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Today — 25 October 2025News

Trump Administration Plans a Shake-Up at ICE to Speed Deportations

The preliminary plan stems from frustration over the pace of the deportations, which are lagging behind President Trump’s demands.

© Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Broadview, Ill., this month.

台陆委会称台湾光复日与中共毫无关系

25 October 2025 at 09:03

中国全国人民代表大会常委会星期五(10月24日)通过决定,以法律形式将10月25日设立为台湾光复纪念日。台湾陆委会则回应称,当年中共尚未建政,“台湾光复日与中华人民共和国毫无关系”。

新华社报道,中国全国人大常委会星期五在北京举行会议,表决通过了设立为台湾光复纪念日的决定。根据决定,在台湾光复纪念日,中国大陆将通过多种形式举行纪念活动。

据台湾镜新闻、中时新闻网报道,台湾陆委会星期五晚间回应表示:“台湾光复节是为纪念1945年10月25日中华民国代表同盟国接受在台日军投降的纪念日,当时中国共产党根本尚未建政,台湾光复日和中华人民共和国毫无关系,也和对日作战没有正面贡献的中共毫无关系”。

陆委会说,1949年的10月25日是“我军民团结一致,成功抵抗来犯共军的日子,全台湾人民在这一天共同守住台、澎、金、马,也守住了中华民国的主权”。

陆委会也强硬表示:“中华民国与中华人民共和国互不隶属,中共从未统治过台湾一天,这是不容否认的客观事实。”

中国全国人大常委会法制工作委员会主任沈春耀星期五说,设立台湾光复纪念日,在国家层面举行纪念活动,有利于体现台湾是中国不可分割一部分这一无可辩驳的历史事实,巩固国际社会坚持一个中国的格局。

据中国大陆国台办,纪念台湾光复80周年大会将于星期六(10月25日)前后举行。

美国调查中国履行中美第一阶段贸易协议情况

25 October 2025 at 08:55

在中美即将展开新一轮贸易磋商之际,美国宣布对中国是否履行中美2020年签署的第一阶段贸易协议展开调查。

美国贸易代表办公室星期五(10月25日)在官网发布声明称,贸易代表格里尔(Jamieson Greer)宣布启动上述调查,并表示此举表明特朗普政府坚持要求中国履行协议承诺的决心,旨在保护美国农民、牧场主、工人和创新者的利益,推动建立更加互惠的美中贸易关系。

声明称,调查将审查中国是否全面落实协议中的各项承诺,评估中国未履约对美国贸易造成的负担或限制,并决定是否需要采取进一步措施。美国将在10月31日至12月1日期间公开征求意见,并在12月16日举行听证会以收集更多证词。

据路透社报道,这项依据1974年贸易法第301条展开的不公平贸易行为调查,将为美国总统特朗普提供新的法律依据,以进一步提高对华进口商品的关税。

中国驻华盛顿大使馆发言人刘鹏宇在社交平台X上发文回应称,中国严格履行第一阶段经贸协议,为包括美国企业在内的各国投资者创造了良好的营商环境,使他们共享中国经济增长带来的机遇。

刘鹏宇还批评美国未能履行自身义务,反而持续对中国施加经济及其他领域压力,实施一系列出口管制和投资限制等措施,严重背离协议精神。他说,这些举措不仅损害中美关系与经贸合作,也扰乱了正常贸易与投资活动,削弱了协议落实的基础条件。

中美第一阶段协议旨在通过要求北京在两年内额外采购约2000亿美元(2600亿新元)的美国农产品、制成品、能源和服务,以重新平衡美中贸易关系。但据报道,中国未能完成采购目标,理由是协议签署于2020年1月,当时冠病疫情正在全球蔓延。

美国贸易代表办公室还在声明中称,中国似乎未兑现它在知识产权保护、强制技术转让、农业及金融服务等领域的政策承诺,而这些问题正是特朗普政府当年加征关税的核心原因。

另据彭博社报道,美国全国玉米种植者协会和大豆协会2024年委托进行的一项研究显示,中国在2020至2021年间未完成购买800亿美元美国农产品的目标,仅采购了592亿美元。研究认为,部分差距源于冠病疫情期间的物流障碍。

湖北十堰通报:驾车致1人遇难4人重伤 48岁男子被刑拘

25 October 2025 at 08:21

湖北省十堰市公安局在星期六凌晨通报一起发生在星期三(10月22日)事故。通报称当天发生一起交通事故,造成一人死亡、四人重伤、多人轻微受伤,肇事者陈姓男子“以危险方法危害公共安全”,已被刑事拘留。

过去两天有网民发布视频、微博等,称有人开车在十堰重庆路小学外开车冲撞人群,发生严重车祸,官方却一直没有消息。

湖北省十堰市公安局茅箭区分局于星期六凌晨2时23分,通过微信公众号“平安茅箭”发布警情通报称:10月22日17时30分许,群众报警称,十堰市茅箭区文秀路与山东路交叉路口发生一起交通事故。公安机关迅速组织警力赶赴现场处置,当场控制车辆驾驶员陈某,并全力协助开展伤员救治等工作。

通报称,经现场勘查、视频回溯、走访调查和深入侦查,现已查明48岁的陈姓男子以危险方法危害公共安全,造成一人送医救治无效死亡,四人伤情较重,均无生命危险,多人轻微受伤。陈姓男子已被公安机关依法刑事拘留,案件办理工作正抓紧进行。

据观察者网的报道,有自称目击者的网民称,事发时正值学校放学,肇事车超车闯红灯后径直冲向路边人群。“肇事司机刚开始还在等红灯,然后突然就闯灯了,直冲着人群去了,没有刹车,也没有按喇叭,没打方向灯。”

Thailand's former queen Sirikit dies aged 93

25 October 2025 at 08:27
BBC Queen Sirikit holds an umbrella in a black and white photographBBC
Queen Sirikit married the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1950

Queen Sirikit, the mother of Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn, has died aged 93.

She passed away "peacefully" in a Bangkok hospital at 21:21 local time (14:21 GMT) on Friday night, according to the Thai Royal Household Bureau.

Sirikit had "suffered several illnesses" while in hospital since 2019, including a blood infection this month, it added.

For more than six decades, Queen Sirikit was married to Thailand's longest-reigning monarch King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016.

Queen Sirikit suffered a stroke in 2012, after which she was rarely seen in public.

She met her future husband while studying music in Paris, where her father was stationed as Thai ambassador to France.

The couple married on 28 April 1950, just a week before King Bhumibol was crowned in Bangkok.

As a young couple in the 1960s, Queen Sirikit and King Bhumibol travelled around the world, meeting US presidents Dwight Eisenhower, the late Queen Elizabeth II - as well as Elvis Presley.

During that decade, she frequently made international best dressed lists.

In 1980, Queen Sirikit featured in a BBC documentary about the Thai monarchy, called Soul of a Nation.

In the rare interview, she said: "Kings and queens of Thailand have always been in close contact with the people and they usually regard the king as the father of the nation.

"That is why we do not have much private life, because we are considered father and mother of the nation."

She was seen as a key maternal figure for the country, with her birthday marked as Mother's Day.

Reeves should not cut cash ISA allowance, MPs say

25 October 2025 at 07:09
Getty Images A woman sits at her kitchen table using the calculator on her phone. Her laptop and some bills are also on the table. She is wearing a pink and white striped top.Getty Images
Cash Isas allow people to save up to £20,000 without paying tax on the interest

Chancellor Rachel Reeves should not cut the cash Isa tax-free allowance in the upcoming Budget, a group of MPs has strongly advised.

Cuts to the tax-free allowance were unlikely to have the intended effect of promoting an investment culture in the UK, the Treasury Select Committee said in a report.

Reeves is expected to announce tax rises or spending cuts in next month's Budget, and is reportedly considering changes to cash Isas.

The chancellor said: "My understanding is that the report says that changes to Isas shouldn't be made in isolation of other policies. I'll be setting out any tax changes in the budget in November. And of course we need to get that balance right."

Reeves added: "At the moment, often returns on savings and returns on pensions are lower than in comparable countries around the world, and I do want to make sure that when people put something aside for the future, they get good returns on those savings."

Earlier this year, the chancellor was thought to be mulling a reduction to the allowance for tax-free cash savings in a bid to encourage people to put money into stocks and shares instead and boost the economy.

Those plans were put on hold after strong opposition from banks, building societies and consumer campaigners.

Savers can put up to £20,000 a year in Isas in savings and investments, to protect the returns from being taxed.

The chancellor has said she intends to keep this limit in place, and it can currently be spread across products including cash Isas and stocks and shares Isas.

The proposed change specifically relates to cash Isas, and earlier this month the Financial Times reported the chancellor was considering reducing their tax-free amount to £10,000.

The purpose behind this would be to encourage investment.

The chancellor is facing a Budget shortfall of about £22bn, according to a recent estimate.

She is expected to raise taxes or cut spending in her November Budget in order to meet her self-imposed fiscal rules of not borrowing to fund day-to-day spending and to get government debt falling as a share of national income by the end of this parliament.

Cash Isas are the most widely used type of Isa. A total of £360bn is held in cash Isas across the country.

The committee's report concluded that "cutting the cash Isa allowance is unlikely to incentivise people to invest their cash in stocks and shares".

Chair of the Treasury Select Committee, Dame Meg Hillier, said: "This is not the right time to cut the cash Isa limit."

"The Committee is firmly behind the chancellor's ambition to create a culture in the UK where savers are sensibly investing their money and getting better returns through well-informed financial decisions," she said.

"But we are a long way from that point."

Dame Meg said the government should instead focus its efforts on "a comprehensive effort to genuinely improve financial education and establish accessible, high quality financial advice and guidance for people".

"Without this, I fear that the Chancellor's attempts to transform the UK's investment culture simply will not deliver the change she seeks, instead hitting savers and mortgage borrowers."

Reducing the tax-free allowance for cash Isas would likely be unpopular among many savers, particularly older ones who are less willing to take risks with their money.

Instead of cutting the cash Isa tax-free limit, "the focus should be on improving financial literacy ... so that people can make informed decisions with their savings", the committee said.

The report found that cutting the allowance would have negative knock-on effects for consumers, as building societies depend on cash Isas for their mortgage lending.

"If this was reduced, it would mean a less competitive market for financial products and consequently higher prices for consumers," the committee said.

BBC News has contacted the Treasury for comment.

'One out... by mistake' and Prince Andrew 'dislodged'

25 October 2025 at 08:00

The headline on the front page of the Sun reads: "One out... by mistake".
The fallout after a former asylum seeker who sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl was mistakenly released from prison dominates Saturday's papers. The Sun calls the blunder "one out... by mistake", playing off the government's "one in, one out" asylum scheme. The paper reports Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was due to be deported before being released after an "astonishing error" by prison staff.
The headline on the front page of the Daily Telegraph reads: "Epping migrant freed in jail blunder".
The Daily Telegraph says police are scrambling to track down the sex offender who was let out of HMP Chelmsford after being wrongly categorised as a prisoner due to be freed. Justice Secretary David Lammy says he is "furious" and has ordered an "urgent investigation" into the error, the paper reports. Elsewhere, a picture of Boris Johnson's ex-wife Marina Wheeler is front and centre, who poses the question "I'm over him, surely Britain is too?"
The headline on the front page of the Daily Mail reads: "A blunder that beggars belief".
"A blunder that beggars belief" is the Daily Mail's take. Police say Kebatu was last seen asking for directions from locals before boarding a London-bound train at Chelmsford station on Friday, the paper reports. Sharing the front page, the Mail says that Prince Andrew could be asked to leave the Royal Lodge by King Charles III.
The headline on the front page of the Daily Mirror reads: "Dislodged".
The Mirror also leads with Prince Andrew's "advanced talks" with the King to leave the Royal Lodge after the fallout from his links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "Dislodged" is the paper's headline over an aerial view of Windsor's sprawling Royal Lodge mansion.
The headline on the front page of the Guardian reads: "Stark warning for Starmer after election rout in Wales."
A "stark warning for Starmer" after Labour suffered a "crushing" by-election defeat in its traditional heartland of Wales on Friday, the Guardian reports. The paper says the result highlighted the "striking collapse" of the party's vote, with MPs warning a repeat loss in the 2026 May local elections "could spell the end" of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's premiership. Alongside, the Guardian previews Claudia Winkleman's "next steps" after she and fellow Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly announced they were leaving the show.
The headline on the front page of the Independent reads: "Starmer in firing line over historic by-election defeat".
"Starmer in firing line" echoes the Independent's headline on the government's "historic by-election defeat" in Caerphilly. The paper reports the PM saying he was "deeply disappointed" with the result. Also sharing the top spot is the King's "royal welcome" for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday ahead of a summit with European allies in London.
The headline on the front page of the Times reads: "Minimum wage boost set to raise bosses' ire".
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is preparing to give more than a million low-paid workers a pay boost in the budget, the Times reports. The paper says Reeves has been warned by businesses the move would risk "pricing jobs out of existence".
The headline on the front page of the i paper reads: "Income tax hike to 41p would hit 7 million workers and harm trust, Reeves warned".
The i follows with more warnings from economists for the chancellor, who say raising the higher rate of income tax would hit "ordinary workers", including teachers and junior doctors. The paper reports Reeves is considering "breaking Labour's manifesto pledge to give herself some breathing space on public spending".
The headline on the front page of the Financial Times reads: "Trump sets off fresh tariffs alarm".
"Trump sets off fresh tariffs alarm" is the Financial Times' lead, after Donald Trump "cleared the way for new tariffs" on China and halted trade talks with Canada on Friday. The paper says the decisions come ahead of Trump's upcoming trip to Asia, which includes a summit in South Korea with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The headline on the front page of the Daily Star reads: "It takes you... Rylan!"
Finally, the Daily Star is asking their readers who they want as Strictly Come Dancing's next hosts. The top names in the running include presenters Rylan Clark and Zoe Ball, with "Lettuce Liz Truss" also making a surge with 8% of the vote.
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What is driving the decision to learn in a manual or automatic car?

25 October 2025 at 07:07
Caitlin Graham A close up photo of Caitlin, a young woman with long brown hair. She is smiling against a dusky night sky. Caitlin Graham
Caitlin wanted to learn in an automatic car, but was forced to learn manual

Caitlin Graham wanted to learn to drive in an automatic car as she hoped the test would be quicker to pass without having to get to grips with a gear box.

But the 22-year-old says she had little choice but to learn in a manual due to any available automatic instructors being more than 20 miles away.

Motorists have seen a quiet shift in how they drive in recent years - with one in three cars on UK roads now an automatic.

A quarter of driving tests in England, Scotland and Wales last year were taken in automatic cars.

The AA says the trend is being driven by the UK's ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars coming in 2030, as elecric cars do not have manual gearboxes.

For new drivers, this presents a dilemma - whether to learn and take their test in an automatic or a manual car.

Boxed in

It is a decision that could affect the rest of their driving lives - pass your test in an automatic and you will forever be boxed into only driving automatics - or indeed electric vehicles. Pass in a manual, and you will have the freedom to pick and choose.

But many young people say it is not a decision they are freely able to make. Some would-be automatic learners have complained about a lack of instructors and the higher cost of lessons.

Others feel the jeopardy of learning in a manual is just too high. With huge competition for driving test slots, and long waits to re-take for those who fail, some young drivers feel learning in an automatic is the only way out of the fail-rebook, fail-rebook doom loop.

When Caitlin moved back home to a "super rural" part of Cumbria after university she was eager to pass her driving test as quickly as possible. There is no public transport in her village and she wanted to get on with finding a job.

But unable to get hold of an automatic instructor she went for manual and passed almost a year after her first lesson. She says it only took her sister, who learned to drive in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, five months to pass in an automatic.

But it is a common misconception that the automatic test is easier - the pass rate for the manual test is higher at 50.4% than automatic at 43.9%, according to Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) figures for the financial year ending 2025.

"People still need to make the right decisions at the right time - make the correct observations at the right time and drive at appropriate speeds," says Stewart Lochrie, chairman of the Approved Driving Instructors National Joint Council (ADIJC).

Cleo Moseley Cleo, a white woman with long brown hair. She is standing in front of a window with a city skyline in the backgroundCleo Moseley
Cleo was anxious to pass her test first time

Cleo Moseley really weighed up the decision. "Automatic felt like the slightly easier option" but "manual lessons were cheaper," she says.

Automatic and electric cars tend to cost more to buy than manuals so instructors charge more to cover this, adds Stewart from the ADIJC.

For the same reason Cleo says: "I also didn't know if I would be able to afford an automatic car at the end."

The 25-year-old from Northumberland has decided to start learning in a manual.

"I did really think about it," she says. "Automatic cars are basically becoming the norm. But I don't see manual cars [being] the majority five, 10, 15 years from now, so I don't think everyone should learn manual."

Luke Breaban-Cook Luke, an 18-year-old white man, sitting in the driver's seat of a car. The car door is open and he is facing outwards, holding a certificate showing he passed his driving testLuke Breaban-Cook
Luke passed his driving test in a manual

For Luke Breaban-Cook the decision was pretty much made for him - he has just passed his test after learning in his parents' manuals.

"They were the only cars available to me," says the 18-year-old from Battle in East Sussex.

"I didn't want to get my own car as it was too expensive," he adds. "Plus I'm moving to London for uni and I'm not planning on driving there."

Luke found clutch control difficult at first. "I stalled once in my test," he says, but he still passed first time.

Luke does nott think every learner should do a manual test: "Even if there is a chance that you might have to drive a manual courtesy car or rental car, that chance is getting smaller and smaller."

David Robinson David, a white man with brown hair and stubble. He is smiling slightly at the camera and wears glassesDavid Robinson
David is dyspraxic and thought an automatic would be easier for him

For some people with disabilities automatic cars can be more accessible.

David Robinson, who's 29 and from Cardiff, booked his driving test in September and has to wait until February to take it.

He opted to learn in an automatic because he has dyspraxia, which affects movement and coordination.

"It just seemed like a better idea because I didn't want to have to balance the clutch, the brake, the accelerator, check the revs, make sure I'm getting into the right gear," he says.

David hasn't ruled out getting a manual licence in future, but he says he would wait and see what happens after the ban on new petrol and electric cars takes effect in 2030.

"It might be that in five years I don't see the point," he says.

While the number of driving tests in automatic vehicles continues to rise, the vast majority of instructors are still teaching in manual cars," says Stewart from the ADIJC.

"This will change eventually, as the price of EVs continues to decrease, and driving instructors begin to see the commercial advantages of teaching in these kinds of vehicles."

But for now there's a stigma around an automatic-only licence, says motoring journalist and author Maria McCarthy.

"People would say, oh, one day you might need to hire a van or hire a car on holiday and then you'll need to drive a manual.

"But these days when you hire a car or a van, most of them are electric. And how often do people do things like that anyway?"

Caitlin's instructor did eventually buy a second automatic car but at that stage she had "already committed lots of time to manual".

She passed her test in September and now she's behind the wheel of her manual 2018 Volkswagen T-Roc and an hour to her new job in Workington, she has no regrets.

"If I'd had the choice back then an automatic would have been the dream," she says. "But now I'm glad I learned manual because I can drive any car and the insurance is cheaper."

Additional reporting by Connie Bowker

情况比较复杂|当污染曝光后,有关部门潜入一个13人的微信群来应对舆情

25 October 2025 at 08:27
CDT 档案卡
标题:当污染曝光后,有关部门潜入一个13人的微信群来应对舆情
作者:情况比较复杂
发表日期:2025.10.24
来源:微信公众号“情况比较复杂”
主题归类:坚果兄弟
CDS收藏:公民馆
版权说明:该作品版权归原作者所有。中国数字时代仅对原作进行存档,以对抗中国的网络审查。详细版权说明

一、官方渠道的两次投诉和一篇被消失的文章,引发了一系列反应

一切始于两声微弱的警报。

10月14日,人民网留言板上,ID“23919543”给四川省绵阳市委书记左永祥留言:“绵阳市安州区秀水填*工厂污染,绵阳市安州区秀水填石红村农作物受污染和老百姓呼吸困难,希望上级领导重视。”

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10月15日,ID“23927852”给四川省委书记王晓晖留言:“朝*磷肥厂污染我们的农作物和我们老百姓的身体,几个月了越来越严重,到现在还没给老百姓一个处理方案,他们又在开始生产了 2025年8月13号,农作物大面积受伤害,直到10月9号早上老百姓呼吸磷肥化工厂的气体,又一次出现烟雾刺鼻,10月10号早上竹林树木叶子全落,希望领导重视。”

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10月20日下午,一篇名为《四川绵阳:两份投诉浮现一场被忽视的致命污染》的文章出现在互联网上。它像一颗投入深潭的石子,本应激起层层涟漪,却在水面留下一个几乎无法察觉的痕迹后,便迅速沉底,消失无踪。文章的生命极其短暂,在仅仅获得了680个阅读量后,页面就变成了一行冰冷的红白提示:“此内容因违规无法查看。接相关投诉,此内容违反《互联网用户公众账号信息服务管理规定》” 。

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这680次点击,像是一场幽灵放映。大多数人甚至来不及看清内容,屏幕上的文字就已经化为乌有。没有想到,在这篇短暂的文章里附上的微信群的二维码“关注四川绵阳朝阳磷肥厂污染”,因此拉开一场大戏帷幕……

文章被删除的速度快得惊人。一个阅读量不足一千的帖子,通常不会引起审查系统如此迅速而精准的反应。这种效率暗示着一种高度警觉的监控机制,它并非被动地等待舆情发酵,而是在火星出现的瞬间就已启动。这并非笨拙的官僚主义延迟,而是一种经过演练的、主动的协议,其目标是在问题成为公众话题之前,就将其扼杀在摇篮里。

就在文章消失前,10个新的用户通过那个群二维码,悄无声息地进入了这个微信群。算上文章作者“坚果兄弟”、他的两位朋友,群成员的总数不多不少,正好是13人。这个数字本身让人想起“最后的晚餐”。新加入的10人中,除了2位撰稿人,有6个来自四川绵阳或绵阳相关。

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一夜之间,这个原本为信息交流而设的数字空间,性质发生了根本性的转变。它不再是一个简单的关注者社群,而变成了一个微缩的、封闭的剧场。舞台已经搭好,灯光聚焦于这13个ID。一场围绕真相、谎言和权力的暗战,即将在这个小小的微信群里上演。一开始,没有人知道,这13个人当中,谁是真正的村民,谁是热心的关注者,谁又是带着任务潜入的“有关部门”人员。

核心问题已经浮现:这些神秘的“绵阳来客”究竟是谁?他们为何而来?

二、13人微信群:数字舞台上神秘的演员们

随着13名成员集结完毕,这个微型剧场的帷幕缓缓拉开。对话开始流动,但很快,一些角色的言行就暴露出异样。他们的发言看似随意,却处处透露出精心设计的痕迹,仿佛每句话都经过了排练。一场数字化的侦探游戏就此展开,线索就隐藏在他们的头像、昵称和前后矛盾的言辞之中。

“涛哥”:充满矛盾的本地人

“涛哥”是群里最先活跃起来的角色之一。他最初的形象,是一个关心家乡环境的普通本地人。在被删除的文章下,他曾留下了一条评论,语气客观而关切:“如果真的有危险气体出来确实很危险。最近好像停产了?这几天没看到车辆出入” 。这条留言将他塑造成一个细心观察的在地居民,他的话似乎为事件的严重性提供了旁证,又暗示情况可能已有所好转。

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然而,当文章作者主动添加他为好友后,“涛哥”的人设变得可疑起来。在私聊中,他对着作者发出了截然相反的声明:“这个企业应该不大吧,我在家都没听说过这么一个工程(工厂)……我是本地人都没听说过” 。

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这是一个无法解释的矛盾。一个能注意到工厂门口车辆出入细节的人,怎么会“从未听说过”这个工厂?这种公然的自我否定,是第一个强烈的危险信号。它表明“涛哥”并非一个可靠的叙述者,他的言论背后隐藏着一个未言明的议程。

他不是在分享信息,而是在塑造信息。

随后,他又在群里声称“我昨天发给老家的帮我问,他们还专门去问了隔壁村,没说生产了”,试图以一种看似中立的方式,为事件画上一个“已经解决”的句号。

“谢军”:潜伏的地方官员

如果说“涛哥”扮演的是温和的引导者,那么“谢军”则是不加掩饰的“维稳”执行者。他的第一次亮相就充满了官方的威慑力。在文章评论区,他措辞严厉地指责作者:“这个企业都停产了,不要为了博眼球,蹭流量就夸大事实,甚至无中生有,发表一些不实言论,网络不是法外之地!” 。这番话不像普通网民的质疑,更像是一份官方训诫。

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进入微信群后,“谢军”的警告进一步升级。当有人在群里求文章备份时,他立刻发出警告:“这个(文章)转发会不会被公安监控哦?怕是要遭哦@坚果兄弟”(问了下四川的朋友,在四川话里,“怕是要遭哦” 是一句非常有地域特色的俗语。字面意思: 恐怕要出事了 / 可能要倒霉了。可以是提醒(“小心点,要出事哦”),也可以是半开玩笑或带威胁意味的暗示(“你这样做怕是要被抓哦”)),并紧接着补充道:“之前好像有人转发就被行政拘留了” 。这已经不是暗示,企图通过制造恐惧来压制信息的传播。

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“谢军”的真实身份,在他一次弄巧成拙的伪装中暴露了。10月21日晚,群主发现,“谢军”的微信名悄悄改成了“谢*”。这种欲盖弥彰的举动,反而激起了更深的怀疑。一个普通百姓为何要如此费力地隐藏自己的名字?

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调查的突破口就在这个被隐藏的名字里。在搜索引擎中输入“绵阳市安州区秀水镇谢军”,一个令人震惊的身份浮出水面。搜索结果显示,谢军,正是绵阳市安州区秀水镇的现任党委委员、人大主席。更具讽刺意味的是,根据政府官网的公开分工,谢军主席负责的工作中,赫然列着“生态环境保护” 。

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真相在此刻揭晓,整个事件的性质也随之颠覆。那个本应代表人民监督和保护当地环境的最高负责人,此刻正潜伏在一个事关公共利益的13人微信群里,扮演着污染企业的辩护者、信息传播的压制者和公民言论的威胁者。这暴露了一个深刻的利益冲突和职责扭曲。

为了更清晰地展示这场公共表演中的角色,以下是对群内关键行动者的分析:

群内化名 疑似身份/背景 关键言行 矛盾与分析
涛哥 地方政府关联人员/协同行动者 声称不认识工厂,却又了解其运营状况。分享精心挑选的截图以引导特定叙事。 其前后矛盾的言论暴露了他作为不可靠叙述者的角色,任务是引导对话方向,淡化污染问题。
谢军/谢 秀水镇人大主席(分管生态环境保护) 否认污染,指责作者炒作,并暗示转发文章可能被警方拘留。 涉嫌利益冲突。
AZ 地方政府关联人员/协同行动者 通过分享与“天盛麦冬幺哥”的对话截图,极力推动“经济纠纷”的说法。 与“涛哥”协同作战,试图将一场公共健康危机重新定义为一桩私人恩怨。
清风XX 地方政府关联人员/协同行动者 发表“我们小老百姓只想过平平淡淡的生活”等通用安抚性言论,并用天气预报等无关信息转移话题。 扮演“软性”影响者角色,试图为激烈的讨论降温,使局势正常化。

三、塑造新叙事:从公共污染事件,转为私人经济纠纷

随着各个角色的身份和动机逐渐清晰,一场精心策划的舆情应对在群内全面展开。这套策略并非即兴发挥,而是遵循了一套清晰的剧本,旨在通过重塑叙事来消解污染指控的合法性。

第一招:承认问题,但制造“问题已解决”的假象

10月21日,“涛哥”分享了一组关键截图。这次的截图来自一个名为“朝阳大集体”的微信群,据称是事发地朝阳村的村民群。群里的对话呈现出一片和谐的景象:

“星辰大海”说:“前些天政府滴人还跑屋头来看情况来滴,反正我是说遭得很凶哦”。

“赵”说:“相信政府!等待处理结果!”

“平淡快乐”说:“这次镇上那些还是反应快,这几天把场子都停了”。

“潘老二”说:“最近我专门跑去了,厂确实停了,也没闻到啥味道了”。

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这些对话传递了三个核心信息:一、政府已经介入且反应迅速;二、工厂已经停产,污染源已切断;三、村民们信任政府,对处理结果表示满意。这是一种典型的公关策略,通过制造“群众满意”的假象,来宣告事件已经圆满解决,从而使外界的进一步关注和追问显得多余和不合时宜。

第二招:将公共事件“私人化”

10月22日,微信名为“AZ”的成员在群里投下了另一枚“重磅炸弹”——4张与一位名叫“天盛麦冬幺哥”的微信聊天截图。这位“幺哥”在对话中,将整个污染事件描绘成一场由个人贪欲引发的闹剧。

他的核心论点是:所谓的污染,不过是“距离他们厂另外一个村的老百姓有啥子竹子落叶,然后就说他们厂的烟子熏了,想喊这个厂老板赔钱”,但因为“其他地方都没有出现问题”,所以老板拒绝赔偿,于是“这个老百姓就在组织找政府”闹事。

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这段叙述极为巧妙。它将一个涉及“呼吸困难”和“农作物大面积受损”的公共健康问题,轻描淡写地降格为一场关于“几根竹子”的“经济纠纷”。它通过暗示投诉者有“想喊老板赔钱”的勒索动机,巧妙地将受害者污名化,剥夺了他们投诉的道德正当性。

第三招:为污染源“无害化”

当群主质疑工厂排出的“刺激性味道”时,“AZ”再次抛出与“幺哥”的对话截图。这位“幺哥”给出了一套听起来颇为“专业”的解释。他声称,磷肥厂的味道并非臭味,而是“正规磷肥该有的味道”,甚至说“我们买磷肥如果没有那个酸味,还不敢买”。至于竹子落叶,他也解释为“一处小树林,里面有伴生了几根竹子,唯独竹子掉叶子了,旁边紧挨的其他树子都没问题”,暗示这与工厂无关。

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这套说辞的目的是将污染的证据——刺鼻气味和植物死亡——进行“无害化”处理。它试图用一种伪科学的逻辑,将污染现象正常化,甚至将其与“产品质量好”联系起来,从而彻底瓦解投诉的核心依据。

而事实上,这家磷肥厂的产品因质量问题被曝光过。

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第四招:团队协作,一唱一和

这场舆论应对并非单打独斗。当“涛哥”分享完“朝阳大集体”的和谐截图后,他总结道:“看来有效果,拭目以待”。而一直潜水的谢军主席,也在此刻恰到好处地附和:“看来听说是真的,问题得到解决了就对了”。

当“AZ”抛出“经济纠纷”论后,“涛哥”立刻跟进评论:“估计就是一点经济纠纷” 。

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就连那位喜欢发天气预报的“清风徐徐”,也在“磷肥酸味替代毒气”“烟囱的烟比早些年小的多了”论出现后,发出一句“哦,这还差不多”,表示认可。

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这种高度同步的反应模式,暴露了他们之间存在着明确的分工和协同。他们组成了一个舆情应对小组,有人负责提供“素材”(截图),有人负责解读和引导,有人负责附和与肯定,共同将讨论引向预设的轨道。

这套在13人微信群里上演的舆论操控,或许揭示了一套基层危机管理的标准化剧本。它分为三步:第一,最小化,将严重的公共危害降级为微不足道的私人纠纷;第二,污名化,暗示投诉者具有不良的经济动机;第三,宣告胜利,通过制造或筛选证据,营造出问题已被圆满解决的氛围。这套剧本的核心,不在于解决事实层面的问题,而在于控制叙事层面的权力。

四、官网投诉:刺鼻的空气与枯死的竹叶

在微信群那个由精心编排的对话和截图构成的虚拟世界之外,是另一个截然不同的现实。这个现实,存在于当地居民的肺里,存在于枯萎的农田里,也存在于那些被迅速删除的求助信息里。

让我们回到事件的原点——那两份在人民网“领导留言板”上发布的投诉。它们是整个事件的导火索,也是被官方叙事极力掩盖的“地表真相”。

10月14日,一位用户向绵阳市委书记留言,言辞恳切而急迫:“绵阳市安州区秀水镇*工厂污染,绵阳市安州区秀水镇石红村农作物受污染和老百姓呼吸困难,希望上级领导重视”。

一天后,另一位用户向四川省委书记发出了更详细的求助:“朝*磷肥厂污染我们的农作物和我们老百姓的身体,几个月了越来越严重……2025年8月13号,农作物大面积受伤害,直到10月9号早上老百姓呼吸磷肥化工厂的气体,又一次出现烟雾刺鼻,10月10号早上竹林树木叶子全落,希望领导重视”。

将这两份原始投诉的语言,与微信群里官方人员的叙事并置,一种巨大的鸿沟显现出来。

  • 居民的现实

    “呼吸困难”、“烟雾刺鼻”、“农作物大面积受伤害”、“竹林树木叶子全落”。这些词汇描述的是一种直接的、痛苦的身体感受和经济损失。它们是具体的、可感知的伤害。

  • 疑官方的叙事

    “一点经济纠纷”、“几根竹子”、“正规磷肥该有的酸味”。这些词汇则是抽象的、轻描淡写的,它们将具体的伤害模糊化、琐碎化,甚至正常化。

这种语言上的天壤之别,揭示了有关部门应对策略涉嫌:去公共化。通过将一个影响“一家老小”身体健康的公共安全危机,重新定义为一个关于竹子的财务纠纷,他们成功地将受害者的痛苦从等式中抹去。这使得他们可以心安理得地将其作为一个公关问题来“管理”,而不是一个需要紧急干预的公共卫生事件来“解决”。这种策略的本质,是用政治话术取代人道关怀。

这一事件并非孤例,而是当地深层环境问题的一个症候。绵阳市近年来在大气污染防治方面本就面临挑战,曾因环境空气质量反弹而被省级部门约谈。而磷化工产业(即所谓的“三磷”产业)一直是四川省环境治理的重点和难点,其生产过程伴随着严重的水、气、渣污染风险。因此,朝阳磷肥厂的污染问题,并非一个偶然的意外,而是植根于一个长期存在的高风险产业和区域性环境治理困境之中。微信群里的那套说辞,不仅是在掩盖一个孤立的事件,更是在回避一个结构性的难题。

2018年11月,中央第五生态环境保护督察组曾发布一份措辞严厉的通报,直指绵阳市安州区的磷化工污染问题。通报的核心内容包括:

  • 巨大的污染存量:

    截至2014年底,安州区(朝阳磷肥厂所在地)的4家磷化工企业,露天堆存了约260万吨磷石膏。这些磷石膏含有剩余的酸、氟化物、重金属和放射性组分。

  • 整改不力:

    地方政府虽制定了消减方案,但“进展缓慢,未取得实质性进展”。截至2018年10月,仍有约210万吨磷石膏堆存,近5年时间仅消减了不到20% 。

  • “**三防措施形同虚设:**

    堆场的防渗、防风、防洪措施长期不到位,渗滤液和冲洗废水未经处理,通过雨水沟直接排放,严重污染水体。

  • 严重的水体污染:

    监测数据显示,2018年1月至9月,干河子沿岸的地下水和地表水总磷“普遍超标”,同时,氟化物也存在不同程度的超标。

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五、震耳欲聋的沉默背后,官方渠道的2份投诉也消失了

10月21日下午。在“涛哥”分享了“朝阳大集体”微信群的和谐截图,谢军也附和说“问题得到解决了就对了”之后,群主决定不再进行迂回的试探。他直接在群里引用了谢军的话,然后发出了灵魂一问:

“谢主席你怎么看?”

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这是第一次公开点明了“谢*”的真实身份——秀水镇人大主席。这个称呼将他从一个匿名的、不负责任的网民身份,瞬间拉回到了他作为公职人员的现实角色中。他不再是“谢*”,而是谢主席,是那个法定职责包含“生态环境保护”的谢主席。

震耳欲聋的沉默。

谢军,或者说“谢*”,没有回复。他没有承认,也没有否认。他选择了彻底的沉默。从那一刻起,他在这个13人的群里再也没有说过一句话。他就像一个被聚光灯突然照到的影子,瞬间凝固,然后消失在了黑暗中。这种戛然而止的沉默,本身就是一种默认。它比任何辩解都更有力地证实了他的身份,以及他无法面对公开问责的窘境。

几天后,当作者尝试通过微信群添加谢军为好友时,请求石沉大海,未能通过。他不仅在群聊中消失了,也切断了任何可能通向他的私人联系渠道。他的数字人格,在与真实身份和公共责任发生碰撞的瞬间,便彻底蒸发了。

然而,故事的结局比这更彻底。行动从微信群内部延伸到了更广阔的公共领域。10月23日下午,当人们再次访问人民网的领导留言板时,那两条引发了这一切的原始投诉,已经消失得无影无踪。官方记录被悄然抹去,仿佛那些关于“呼吸困难”和“竹叶落尽”的呼救从未存在过。

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这种结局背后,可能隐藏着一种被称为“先删帖再办事”的潜规则。地方部门可能会联系发帖人,以解决问题为交换条件,要求他们主动删除投诉,从而消除负面舆情。有时,甚至可能演变成“只删帖不办事”。无论具体过程如何,结果是明确的:官方的问责渠道被关闭,公民求助的痕迹被清除。

整个事件展示了数字时代问责机制的脆弱性。

关于绵阳朝阳磷肥厂污染事件(最终如何处理?),

谢军表示:“等待官宣”。

那到底啥时候能官宣?什么部门宣?

我们搬个小板凳,排排坐等……

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以及,在10月24日发稿前刚收到一个信息:

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朋友们,欢迎加入新群……

 其他:《“特朗普撞钟”:当孟加拉村民为全球气候危机敲响警钟》

往事和随想|什么叫“农闹”?谁在说“农闹”?

25 October 2025 at 08:08
CDT 档案卡
标题:什么叫“农闹”?谁在说“农闹”?
作者:彭远文
发表日期:2025.10.14
来源:微信公众号-往事和随想
主题归类:三农问题
CDS收藏:公民馆
版权说明:该作品版权归原作者所有。中国数字时代仅对原作进行存档,以对抗中国的网络审查。详细版权说明

我也是这几个月才知道“农闹”这个词的。

只要你一说提高农民养老金,马上就有人说你是“农闹”,紧跟着“白嫖”、“想领养老金去交社保啊”,“多缴多得少缴少得不缴不得”一类套话。后面这些说辞我都已专门驳斥过,今天就来说说“农闹”这个词。

看到这个词,第一感是有种时光错乱的感觉:这是想贴个标签把人打倒吗?第二感是:这难道不是一个褒义词吗?

举个例子比较容易理解,比如“盲流”,这词和“农闹”特别像,但用今天的观念看,“盲流”就是一个不折不扣的褒义词啊。不管是为了逃难,还是追求更美好的生活,这样的人都很值得敬佩。

我爸给我讲过一个村里人的故事,叫彭商成,大鸣大放的时候提意见,秋后算账被每晚批斗,然后他就偷跑掉了,一直跑到了新疆,当了农场工人。晚年回到老家,有个冬天吃补药(猪肉加上一些所谓的补药一起熬),吃太多了死了。听完这个故事,我太喜欢这个人了,结局也好,简直就是喜丧,比他那些被饿死的同辈不知道强到哪里去了!

所以,如果把不听话,不守规矩,敢于反抗的人称为“农闹”,这样的人才是中国的脊梁。

这条视频中的周怀林,按一些人的说法,就是一个典型的“农闹”。看看今天,多少敬仰他,多少人说他不朽。

还有小岗村18农户赌上身家性命搞大包干,这不也是一群不守规矩、胆大妄为的“农闹”干出来的事情吗?

由此,我们完全可以说,正是“农闹”在推进中国社会的进步。抛开官话套话,很容易发现历史的真相是什么。再给大家看条视频。

樟木头收容所的短视频网上很多,随便一条就有几千上万的点赞转发。你告诉我:南下打工是政府鼓励的,还是农民自己冒险“盲流”过去的?谁在阻碍社会进步,谁在推动社会进步,这不是一目了然的事情吗?

所以,“农闹”当然是一个褒义词,听到这样的评价应该感到高兴。就好像有人说我是“公知”,我一般会偷笑得合不拢嘴,然后假装谦虚回复“不敢当不敢当”。

所以,那些把“农闹”挂在嘴边的人,他们的人物画像会是什么样的?

首先不要跟他们谈同情心正义感。数以亿计的农村老人每个月只有不到两百元养老金,在这个现实面前,没有任何理由可以为之辩护,不管是什么原因造成的都亟待改变。这些都是最基本的人性和常情常理,所以完全没有必要跟他们谈公义,因为这是他们本来就没有的东西。我过去写那么多篇,与其说是为了跟他们辩论,不如说是想梳理不公是如何形成的。

然后他们没有现实感,似乎还生活在旧时代(我不知道他们的年龄段)。“盲流”也好,“黑五类”也罢,这类名词之所以有效,在于背后有暴力机器的支撑。一介平民贴个“农闹”标签就想把人打倒,这是妄想症,得治。当然,我能理解,他们倒是不认为自己有这个能力,而是认为自己在抱赵家人的大腿,真是可笑又可叹。要知道,那个时代已经过去了,即便还没有完全过去,毕竟今日不同往日了。

而且他们贪婪成性。他们拿着几千上万的退休金,却不愿意把农民的养老金提高到几百一千。有体制内的人会说,希望提高农民的养老金,即便这会降低自己的退休收入,这是精神明亮人格敞亮的人。更多的人占了便宜会一言不发,这是“聪明人”。而这种到处说“农闹”的,生怕动了他们的蛋糕,生怕以后涨得少了,得何等贪婪才会如此着急?

他们不仅贪婪而且愚蠢恶毒——蠢与坏有时候不那么好分辨。他们除了把“农闹”、“白嫖”、“不交社保”、“多缴多得”挂在嘴边一天到晚叨叨叨,对其他一无所知。你告诉他事实和数据,他就当没看见,他们虽是体制内,但连体制内专家的内容都不看。比如说,我谈普惠养老金是因为看了蔡昉,谈体制内退休金太高是因为看了郑功成,这两位是中国社会保障学界级别最高的专家,他们看吗?他们不看,但他们会给你扣帽子,说你制造矛盾,煽动对立。

他们当然不爱人民,而且他们也不爱国爱党。但凡有一点理性的人,都知道不能竭泽而渔,下手不能太狠,要细水长流。但他们不,他们是国之吸血虫,你跟他说老龄化危机,养老金危机,他根本不管;你让他省着点吸,长治久安地吸,他不愿意。他们这样的人,谈何爱国爱党?当他们以所谓大局观来PUA你的时候,须知他们才是为小家舍大家的典范。

总结一下,这是我见过的最好的和最丑恶的一群人:一群人勇敢、坚毅、勤奋,乃国之栋梁,另一群人狭隘、冷漠、贪婪,他们像一条只知道不停进食的贪吃蛇。如果任由它们一直吞噬下去,它们会毁了这个世界,我们当然不会把世界拱手让给我们所鄙夷的这群人。

相关文章:

农民养老金十问十答

体制内退休金不能再这样涨下去了

论中国应该实行普惠养老金的九个理由

【404媒体】两个空间的告别:当“独立”成为无法承受之重,成都“叢林BushDefinition”和广州“扔石头ThrowStone”宣布停止活动

25 October 2025 at 08:00

10月末,两家独立社群空间成都“叢林Bush Definition”和广州“扔石头ThrowStone”宣布停止活动,主要原因分别是“本地给予独立运作的文化活动可执行空间的缩窄”和“不可抗力”。

叢林BushDefinition无限期停止举办活动

叢林BushDefinition官网介绍:

叢林BUSH DEFINITION是一个创建于2011年4月的非盈利独立文化推广组织,由一群热爱电影、爱艺术的年轻志愿者协同运作。旨在通过展映、演出、沙龙、出版和销售等多种途径,发现、整合和推广有鲜明个性的独立文化。叢林,致力于成为成都最具特色和最有活力的独立文化活动组织者。

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图片来自其官网

CDT 档案卡
标题:【404媒体】两个空间的告别:当“独立”成为无法承受之重,成都“叢林BushDefinition”和广州“扔石头ThrowStone”宣布停止活动
作者:中国数字时代
发表日期:2025.10.24
来源:叢林BushDefinition
来源:广州扔石头空间
主题归类:社群
CDS收藏:公民馆
版权说明:该作品版权归原作者所有。中国数字时代仅对原作进行存档,以对抗中国的网络审查。详细版权说明

10月24日,叢林在其官方微信上发布一则公告,宣布无限期停止举办活动。叢林团队表示,所有过往活动与资料将陆续归档至其官方网站:www.bushdefinition.com,以“保存”这十四年的记忆。其公众号也将暂时保留,“不时分享本地影像活动资讯”。

叢林Bush Definition 将从即日起无限期停止举办活动。

自2011年在成都创办以来,叢林Bush Definition 依托海内外独立影像创作内容,在十四年间主办及协同举办了近300场不同规模的电影沙龙、创作分享、电影节展、工作坊等,放映影片超过720部,邀请到100余位创作者及嘉宾与成都观众达成交流。

鉴于本地给予独立运作的文化活动可执行空间的缩窄,以及当下具备独立思考表达、与现实共振的文化艺术作品愈发不可见,我们很难再无畏且有质量地完成活动的策划与实施。

因此,我们认为叢林BushDefinition 已经完成了它这一阶段的的使命。所有过往的活动、文章及图片将陆续汇总至网站 www.bushdefinition.com 作为档案保存。

在找到更好的回归形式之前,我们将保留此公众号账号作为线上平台,不时分享有价值的成都本地影像活动资讯。

感谢给予叢林BushDefinition 帮助、合作、关注的每一个人。

再会!

扔石头空间:一颗石头的告别@2025.10

“扔石头ThrowStone”是广州一个面向职校生的独立社群空间,位于广州白云区多所职业学校附近。该空间由替代性教育实践者子津在2024年7月发起。“扔石头ThrowStone”为职校学生提供自由交流、休息与成长的平台,举办观影会、工作坊、分享会等活动,鼓励职校生参与策划与表达。它旨在发现“不一样的职业教育观察,关心具体的职校生”,创造一个开放、多元、友好的青年社群环境。

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图片来Instagram账号“binghuang_yun”

10月底,独立空间“扔石头ThrowStone”宣布空间关停:一颗石头的告别@2025.10

我知道你感到可惜,我也很难过。但,我暂时没有力气为了“不难过”而去做更多了。

这,就是当下我能做的全部。

当然,我设想过许多其它的可能。状态超好的时候,我甚至想过,这个空间可以存在十年,存在于此,见证来往的职校学生从入学到毕业,从人生的某个阶段到另一阶段。

从2024年7月到2025年10月,扔石头空间存在了一年零四个月。实际上,如果没有朋友们的支持(各种意义上),我们连半年都撑不下来,谢谢你们。

其实最初做这个空间的时候,我设立的目标是一年——能开一年就不错了。过去的这几年,我和身边的不少朋友一样,渐渐学会不再制定过于长远的计划。对我来说,很多事情何时发生、如何发生,几乎是不可预测的,但我知道它们会发生。空间关停便是其中一件。

即便如此,我还是许了很多愿望,多得要活到50岁才有可能完成。真是有够夸张。

许愿的方式是写to-do。在空间被租下来的两周前,我开始记录要在这里做的事情。有的实现了,比如乒乓球比赛、打印出喜欢的文章并分享给更多人、共学、二手闲置交换……有的还在等待,比如社区生活手册、夜校、与学生共同翻译……

遗憾的是,有的愿望无法在这里实现了。但我告诉自己,许愿的动作没有被忘记就好。

最近偶尔会回忆起这样一件往事。2021年,我前往一家即将关停的工伤机构,参加TA们的告别活动,小小的屋里坐满了人。我从那里带回一个搪瓷杯,上面印有机构的名字。住在上上个出租屋的时候,它被我放在洗手间里,锈迹斑斑。一天,一个在公益行业工作了二十年的朋友来家住,看见那个杯子,她把照片发给了曾在那家已关停的机构工作过的伙伴,说想让TA们知道这神奇的连接。

从那些曾经存在过的事物里,我获得过来自遥远时空的馈赠,像一场接力,上一个人不知道下一棒会交给谁,下一个人会在到达某个点后选择休息。

那时,外人如我,看见不同机构关停的消息,除了叹息和祝福,很难给出更多。但祝福依然是重要的,有了这些祝福,我们或许更有勇气重新起航,在未来的某一天。我一直知道自己不是一个人在前行。

和那些机构类似,空间因为不可抗力而关停。写到这里,我问自己,什么是不可抗力呢?它就像一个筐,有时用于规避,有时用于偷懒。我可以继续开这个空间,和不可抗力对抗,但这意味着我将和真实的恐惧同行、纠缠,和过去一样。

可是我真的好累,好累。弥漫在身体里的情绪不是其它,是深深的疲惫感。像是再一次,洪水来袭,而我要做的,是在被冲垮的原地扶起倒掉的、拼凑摔碎的,重建一些生活。休息的愿望是此刻最强烈的愿望,“放过自己吧”,夜里睡不着时、清晨醒来时,我把它说给自己听。

我也想过更彻底的离开——我总是这样说,但从未真的这样做。我觉得是希望害了我;如果它害了我,它也许应当被叫做侥幸。但认真想了想,还是叫它希望吧。有时候我也希望活得无忧无虑。

我并不是喜欢危险的人,甚至不是一个冒险的人,毕竟连尝试“奇怪食物”对我而言都不是简单的事情。但我常常将自己置于危险的境地,最初几乎是在懵懂中被卷入的,出于直觉,或冲动。然后这段生命就在危险中反复,再也无法回到安全的领地。

可是,人要如何对得起自己还能活在安全里?无解的问题。接受它们无法两全会不会反而轻松一点?不能既要又要,经数次验证这是我人生的重要课题。

关停空间,是一次暂停。“暂停”是比“放弃”更准确的词,就像在舞动中练习暂停一样,它并不意味着你放弃了这支舞、这份感知。

但“暂停”也不容易,我总做不到在行动中暂停,习惯了马不停蹄地做各种事情,那些我认为重要的事情。无法停下,有多少出于动力,有多少出于恐惧?也许这二者本就一直交织着,在我的生命中。

在某些层面上,告别比继续更难。而困难的不仅仅是和这个空间告别,更是和与之缠绕在一起的生活、关系告别。种种交叠,让这一切变得无比艰难。

但我也愿意并下定决心面对与迎接新的,新的,任何。我想知道,剥除一些东西后,我是否能看到不被“做事情”定义的我,我是否能够爱那个停下来的我,我是否能够接受“失去”并拥抱被冲刷的身体,在雨季就只看看雨。

学着将每次行动看作一次试验,试验在这个环境里,还能做点什么。忽然想起一句很喜欢的诗,来自《葛兰西的骨灰》:“但我,怀着一个只能活在历史中的人的自知之心,我能否再以纯净的激情去行动,当得知我们的历史已终结?”

🐶🌧️🍺🚗🌄🍯🍉📝🪜✈️🎋💆⛵️

10月25日-10月27日,下午2点-晚上,扔石头空间开放,作为这一阶段最后的告别。

我们将在现场开设二手市场,把空间里的大件小件低价售出,来过的朋友都知道,东西超多的,欢迎你来看看、购买。这也是一种延续。

朋友格瓦斯激情刻制了狗狗武艺版画,现场有纸可以印,你也可以带上衣服、布料、帆布袋等,把武艺“带回家”。除此之外,我们准备了一周年小册子——让我们一起记住发生过的。

因为精力有限,现场我们不设问答环节(笑),但欢迎关心、留言、拥抱……

欢迎你来,我们的朋友。

❤️

Justice Department Will Monitor Elections in California and New Jersey

The Trump administration said that monitors will watch polling in two states, led by Democrats, where key races or issues are on the ballot.

© Mike Kai Chen for The New York Times

A resident in Redding, Calif. observed poll workers processing ballots at the Shasta County election office last November.

中国国务院党组会议 :推进十五五规划建议部署的战略任务落实

25 October 2025 at 07:51

中国国务院总理、党组书记李强星期五(10月24日)主持召开国务院党组会议,学习贯彻中共二十届四中全会精神。会议强调,要依据规划建议编制好“十五五”规划纲要,全力推进规划建议部署的重大战略任务落实。

据中新社报道,会议指出,四中全会审议通过的《中共中央关于制定国民经济和社会发展第十五个五年规划的建议》,为做好“十五五”时期各项工作、开创中国式现代化建设新局面提供了科学指南。

会议强调,要全面贯彻二十届四中全会作出的战略部署,把全会擘画的“十五五”发展宏伟蓝图细化成施工图、路线图,确保落地落实。要依据规划建议编制好“十五五”规划纲要,科学设置指标体系,提出分领域具体目标,谋划一批带动性强的重大政策、重大改革、重大项目。统筹推进各专项规划、区域规划和地方规划的制定工作,加强与国家总体发展规划的有机衔接,形成高质量的“十五五”规划体系。要全力推进规划建议部署的重大战略任务落实,加快制定实施方案,抓好任务分解和职责分工,深入系统设计政策措施,精心做好组织实施。

会议也提出,要针对形势变化及时研究应对举措,认真抓好当前各项工作,巩固拓展经济向好态势,确保“十四五”圆满收官,同时抓紧谋划明年政策举措,确保“十五五”良好开局。

中共二十届四中全会星期四(23日)在北京闭幕,全会审议通过了“十五五”经济社会发展规划建议,强调将坚持以经济建设为中心及推动高质量发展。

80天三人登山遇难 深圳国家地质公园提醒勿入未开放区域

25 October 2025 at 07:24

80天内三人在深圳大鹏半岛国家地质自然公园登山遇难,安全问题引起关注。公园方面发文提醒游客遵守规定,不要擅自进入未开放区域。

深圳大鹏半岛国家地质自然公园微信公众号星期五(10月24日)下午发布《【安全警示】安全红线不可逾越!》一文,文章提醒:这里不是市政公园,而是山高林茂、地形复杂的自然保护地。

文章提到,“望郎归”等野景点,看似风景壮丽,实则危机四伏。管理处已设置大量警示牌,并开展常态化巡查劝阻,但仍有游客冒险前往,一旦发生意外,后果不堪设想。

文章披露,自2023年以来,公园管理处已参与救援行动229起。很多游客被困求助,虽大部分有惊无险,但独自闯入未开放区域的行为,无疑是将自身置于极大的危险之中。

文章提醒游客务必遵守公园管理规定,全程在已开放的游览线路上活动,不擅自进入未开放区域;务必结伴同行,相互照应,切勿独自冒险登山;务必做好充分准备,携带足够的饮水、食物和照明设备,并确保手机电量充足。

据澎湃新闻报道,深圳大鹏半岛国家地质自然公园2024年5月也发布过相关安全提醒称,“园区内未开放区域山高路险,极易发生危险,请听从工作人员安排,请勿进入未开放区域。”

公开资料显示,深圳大鹏半岛国家地质自然公园园区面积46.07平方公里,是深圳市最大的公园,也是深圳市唯一的地质主题公园。

望郎归山峰海拔约434米,是深圳市大鹏半岛七娘山主峰东南方向的山峰,有壮丽的海景以及丰富的海蚀地貌,受到户外爱好者的追捧。但望郎归区域在公园范围内属于未开放区域。

公开报道显示,今年8月10日,27岁的贵州毕节男子蔡磊独自前往深圳大鹏半岛国家公园登山,随后失联。蔡磊失联超过两个月后,有人在深圳大鹏半岛国家公园发现一具遗体,后经确认为蔡磊。

9月6日,58岁台湾魏姓游客前往深圳大鹏七娘山徒步后失联。9月11日该男子遗体被发现,已无生命体征。警方随后初步排除刑事案件。

10月16日,32岁的钟姓徒步者独自在“望郎归”徒步时失联。21日下午,钟姓徒步者在“望郎归”望夫石的海边被找到,但最终经抢救无效离世。

Mamdani Says Rivals Are Pushing Hate as Mayor’s Race Enters Last Stretch

25 October 2025 at 08:14
Zohran Mamdani’s opponents, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, denied accusations that they are stoking Islamophobia with their rhetoric and actions.

© Amir Hamja for The New York Times

Zohran Mamdani on Friday delivered a 10-minute address to criticize what he characterized as Islamophobic attacks against him as he runs for mayor.

Adams Eyes a Reality TV Star Who Could Help Block a Mamdani Rent Freeze

25 October 2025 at 08:04
Mayor Eric Adams has only weeks left in office, but he can use them to appoint people with the ability to shape policy beyond his tenure.

© Karsten Moran for The New York Times

Eleonora Srugo, a real estate agent, reality TV star and friend of Mayor Eric Adams, said a member of the mayor’s administration had asked her to serve on the Rent Guidelines Board.

Venezuela's Maduro says US 'fabricating war' as it deploys world's largest warship

25 October 2025 at 07:04
Pete Hegseth on X Sureveillance image of boat on water - it says declassified above it in green capped lattersPete Hegseth on X

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the US had carried out another strike against a ship alleged to belong to drug traffickers.

The operation took place in the Caribbean Sea, against a group Hegseth identified as the Tren de Aragua criminal organisation.

Hegseth said "six male narco-terrorists" were on board and killed.

The US has carried out a series of strikes on ships in the region, in what President Donald Trump has described as an effort to curtail drug trafficking.

Hegseth posted a video on X showing the operation. The video begins by showing a boat in a crosshairs, before it explodes into a cloud of smoke.

This is the tenth strike the Trump administration has carried out against alleged drug traffickers since early September. Most have taken place off of South America, in the Caribbean, but on 21 and 22 October it carried out strikes in the Pacific Ocean.

Members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, have raised concerns about the legality of the strikes and the president's authority to order them.

Trump said he has the legal authority to order the strikes, and has designated Tren de Aragua a terrorist organisation.

As Strictly is back on screens, bookies take bets on new Tess and Claudia

25 October 2025 at 07:00
BBC Claudia Winkleman and Tess DalyBBC
Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly's last edition of Strictly will air on Christmas Day

Strictly stars are gearing up for the contest's annual Icons Week, days after co-hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman shocked fans by announcing they'll be leaving the show.

In a joint statement on Thursday, the pair said they were "always going to leave together and now feels like the right time".

The duo will step down at the end of the current series, with the Christmas special set to be their last show.

Some have speculated the pair may say more about their departure during Saturday's live show. Earlier this week, Winkleman said: "It's best to leave a party before you're fully ready to go."

On Friday, Deadline reported that Winkleman is in advanced talks to host her own chat show. The BBC has not commented.

There's also no hint yet from the BBC on who might take over from Winkleman and Daly on Strictly, and it could be several months before replacements are signed up.

Commentators have been speculating about who would be the right fit for the show and whether it should be a well-established presenter or an up-and-coming star.

Producers could perhaps look to bring in a current or former presenter from sister show, Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two.

The show is currently hosted by singer Fleur East, who participated in Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, and professional dancer Janette Manrara.

Broadcaster Rylan Clark also hosted the spin-off for four years and Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball hosted it for 10 years.

Picture of Fleur East competing in Strictly Come Dancing in 2022
Fleur East has been presenting Strictly: It Takes Two for the last two years and could be in the mix as a replacement host

Some bookmakers have named The One Show's Roman Kemp as their favourite for the Strictly job - with Coral cutting their odds.

Actress Hannah Waddingham, Big Brother co-host AJ Odudu, former Strictly winner Stacey Dooley and Celebrity Traitors' breakout star Alan Carr are among the other names being mooted.

Ladbrokes is also offering odds on Holly Willoughby as a surprise frontrunner, with another ITV star, Alison Hammond also on their list.

Whether BBC bosses want to recruit from within the organisation or look to poach stars from rivals remains to be seen.

Caroline Frost, TV editor of the Radio Times, described Daly and Winkleman as "a formidable presenting duo".

Asked if their departure could potentially mean and end to the show, the TV critic told BBC Breakfast there was no need to "throw the baby out with the bath water" and that a "a rebrand" was more likely.

"It still draws in millions of viewers," she said of Strictly. "It's only bad compared with those extraordinary, phenomenal ratings earlier in its reign.

"But certainly it will be like other programmes we've seen before, Doctor Who, Match of the Day, MasterChef; they've all had opportunities for a rebrand... so this could be one of those shows."

On Saturday evening's show, the 11 remaining couples will take to the ballroom floor to honour music icons from across the decades, with songs by Beyoncé, Harry Styles and Ariana Grande in the mix.

On Sunday night, Hollywood actress Rachel Zegler will also make a guest appearance, performing Don't Cry For Me Argentina in the results show.

But Neighbours star Stefan Dennis will no longer appear after he withdrew from the contest due to injury.

'The end of an era'

Tess Daly began presenting Strictly alongside Sir Bruce Forsyth 21 years ago, while Winkleman joined as a main presenter in 2014.

In a joint statement on Thursday, they said: "We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream."

Daly and Winkleman have fronted the hit BBC show as it has faced a string of controversies in recent years, relating to the behaviour of some of its professional dancers and celebrity guests.

The BBC's chief content officer, Kate Phillips, called it "the end of an era", and described the pair as "incredible hosts".

Here's who is dancing on Saturday night - and to what:

Amber Davies & Nikita Kuzmin dancing on Strictly
Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin will dance the Cha Cha Cha to Break Free by Ariana Grande
  • Alex and Johannes - Foxtrot to Here You Come Again by Dolly Parton
  • Amber and Nikita - Cha Cha Cha to Break Free by Ariana Grande
  • Balvinder and Julian - Quickstep to Texas Hold 'Em by Beyoncé
  • Ellie and Vito - Salsa to Spice Girls Medley
  • George and Alexis - Jive to As It Was by Harry Styles
  • Harry and Karen - Argentine Tango to Caught Up by Usher
  • Jimmy and Lauren - American Smooth to Purple Rain by Prince
  • Karen and Carlos - Rumba to Think Twice by Céline Dion
  • La Voix and Aljaž - Salsa to Strong Enough by Cher
  • Lewis and Katya - Quickstep to Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash
  • Vicky and Kai - Couple's Choice to Fight For This Love by Cheryl
The professional dancers in Strictly Come Dancing, in the studio, dressed in some famous outfits worn by pop star Britney Spears
Saturday's episode will see the professional dancers recreate several of Britney Spears's most famous looks

Away from the Tess and Claudia news, the show goes on - with the couples performing routines to songs from their favourite music heroes on Saturday night.

Icons week was introduced last year, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Strictly. The other special weeks in Strictly are: Movies, Halloween, Blackpool and Musicals.

The judges will also be in costume as different icons, but fans will have to watch to find out exactly who they're dressed as.

They will provide their scores before audiences get to vote and have their say.

Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston topped the leaderboard last week with 36 points and, more importantly, was dubbed a "queen" by head judge Shirley Ballas who awarded her a perfect 10 for her Rumba.

Earlier this week, Dennis - who was partnered with professional Dianne Buswell, issued a statement saying he had torn his calf "so significantly" that he had been forced to pull out of the competition.

When I met the Australian actor backstage ahead of the first live show, he told me his main reason for taking part was so he could take his wife out dancing.

And in his statement, he insisted he would still be able to do that.

BBC/PA Wire BBC handout photo of Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe during their appearance on the live show of Saturday's Strictly Come Dancing show on BBC1. Issue date: Saturday October 18, 2025BBC/PA Wire
Johannes Radebe and Alex Kingston go into this week's contest in a strong position, having scored a 10 for their rumba last week

"I owe both the Strictly family and Dianne a massive debt of gratitude for giving me the opportunity to fulfil my dream of being able to dance with my wife (when my leg is better)," Dennis said.

Dennis won't be replaced in the contest. The series will continue with the pairs who are already in it, putting this year's series on course for three couples in the final.

On Sunday night, the professional dancers will perform a dance paying tribute to pop star Britney Spears.

US actress and singer Zegler, 24, who starred in Jamie Lloyd's revival of Evita in the West End this summer, will sail into the results show to perform the play’s famous song.

But it's not all fun and games. On Sunday night, the two bottom placed couples will go head-to-head in the dreaded dance-off, with both competing for a place in the annual Halloween spectacular next weekend.

Strictly Come Dancing is broadcast live at 18:25 BST on BBC One and on BBC iPlayer.

Rubio says lots of countries willing to join Gaza security force

24 October 2025 at 23:58
Reuters Marco Rubio, wearing a dark blue suit, stands behind two microphones, with both hands openReuters
Marco Rubio warned of "bumps in the road" but said the US is committed to making the peace plan work

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said "a lot of countries" have offered to be part of an international security force for Gaza - a key part of President Donald Trump's peace plan - but added Israel would have to be comfortable with participants.

Speaking on a visit to Israel, Rubio said talks on forming the International Stabilization Force (ISF) were continuing and that it would come into effect "as soon as it possibly can".

It remained unclear, however, how such a force could be deployed without an understanding with Hamas.

He said the Israel-Hamas ceasefire had made "historic" progress since it began two weeks ago, but warned to expect "ups and downs and twists and turns".

"There is no plan B," he said. "This is the best plan. It's the only plan. And it's one that we think can succeed."

Rubio said conditions had to be created "so that never again will we see what happened on 7 October, so that you can actually be in a place [Gaza] that no longer has elements operating within it that are a threat to Israel or to their own people for that matter".

The war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken to Gaza as hostages.

At least 68,280 Palestinians have been killed by the Israel military campaign that followed, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are seen by the United Nations as reliable.

Rubio said Hamas will be disarmed, as required by Trump's plan. "If Hamas refuses to demilitarise, it'll be a violation of the agreement and that'll have to be enforced," he said.

"Hamas cannot govern and cannot be involved in governing the future of Gaza," he added.

Rubio's visit caps a week in which senior American officials, including Vice-President JD Vance, came to Israel. It's a sign that Washington is determined to make Trump's plan for Gaza succeed and is concerned that actions by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government might collapse it. In Israeli media, the effort has been described as "Bibi-sitting", a play with the prime minister's nickname.

In recent days, multiple reports have suggested the White House's frustration with the Israeli government, fuelled by the military's deadly response to an attack it blamed on Hamas in Gaza last weekend and the vote in the Israeli parliament towards the annexation of the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, while Vance was visiting.

The Israeli Haaretz newspaper reported that American officials said they would "not tolerate any surprises from Israel that could jeopardise the ceasefire", and that they were expecting advance notice from Israel before any strikes in Gaza. "In practice," the report said, "the US [was] taking over certain security authorities from Israel".

In public, Netanyahu, whose coalition relies on the support of ultra-nationalist ministers, has rejected reports that Washington is making decisions on Israel's behalf, describing the country's relationship as a partnership.

The apparent pressure from the country's most important ally, at a time when Israel faces unprecedented isolation, risks derailing his strategy to frame the war in Gaza as a victory at home. This narrative will be essential in the campaign for the next parliamentary election, which should be held by October 2026.

Both Rubio and Vance tried to strike a positive tone in their public statements – both said they were optimistic the ceasefire would hold – while also acknowledging that the negotiations over the remaining points would be difficult and long.

Those issues include the scale of the Israeli withdrawal, the future governance of Gaza and the formation of the ISF, as well as the disarmament by Hamas, and they offered no indication of how those talks would proceed.

Rubio said there were "a lot of countries" that offered to take part in the ISF. "Obviously, as you put together this force, it'll have to be people that Israel's comfortable, or countries that Israel's comfortable with as well," he added, without elaborating.

This appeared to be a reference to Turkey, which has become a major player in the negotiations, amid reports Israel has vetoed the country's involvement.

The scope of the ISF's mission remains unclear, as countries appear to be concerned with the possibility that its forces might end up confronting Hamas fighters if there is no agreement with the group over the ISF deployment.

Seeing the peace plan through is "not going to be an easy ride", Rubio said. "There are going to be bumps along the road, but we have to make it work."

Irish presidential election count to get under way later

25 October 2025 at 07:05
PA Media Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys looking at each other and smiling during a TV debate. Connolly has short, grey hair and is wearing a black suit and white top. Humphreys is also wearing a black suit and white top with a triple pearl necklace. She has short, blonde hair.PA Media
Catherine Connolly (left) and Heather Humphreys

Counting is due to get under way later in the Irish presidential election.

Voters in the Republic of Ireland went to the polls on Friday to elect the 10th Irish president, who will replace current head of state Michael D Higgins.

There are two contenders to become the next president, but voters had a choice of three candidates - Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys and Jim Gavin, whose withdrawal from the race came too late to have his name removed from the ballot paper.

Ballot boxes will open at 09.00 local time on Saturday and the result is due to be announced at Dublin Castle later that evening.

Early unofficial indications have suggested the turnout could potentially struggle to reach the record low of just under 40% recorded in the last presidential election in 2018.

Connolly is an independent politician backed by a number of left-wing parties including Sinn Féin.

She has been a TD (member of parliament) since 2016 and previously worked as a psychologist and barrister. She is from Galway.

Humphreys is the Fine Gael candidate. She was a TD from 2011 to 2024 and served in a number of senior cabinet ministerial positions, including social protection and justice.

She comes from a Protestant background and is from Monaghan.

The votes, which will be counted in each of the 43 constituencies, will be tallied by political parties as soon as boxes open and these will give early indications of the result.

Some 3.6 million people were eligible to vote in the election, which comes to an end after months of campaigning by both candidates.

To get nominated, candidates needed either 20 members of the Oireachtas, the Irish houses of parliament, or four city and county councils, to back them.

Connolly was the first to declare her intention to run last July.

She has the support of a number of left-wing parties, including Sinn Féin, Labour and the Social Democrats as well as independent politicians.

Humphreys was selected to run for Fine Gael after the party's initial candidate, former EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness, withdrew from the race in August for medical reasons.

A third candidate, Jim Gavin, who was selected by the main coalition party, Fianna Fáil, withdrew from the campaign earlier in October after intense controversy over a 16-year-old rental dispute in which he owed €3,300 (£2,870) to a former tenant.

However, as his withdrawal came after the close of nominations, the law states his name must remain on the ballot paper.

Any votes cast for him will be counted as legitimate and transferred to the two other candidates if necessary.

Magnesium: Can this 'miracle mineral' really help us sleep?

25 October 2025 at 07:04
Getty Images Young woman trying to get to sleep. Getty Images

It's been described as the mineral of the moment.

Millions of us are taking magnesium for a whole range of reasons. Can it help us sleep better? Sort our digestion problems? Give our busy brains a moment of peace?

In the fast-moving world of supplements, it's magnesium's time to shine.

And the industry is booming. The global magnesium market is worth nearly £3bn and that's set to nearly double over the next decade.

In a small factory, nestled in the Yorkshire Dales, huge plastic barrels of white powder are stacked up next to giant whirring machines.

Workers in hazmat suits carefully weigh out magnesium citrate - a compound made by mixing the mineral with citric acid - into shiny, steel containers.

Ruth Clegg/BBC A pill presser machine which compresses the powder into tabletsRuth Clegg/BBC
Millions of magnesium tablets are produced in this factory every day

"We are sending our supplies all over the world," Andrew Goring, manager director of Lonsdale Health, explains. "Around the UK, obviously, but also to Australia, parts of Asia, Kuwait, Iraq.

"It's one of our biggest sellers and the market just keeps growing."

He is shouting over the hum of the pill presser, a machine that resembles a Dalek, which pops out dozens of small white magnesium tablets a second.

"Do we actually need it?" I bellow back. "And why now, why has it become so popular?"

"Influencers, social media - that's what's pushing it," Mr Goring explains. "We've known about magnesium and its benefits for years and now, finally, it's mainstream."

I can almost hear the eye roll when I contact Kirsten Jackson, a dietitian who specialises in gut health.

"Clever marketing schemes," Ms Jackson says, "magnesium is involved in areas people are willing to invest in: their sleep, digestion, mental health."

But, she is keen to stress, this does not automatically mean we need supplements to improve those things.

Magnesium is one of several minerals in our bodies. The recommended daily amount for women is 270mg and for men, it's 300mg. We store about 25g.

It might make up less than 1% of us but "it is involved in over 300 different processes", Ms Jackson explains.

It is "especially important for our brain and mood," she says, because it helps nerves send messages properly and supports the building blocks of brain cell membranes.

It also helps balance blood sugar levels, regulate blood pressure, and is an essential player in moving calcium and potassium in and out of our cells, which maintains the rhythm of our heartbeat.

So, surely popping a pill full of the stuff should keep our bodies running smoothly?

It's more complex than that, says Ms Jackson. For a magnesium supplement to work, we need to be lacking the mineral in the first place - and it's difficult to test for any deficiency because the vast majority of our magnesium is stored in our bones and tissues.

But on an individual level, many say the supplement has made a difference.

Katie Curran Katie Curran, a woman with green eyes, with blonde shoulder length hair Katie Curran
Katie says magnesium supplements have helped improve her sleep and calmed her racing thoughts

For Katie Curran, a communications specialist who has worked with some of the biggest fashion brands, sleeping well was something she could only dream about.

"A year ago, I was struggling," she confides. "It would take so long to get to sleep, my brain was racing, and then I would get off only to wake a couple of hours later."

Katie decided to try magnesium glycinate - a combination of magnesium and glycine, an amino acid with limited evidence linking it to better sleep.

After two weeks of taking 270mg a day, she says the noise in her head started to quieten. The racing thoughts slowed down, and she began to feel like she could function again.

"My sleep definitely improved, I had more energy. I became more active. Other things changed in my life, so I can't put it down to just one thing, but I think the magnesium supplements were an important part of the puzzle."

While being deficient in magnesium can definitely affect sleep patterns, there isn't the evidence to say taking supplements will definitely improve your sleep.

Social media is awash with eager supplement-takers, many with posts stamped with "commission paid" in the corner - meaning they could earn money from their story or reel.

According to these influencers, it feels as though there is little magnesium can't help with, as they recommend a variety of different products.

Magnesium is often mixed with other compounds with the aim of helping support various parts of our bodies. For example, magnesium mixed with either L-threonate or glycinate is supposed to target brain health, which helps with sleep and stress relief.

If magnesium is combined with chloride, it is recommended for muscle tension and pre-menstrual cramps, while citrate and oxide blends are aimed at digestion and help with constipation.

The majority of us can probably relate to having at least one of those issues. But as nutritionist Kristen Stavridis stresses, the problem is there is not enough strong evidence to show the majority of these different magnesium supplements have a positive effect on the healthy population.

And even if they did - we would need to be deficient in magnesium in the first place to see a benefit.

"We have supplement companies shouting out at us: 'We are all going to die'," Ms Stavridis says, "'Quick! Take my pill and - hey presto - there's your solution'.

"Many of us are not getting enough magnesium," she continues, "around 10% of men and 20% of women are not getting the recommended daily intake.

"But just taking a supplement is not the answer."

Getty Images Seeds, nuts, whole grain breads, greens and fruit imagesGetty Images
Seeds, nuts, whole-grain breads, greens and fruit are all rich in magnesium

Take sleep health, for example. Ms Stavridis says there are many conflicting studies on whether magnesium supplements really make a difference. Some trials say it can have some benefits, while some randomised controlled trials - the gold standard - are more sceptical.

There is also the added complication of supplements potentially working against each other because of the way they interact in the body.

Taking zinc, for example - a supplement often recommended for peri-menopausal women - can also affect the absorption rate of magnesium.

Basically, Ms Stavridis says, it's a minefield, and not just a simple case of "take this" and you'll be fixed.

She recommends looking at diet first. But if you are thinking about taking magnesium supplements, Ms Stavridis advises taking half the amount recommended on the packet on a daily basis and seeing how you feel.

If healthy people take too much, their kidneys can get rid of it in "expensive urine", but there are still risks, like diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea.

For those with kidney disease, taking magnesium supplements can be dangerous and can cause hypermagnesemia - a potentially life-threatening condition that can leave someone with paralysis or in a coma.

Dietitian Kirsten Jackson also says most people should "100% look at diet first".

Foods like seeds, nuts, whole-grain breads, greens and fruit are good sources of magnesium, she says.

She warns that if you don't regularly consume these types of foods, you're probably also short of other essential nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, fibre and prebiotics too.

"One magnesium supplement is not going to sort all that."

Is learning to drive a manual car an essential skill or unnecessary hassle?

25 October 2025 at 07:07
Caitlin Graham A close up photo of Caitlin, a young woman with long brown hair. She is smiling against a dusky night sky. Caitlin Graham
Caitlin wanted to learn in an automatic car, but was forced to learn manual

Caitlin Graham wanted to learn to drive in an automatic car as she hoped the test would be quicker to pass without having to get to grips with a gear box.

But the 22-year-old says she had little choice but to learn in a manual due to any available automatic instructors being more than 20 miles away.

Motorists have seen a quiet shift in how they drive in recent years - with one in three cars on UK roads now an automatic.

A quarter of driving tests in England, Scotland and Wales last year were taken in automatic cars.

The AA says the trend is being driven by the UK's ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars coming in 2030, as elecric cars do not have manual gearboxes.

For new drivers, this presents a dilemma - whether to learn and take their test in an automatic or a manual car.

Boxed in

It is a decision that could affect the rest of their driving lives - pass your test in an automatic and you will forever be boxed into only driving automatics - or indeed electric vehicles. Pass in a manual, and you will have the freedom to pick and choose.

But many young people say it is not a decision they are freely able to make. Some would-be automatic learners have complained about a lack of instructors and the higher cost of lessons.

Others feel the jeopardy of learning in a manual is just too high. With huge competition for driving test slots, and long waits to re-take for those who fail, some young drivers feel learning in an automatic is the only way out of the fail-rebook, fail-rebook doom loop.

When Caitlin moved back home to a "super rural" part of Cumbria after university she was eager to pass her driving test as quickly as possible. There is no public transport in her village and she wanted to get on with finding a job.

But unable to get hold of an automatic instructor she went for manual and passed almost a year after her first lesson. She says it only took her sister, who learned to drive in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, five months to pass in an automatic.

But it is a common misconception that the automatic test is easier - the pass rate for the manual test is higher at 50.4% than automatic at 43.9%, according to Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) figures for the financial year ending 2025.

"People still need to make the right decisions at the right time - make the correct observations at the right time and drive at appropriate speeds," says Stewart Lochrie, chairman of the Approved Driving Instructors National Joint Council (ADIJC).

Cleo Moseley Cleo, a white woman with long brown hair. She is standing in front of a window with a city skyline in the backgroundCleo Moseley
Cleo was anxious to pass her test first time

Cleo Moseley really weighed up the decision. "Automatic felt like the slightly easier option" but "manual lessons were cheaper," she says.

Automatic and electric cars tend to cost more to buy than manuals so instructors charge more to cover this, adds Stewart from the ADIJC.

For the same reason Cleo says: "I also didn't know if I would be able to afford an automatic car at the end."

The 25-year-old from Northumberland has decided to start learning in a manual.

"I did really think about it," she says. "Automatic cars are basically becoming the norm. But I don't see manual cars [being] the majority five, 10, 15 years from now, so I don't think everyone should learn manual."

Luke Breaban-Cook Luke, an 18-year-old white man, sitting in the driver's seat of a car. The car door is open and he is facing outwards, holding a certificate showing he passed his driving testLuke Breaban-Cook
Luke passed his driving test in a manual

For Luke Breaban-Cook the decision was pretty much made for him - he has just passed his test after learning in his parents' manuals.

"They were the only cars available to me," says the 18-year-old from Battle in East Sussex.

"I didn't want to get my own car as it was too expensive," he adds. "Plus I'm moving to London for uni and I'm not planning on driving there."

Luke found clutch control difficult at first. "I stalled once in my test," he says, but he still passed first time.

Luke does nott think every learner should do a manual test: "Even if there is a chance that you might have to drive a manual courtesy car or rental car, that chance is getting smaller and smaller."

David Robinson David, a white man with brown hair and stubble. He is smiling slightly at the camera and wears glassesDavid Robinson
David is dyspraxic and thought an automatic would be easier for him

For some people with disabilities automatic cars can be more accessible.

David Robinson, who's 29 and from Cardiff, booked his driving test in September and has to wait until February to take it.

He opted to learn in an automatic because he has dyspraxia, which affects movement and coordination.

"It just seemed like a better idea because I didn't want to have to balance the clutch, the brake, the accelerator, check the revs, make sure I'm getting into the right gear," he says.

David hasn't ruled out getting a manual licence in future, but he says he would wait and see what happens after the ban on new petrol and electric cars takes effect in 2030.

"It might be that in five years I don't see the point," he says.

While the number of driving tests in automatic vehicles continues to rise, the vast majority of instructors are still teaching in manual cars," says Stewart from the ADIJC.

"This will change eventually, as the price of EVs continues to decrease, and driving instructors begin to see the commercial advantages of teaching in these kinds of vehicles."

But for now there's a stigma around an automatic-only licence, says motoring journalist and author Maria McCarthy.

"People would say, oh, one day you might need to hire a van or hire a car on holiday and then you'll need to drive a manual.

"But these days when you hire a car or a van, most of them are electric. And how often do people do things like that anyway?"

Caitlin's instructor did eventually buy a second automatic car but at that stage she had "already committed lots of time to manual".

She passed her test in September and now she's behind the wheel of her manual 2018 Volkswagen T-Roc and an hour to her new job in Workington, she has no regrets.

"If I'd had the choice back then an automatic would have been the dream," she says. "But now I'm glad I learned manual because I can drive any car and the insurance is cheaper."

Additional reporting by Connie Bowker

Britney Spears said she was used. Kevin Federline says she needs help

25 October 2025 at 07:10
James Devaney via Getty Images Britney Spears and Kevin Federline are seen walking into an event. Britney is wearing a dress and Kevin is in a black T-shirt and jacket. James Devaney via Getty Images

Britney Spears stared at herself in a mirror, grinning as she grabbed an electric clipper.

Chunks of her long, iconic locks fell to the floor of the Southern California salon. Paparazzi cameras outside documented every second of the now-infamous night in 2007, later following her with her new buzzcut to get a tattoo.

The star said she did it because she felt cornered and humiliated by the paparazzi, who had chased her from the house of her estranged husband, Kevin Federline.

In the midst of an acrimonious and widely publicised custody battle for their two young boys, the Princess of Pop said she acted out in defiance and wanted to give the press "some material". She called it an impulsive decision - one that to her, served as a public rebuke to a world she felt held her to untenable standards.

To her, it was a "desperate move by a desperate person".

But to her estranged husband, it was a wake-up call to "just how far things had spiralled out of control".

Bauer-Griffin via Getty Images Britney Spears is seen seated in a hair salon with her head half shaved. She is smiling looking at herself in a mirror as an attendant hovers over her shoulder. Bauer-Griffin via Getty Images

Decades later, those moments and the others that went on to define the pop star and her very public unravelling are back in the limelight - but what exactly happened and why depends on who is doing the retelling.

After Spears shared her outlook in her 2023 memoir, The Woman In Me, Federline is now speaking out and sharing his take on their years together in a book released this week, titled You Thought You Knew.

Like Spears, Federline's book details their intimate and chaotic relationship, the mental anguish they both suffered and provides an inside glimpse at the conservatorship battle that dictated much of Spears' life and career. It provides a side-by-side look, a he-said, she-said dissection of their lives.

Jason Merritt via Getty Images Britney Spears and Kevin Federline are seen walking into an eventJason Merritt via Getty Images

The Grammy Award winner, 43, has already denounced her ex's memoir, writing on social media that Federline's revelations have been "extremely hurtful and exhausting".

But the dancer-turned-reality TV star says he's releasing You Thought You Knew after years of hesitation because he does not want his children growing up "feeling like they have to explain who their father is".

Federline responds to the stories and accusations that Spears tells in her 2023 tome, in which she describes being financially and emotionally controlled by those closest to her. He contradicts her account at times, levying fresh accusations.

Despite both memoirs offering vastly different accounts at times, both have a similar aim in reframing the public narrative thrust upon them by illuminating the episodes that led to Spears' conservatorship battle, as well as the nationwide movement that freed the pop star in 2021.

Getty Images Jamie Spears, Britney's father, sits next to her in 2018Getty Images
Britney Spears' father, left, was appointed by a court to be in charge of her finances and career

Did the conservatorship help or hurt?

In her book, Spears condemned the court-ordered conservatorship, also known as a guardianship, which she was under from 2008-2021. During that time, her father, Jamie Spears, was in control of her finances, career and many aspects of her personal life.

She says that if she was just left to live her life, she would have worked it out.

"Thirteen years went by with me feeling like a shadow of myself. I think back now on my father and his associates having control over my body and my money for that long and it makes me feel sick," she wrote.

But, she added, she resolved to go along with the protracted arrangement "for the sake of my sons," even though "being in it was really hard".

After the conservatorship ended, her father Jamie Spears said it had been "necessary" to protect her, but it was time for her to have control back.

In his recounting, Federline has a different take. Even when the marriage tanked, it wasn't easy for him to "watch her spiral", he writes.

Federline supported the arrangement, arguing that it provided "some semblance of normalcy" for their two boys together. After her psychiatric hold, Federline says he immediately filed for sole custody, but that set into motion a slew of issues that exacerbated Spears' relationship with their children.

His ex, he writes "saw the events in her life through a prism that painted her as the victim, the misunderstood one, the person wronged by everyone around her.

"But from where I stood, she needed help. Whether that was rehab or therapy, I couldn't say for sure," he writes, noting that she was in no state to manage her own affairs and needed some form of oversight or "protective layer".

He adds that he came to find out that there was a lot he didn't know about the conservatorship, and he did not push for answers because part of him "doesn't want to know".

Did the Free Britney movement get it 'wrong'?

Spears has credited the viral Free Britney movement with helping her find the courage to challenge and eventually escape her conservatorship.

"The fact that my friends and my fans sensed what was happening and did all that for me, that's a debt I can never repay," she wrote, thanking them for standing up for her when she couldn't stand up for herself.

But Federline says the movement "got it wrong" and those who are part of it now need to put the same effort into a "Save Britney movement". He shares ominous concerns about how the pop star is currently "racing toward something irreversible" and "getting close to the 11th hour".

The pressure from the Free Britney movement, he alleges, led the judge on her conservatorship case "to ignore the professional reports and cave to public opinion".

"But none of that truly mattered in the end. If Britney believed she was being held against her will, and everything else she's shared since, then that trauma is real for her. And you can't ignore that," he says.

Spears has continued to make headlines with strange and sometimes concerning posts on Instagram. Their boys are grown up but, according to Federline, they have haven't seen their mother much, and they don't really want to. Federline has four additional children, along with the two with Spears.

Federline says he has lost faith that things will ever fully turn around for his ex-wife.

"I still hope that Britney can find peace. Whatever her future holds, I hope it's one where she can finally take control of her own life, on her own terms. This whole saga, twenty years of it, was built on denial. Britney never reached the first step of recovery: admitting there was a problem."

AFP Britney Spears is seen driving a white sports car as people and media cameras surround her. Police officers are helping clear a path AFP
Spears has said she felt constantly cornered by paparazzi cameras that followed and dissected her life

A ghost in their marriage

Spears has laid blame on many people who were once close to her, including two of her exes, Federline and former NSYNC frontman Justin Timberlake.

She accuses both of ruining her ability to "trust people again".

In his own memoir, Federline says he was making a career for himself as a professional dancer who worked with Michael Jackson and NSYNC when he crossed paths with Spears.

The couple had met before, when Federline was dancing on a tour for Spears' opening act.

Federline, for his part, is self-aware, writing that he knows people viewed the Fresno, California, native as "this dude jumped out of his trailer and into Britney's mansion".

But even the day before their wedding, there was a shadow over the relationship, he says.

Federline contends in his book that when he and Spears got together in their early 20s, she had never really moved on from her ex-boyfriend Timberlake, detailing that they had a lot of "unfinished business" and that "it lingered, like a ghost in the background of our relationship".

In her memoir, Spears recounted the pitfalls of her relationship with Timberlake, including him asking her to have an abortion and the public embarrassment that befell her after he accused her of cheating - further heightened when he cast a Spears lookalike in his music video for Cry Me a River.

Frank Trapper via Getty Images Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake appear on a red carpet in 2001. They are both wearing full denim outfits in a very famous look that went on to define their relationship together.Frank Trapper via Getty Images
Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were the globe's most famous celebrity couple.

Their relationship, which lasted from 1999 to 2002, has also been dissected over the years and has come with a public apology from Timberlake, after several documentaries about Spears recast her as a victim in her conservatorship.

Federline says that "there was always something there with Justin that she couldn't let go of". He says Spears even called Timberlake the night before their wedding to get closure.

"Now, looking back... I realise it was deeper than that. She never really got over him," he writes.

Re-igniting an old feud and an army of fans

Federline's memoir has raised the ire of Spears, and her vocal army of online supporters.

James Miller, an activist and Free Britney proponent, says the book will not help the singer.

"Britney does struggle with mental health problems, that's pretty obvious," he told the BBC. "Exploiting her right now really isn't the best time. I don't think there's any alarm to sound."

Michael Buckner via Getty Images Fans of Britney Spears are holding signs and that read "FREE BRITNEY". Michael Buckner via Getty Images
Fans protested outside the courthouse as Spears fought to be freed from her conservatorship

From breaking out on The Mickey Mouse Club as a child star to dancing with a snake around her shoulders at the MTV Music Video Awards, Spears has lived her whole adult life in the spotlight.

S Mark Young, a professor at the University of Southern California and author of The Mirror Effect: How Celebrity Narcissism is Seducing America, says Federline's book is unlikely to change people's minds about her.

"I think after this coming week, the book will die. Most people who follow Britney will not be moved," he says.

Some have wondered why Federline, 47, has chosen to speak out now.

"No one heals when a book like this is written," Mr Young says.

Mr Miller, and many online, have noted that now that their sons are both over 18, Federline would no longer be receiving a $40,000-per-month payment from the singer to support them.

Federline denies having an ulterior motive beyond wanting to finally share his side of this infamous saga.

Getty Images Federline, wearing headphones at the DJ booth, raises his hands in the airGetty Images
Federline says he worked hard to not just live off of Spears' money, such as DJing in Vegas in 2018

In the memoir, Federline says the book was his best chance at sharing his side of the story.

For decades, the media, Spears and her family have mostly told Federline's story, largely leaning into his "bad boy" persona and making him the butt of many late-night jokes.

"This is about finally telling my story," he writes in his book. "My version. In my words. Because everybody else has done it for me. The media. The blogs. The exes. The strangers. The jokes. The headlines. They all had something to say about me. And I stayed quiet."

He denies that he ever "was just coasting off her money" and insists he has always been "out there hustling, grinding, investing - working to build a solid foundation for myself and my kids".

This opportunity was a way for him to finally share his side after decades of stories, gossip, rumours and accusations - which he says he avoided responding to in hopes of giving his family and children "some kind of normal life".

"But silence didn't bring peace," he writes. "It left me choking on the words I never said."

Bannon Claims ‘There Is a Plan’ for Trump to Run for a Third Term

25 October 2025 at 09:29
The claim comes after months of President Trump toying with the idea, insisting that he is “not joking” about defying a constitutionally-mandated term limit.

© Loren Elliott for The New York Times

Stephen K. Bannon at a memorial service for Charlie Kirk, in Glendale, Ariz., last month.

Sirikit, Glamorous Former Queen of Thailand Who Wielded Power, Dies at 93

25 October 2025 at 07:29
As the wife of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, she supported local causes and traveled the world, charming government leaders and the public.

© Royal Bureau/AFP-Getty Images

Queen Sirikit of Thailand with King Bhumibol Adulyadej. For decades their portraits appeared in houses and shops around the country.

A Missing Picasso Is Found, and a Small Spanish Town Loses Its Air of Mystery

25 October 2025 at 04:00
For a brief moment, the puzzle of what had happened to Pablo Picasso’s “Still Life With Guitar” infected Deifontes with caper fever.

© Samuel Aranda for The New York Times

Patricia Gutiérrez, left, and her father José, sensed an opportunity to put their town, Deifontes, Spain, on the map following intrigue around the disappearance of a Picasso painting.
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