视距打击能力。 

这一进展引起了西方军事领导人的关注。据《解放军报》报道,并被Interesting Engineering科技网站引用,中国人民解放军刚刚迈出了前所未有的一步:其新一代新型式战车 Type 100 坦克,现在能够打击视距外的目标,而这种能力以前只有空军和海军才具备。 

在最近的一次演习中,坦克指挥员孙永明描述了这一巨大转变:“装甲作战已从近距离作战转变为远程作战。”得益于微型光学、红外和雷达传感器,中国装甲车现在可以全面了解战场情况。 

科技飞跃,全球竞速风范 新型战车 Type 100 坦克装甲车于今年9月的欧洲胜利日阅兵式上首次亮相,它不仅外观上比前几代装甲车更加强大。 

《环球时报》援引北京军事分析员王云飞的话说:“这将改变游戏规则。” 与仅限于近距离作战的传统坦克不同,百式主战坦克现在可以通过直接连接火箭炮和无人机来协调远程火力。 

北京将其视为一个相互关联的链条中的一个环节:侦察无人机、火炮、轻型飞机和电子战应该协同作战。 

这项技术具有爆炸性。迄今为止,只有中国海军和空军拥有超视距打击能力,这得益于强大的雷达和强大的能量自主性。 

将这些技术应用于陆战坦克是一项重大挑战,北京声称凭借微型雷达和安全通信方面的突破已经克服了这一挑战。 

对北京对手的战略威胁: 分析师王云飞表示:“中国现已跻身少数真正具备超视距地面作战能力的国家之列。” 

军事观察家认为,新型战车 Type 100 坦克的服役标志着中国希望实现陆军现代化,并为高强度作战做好准备。 

尽管西方的空中优势仍然是一个障碍,但随着东亚海域紧张局势的加剧,能够发挥与战斗机相当作用的装甲车的整合可能会改变亚洲的力量平衡。陆地与空中和海洋的衔接,令北京的对手非常不满,首先当属华盛顿了。 

 

 

Mamdani Faces Islamophobic Attacks After Comments About Hamas

17 October 2025 at 05:58
Zohran Mamdani, the front-runner in the race for mayor of New York City, was attacked by lawmakers from both parties over comments he made in a Fox News interview.

© Vincent Alban/The New York Times

“I don’t really have opinions about the future of Hamas and Israel beyond the question of justice and safety and the fact that anything has to abide by international law,” Zohran Mamdani said in a Fox News interview.

Trump Warns Hamas of Strikes if Violence in Gaza Continues

17 October 2025 at 05:22
The president later clarified that the United States would not be involved in such an action.

© Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters

Hamas militants stood guard on Wednesday as the International Committee of the Red Cross transported the bodies of hostages who died in Gaza.

After Racist Texts, New York G.O.P. Is Set to Disband Young Republicans

State party leaders are expected to eliminate the charter of the Young Republicans group, allowing them to reconstitute the organization with new leaders.

© Cindy Schultz for The New York Times

Representative Elise Stefanik called the texts by members of the Young Republicans reprehensible.

At least three dead after Kenya police open fire to disperse mourners of ex-PM Raila Odinga

17 October 2025 at 03:13
Reuters Mourners stand on a grounded aeroplane and elephant sculpturesReuters
Authorities say mourners gained access to restricted areas at the main airport

Operations have been suspended at Kenya's main airport after thousands of mourners turned out to receive the body of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, a day after he died in India.

Large crowds of mourners carrying twigs and palm branches breached security at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) immediately after the body of the former leader arrived on Thursday morning.

Authorities said mourners gained access to restricted areas, prompting a "precautionary closure" to allow security teams to restore order and ensure safety.

"Members of the public and travellers are advised to remain calm and avoid the airport area until further notice," the aviation agency said.

Reuters Mourners carrying twigs and palm branches hold a Kenyan flag as they escort a military vehicle  Reuters
A seven-day period of mourning has been declared

Because of the unexpectedly huge crowds, the public viewing ceremony for his body has been moved to Nairobi's Moi International Sports Centre, rather than inside Parliament.

The 80-year-old former prime minister collapsed during a morning walk in India on Wednesday morning and he was taken to Devamatha Hospital, about 50km (30 miles) east of the port city of Kochi.

The hospital said he had suffered a cardiac arrest, did not respond to resuscitation measures and was "declared dead at 09:52" local time (04:22 GMT).

Kenyan politicians and world leaders have been sending their condolences, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described Odinga as a "towering statesman and a cherished friend of India".

Kenya's President William Ruto said the veteran politician was a "beacon of courage" and "father of our democracy".

A seven-day period of mourning has been declared. Odinga will also be accorded a state funeral with full military honours, Ruto said.

Odinga spent many years as an opposition leader, losing five presidential campaigns, most recently three years ago.

Getty Images/BBC A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News AfricaGetty Images/BBC

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize Brings Hope and Scrutiny to Venezuela’s Opposition

17 October 2025 at 05:01
Ms. Machado’s efforts to reclaim a stolen election by any available means, including military intervention, has long galvanized her supporters. Her opponents say these hard-line policies have a political cost.

© The New York Times

The opposition leader María Corina Machado in her office last year. She is now in hiding.

拉加德称:欧洲具有实力应对未来经济冲击

17 October 2025 at 05:45
16/10/2025 - 23:34

欧洲央行行长拉加德周四(10月16日)表示,尽管欧洲面临关税压力及乌克兰战争带来的挑战,但欧元区有能力应对未来可能出现的经济冲击。国际货币基金组织上调了2025年欧元区的增长预期,这主要得益于西班牙经济强劲表现,以及德、法温和复苏。

法新社报道,拉加德(Christine Lagarde)在国际货币基金组织举行的一场讨论会上指出,近几个月欧元区通胀率在2%左右波动,接近欧洲央行的目标水平。她说,“我们目前处于一个有利位置,能够抵御未来的冲击。”

拉加德在谈到关税压力与乌克兰战争时强调,“欧洲必须面对一些关键风险,其规模在过去难以预料”,但她同时表示:“最糟糕的情况并非总会发生,我们实际上取得了出乎意料的好结果。”

一年前,大多数分析人士预期,美国提高对欧洲出口商品的关税,在经过艰难谈判后最终定为15%,这将对欧元区经济增长造成严重冲击,并引发新的通胀压力。然而,自今年年初以来,欧元兑美元升值约14%,这一走势帮助欧元区显著降低了输入性通胀。

拉加德表示,“确实,我们当时面临不确定性,但最终情况并没有像我们预想的那样糟糕。”她称,“欧洲的货币政策并未陷入增长放缓与通胀上升之间的传统两难境地。”

本周早些时候,国际货币基金组织上调了2025年欧元区的增长预期,预计全年经济增长率为1.2%,这主要得益于西班牙经济的强劲表现,以及德国和法国的温和复苏。

拉加德在讲话中还呼吁,应减少企业家与企业在欧盟及成员国所面临的各种障碍,特别是其中一部分障碍是欧盟自身“人为设置的”。

英国考虑赔偿中国比特币诈骗案受害者 涉案金额近50亿英镑

17 October 2025 at 05:45
16/10/2025 - 23:38

英国政府正在研究向一起涉及中国的大规模投资诈骗案受害者进行赔偿。该案中被查获的比特币总额相当于49亿英镑(约合66亿美元),为英国史上规模最大的数字货币查扣之一。

律师事务所代表受害者的律师向法新社证实,英国方面已在伦敦高等法院的听证会上表示,“正在积极研究受害者赔偿机制正”,但尚未公布具体的操作细节。

来自Duan & Duan律所的律师杰克森·吴(Jackson Ng)对法新社表示,“未来几个月,律师代表与官方将就赔偿机制的设计进行进一步磋商”。

英国 12.8万人受害 主嫌在伦敦洗钱购房

根据伦敦警方披露的信息,这起诈骗案横跨中英两地,发生在2014年至2017年之间,涉及超过12.8万名受害者。

案件的核心人物是钱志敏(Zhimin Qian),又名张雅迪(Yadi Zhang)。她被指控将从中国投资者手中骗取的大量资金转换为比特币,并使用伪造文件逃离中国。

2018年9月,她持假证入境英国后,试图通过购置伦敦房地产洗白资金。她的助手文简(Jian Wen)因协助购房洗钱,于2024年被判刑六年八个月。

钱志敏本人于2024年4月被捕,并在今年9月底承认持有及转移犯罪所得。她的量刑预计将在11月中旬宣布。另一名马来西亚籍同伙成福林(Seng Hok Ling)也已认罪。

 英国考虑设立赔偿机制 比特币价值成关键

代表部分受害者的英国Fieldfisher律师威廉·格洛弗(William Glover)告诉法新社:“许多受害者遭受了巨额个人损失,影响了他们的生活、婚姻,甚至导致家庭和企业破裂。”

目前尚不清楚,赔偿金额将以比特币被查获当时的价格计算,还是以当前市值为准。英国警方共扣押了61,000枚比特币,按当前价格约值49亿英镑(66亿美元)。

英国《金融时报》报道称,这笔巨额数字资产也引起了英国财政部的关注,部分官员希望将其纳入下一年度的预算收入。英国财政部截至周四晚间尚未对这一消息置评。

这起案件引发外界关注,正值西方多国加大对跨境加密货币洗钱活动的打击力度。

本周早些时候,美国司法部宣布,查获价值超过140亿美元(约105亿英镑)的比特币资产,并指控柬埔寨太子集团创始人陈志(Chen Zhi)操控一系列加密货币诈骗和强迫劳动活动。

作为联合行动的一部分,美英两国均已冻结陈志名下资产,包括其在伦敦的19处房产,其中一处价值接近1亿英镑(约1.33亿美元)。

美国检察官称,这是“有史以来查获比特币数量最多的一次”,共扣押约127,271枚比特币。

专家指出,从伦敦洗钱案到柬埔寨“电诈帝国”调查,显示出英美司法系统正强化加密资产监管合作,防止比特币等虚拟货币成为跨国洗钱与诈骗的新通道。



中国指责美国引发全球对稀土管制的恐慌

17 October 2025 at 05:45
16/10/2025 - 23:30

中国周四(10月16日)指责美国在其稀土管制问题上"煽动恐慌",并称美国财政部长斯科特·贝森特有关一名中国高级贸易谈判代表的言论“严重歪曲”,同时拒绝白宫要求撤回相关限制措施的呼吁。

路透社报道,《人民日报》周四罕见发表七点驳斥声明,回应美方指责。此前,美国谈判代表暗示,如果北京撤销将于11月8日生效的稀土出口新规,特朗普政府可能暂停对中国商品征收高达100%的惩罚性关税。

与此同时,中国商务部发言人何咏前在记者会上表示,“美国方面的解读严重歪曲并夸大了中国的稀土出口控制措施,刻意制造不必要的误解与恐慌。”她同时强调,只要出口许可证申请合规且用于民用领域,“就会获得批准”。

在北京扩大稀土出口管制后,全球的贸易谈判代表和分析人士曾一度疑问:中国是否意在要求世界各地凡是含有哪怕微量中国稀土的产品,运往最终目的地时都要申请许可?何咏前对记者表示,并非如此。

美国贸易代表贾米森·格里尔(Jamieson Greer)周三称中国的新举措是“一次对全球供应链的权力攫取”,并表示他预期北京不会实施这些措施;贝森特则表示,目前为期90天的关税休战可能再度延长——这个休战期预计在11月9日前后到期。

在9月19日两国元首通话之后,美中贸易关系出现短暂的平静,而此前的马德里峰会,双方在TikTok交易问题上取得进展,也被视为美中关系近期少有的积极转折点。

互相指责

北京方面将近期紧张局势的升级归因于美国商务部在9月底意外扩大“实体清单”,把那些被指通过子公司规避对中国出口限制的芯片制造设备和其他高科技产品企业列入其中。华盛顿则把冲突的起因归咎于中国在关键矿产方面的举措,特朗普称其“令人震惊”。

中方称,其不仅在宣布新的许可机制前已事先通知华盛顿,而且这些管控也与其他主要经济体长期实施的做法一致。

官方《人民日报》称:“美国长期夸大国家安全并滥用管制,对中国采取歧视性做法。”该文图文并茂指责美国维持的受控清单超过3000项,而北京的目录约900项。文章指:"自20世纪50年代起,华盛顿便有类似规定;近年来,华盛顿延续这一制度,禁止外国半导体企业在芯片制造过程中使用美国技术的情况下向中国销售产品。

贸易政策转向个人指责

针对贝森特周三将中国首席贸易谈判代表李成刚描述为“有些失常”“不尊重人”等言论,何咏前表示:“美方有关说法严重歪曲事实。”她补充称,中国在“主动与美国谈判与沟通”。

贝森特还表示,特朗普与习近平之间的"互信"阻止了紧张局势升级,并使两人仍按计划在韩国会晤,从而在双方首席谈判代表显现分歧的情况下,保留了达成理解的路径。

何咏前则表示:“希望美方珍惜此前经贸对话成果,并立即纠正其错误做法。”

特朗普:美国不应削弱"战斧"导弹库存 美俄筹备"特普会"

17 October 2025 at 05:45
16/10/2025 - 23:21

乌克兰总统泽连斯基于周四(10月16日)抵达华盛顿,预计将于周五与美国总统特朗普举行会晤,重点讨论乌克兰战争及美国提供"战斧"远程导弹的可能。此前,特朗普与普京通电话,双方将在布达佩斯举行会晤。俄方宣布,美国国务卿鲁比奥与俄罗斯外长拉夫罗夫将着手筹备特朗普—普京会晤。法新社最新消息:特朗普表态称,美国不应“削弱”自身的“战斧”导弹库存。

综合路透社、法新社消息,在特朗普与普京电话会谈后,乌克兰总统泽连斯基于周四抵达华盛顿,预计将于周五与特朗普在白宫会面。根据乌克兰代表团向法新社提供的消息,双方将重点讨论乌克兰战争及美国提供“战斧”(Tomahawk)巡航导弹的可能性。基辅方面希望获得这一远程武器,用以打击俄罗斯境内的战略目标。

而克里姆林宫方面立即宣布,俄罗斯与美国正在筹备新一轮普京—特朗普峰会。

克里姆林宫外交顾问尤里·乌沙科夫(Yuri Ushakov)表示,美国国务卿鲁比奥(Marco Rubio)与俄罗斯外长拉夫罗夫(Sergueï Lavrov)将在未来几天内通话,着手筹备两国元首的新一轮峰会。

乌沙科夫透露,普京与特朗普新一轮峰会是在普京与特朗普周四举行的电话会谈中达成的。这是两人今年以来第八次通话,由莫斯科方面主动提议,通话持续近两个半小时。

乌沙科夫说,特朗普提议将峰会地点定在匈牙利首都布达佩斯,普京“立即同意”。乌沙科夫形容双方的电话会谈,"是一场“非常务实、极为坦率且充满信任的对话”。

普京警告:战斧导弹将严重损害俄美关系

乌沙科夫称,普京在通话中再次重申俄方在乌克兰问题上的立场,称俄军“在整个战线保持战略主动权”。他指出,特朗普与普京还讨论了美国可能向乌克兰提供“战斧”巡航导弹的问题。

乌沙科夫向媒体表示,普京在会谈中重申,‘战斧’导弹不会改变战场局势,却会对俄美关系造成严重损害,更不利于和平解决的前景”。

据克里姆林宫消息,特朗普在通话中回应称,他将在与泽连斯基的会晤中“考虑普京的意见”。

战后经济与外交议题并行

乌沙科夫同时表示,特朗普在电话中提到,一旦乌克兰战争结束,俄美两国在经济合作领域“存在巨大潜力”。他并指出,峰会筹备工作将由两国外长牵头,具体时间取决于准备进展。

8月在阿拉斯加举行的上一次美俄峰会未取得实质成果,当时特朗普仍在公开施压莫斯科。此番俄方主动宣布重启峰会准备,被视为希望在外交层面重新夺回主动。

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