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California doctor to plead guilty to supplying Matthew Perry with ketamine

Getty Images Actor Matthew Perry smiles in a dark suit and purple tie while arriving to a party Getty Images
Actor Matthew Perry arrives at the Summer TCA Party at Pacific Design Center in 2015 in West Hollywood.

A California doctor accused of giving Friends star Matthew Perry access to ketamine in the weeks before the actor's overdose death has agreed to plead guilty, according to federal prosecutors.

Dr Salvador Plasencia will plead guilty to four counts of distributing ketamine, federal prosecutors said in a statement on Monday. The plea carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and the doctor is expected to make his plea in the coming weeks.

Perry – best known for playing Chandler Bing on Friends – was found dead in his hot tub in Los Angeles in October 2023. He was 54 and although he'd been open about struggles with depression and addiction, fans around the world were shocked by his death.

According to text messages shared with prosecutors from Dr Mark Chavez - a doctor who already pleaded guilty in the case - Dr Plasencia called Perry a "moron" and wondered how much he'd be willing to pay for the drugs.

According to documents filed for the plea agreement, Dr Plasencia injected Perry with ketamine at his home and in the parking lot of the Long Beach Aquarium. Dr Plasencia taught Perry's assistant - who is also a defendant - how to administer the drug and would sell extra vials for them to keep at home, according to the plea deal.

The doctor is one of five people charged with what prosecutors allege was an underground network of dealers and medical professionals who supplied Perry with ketamine. The actor was taking legal, prescribed amounts of the drug to treat his depression, but wanted more than what was prescribed.

In total, the plea agreement says, between 30 September 2023, and 12 October 2023, Dr Plasencia sold twenty 5ml (100mg/ml) vials of ketamine, less than a full package of ketamine lozenges, and syringes to Perry and his assistant.

Dr Plasencia's lawyers could not be immediately reached for comment.

Minnesota suspect attempted to kill two other state lawmakers, officials say

Watch: 'To lose her is tragic' - Minnesotans pay respects to Melissa Hortman

A man who is accused of killing a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband, and injuring another state lawmaker and his wife, allegedly attempted to kill two other state lawmakers, Minnesota officials said on Monday.

Vance Luther Boelter, 57, who is charged with fatally shooting Melissa Hortman, a Minnesota Democrat, and her husband, Mark, visited the homes of three other state lawmakers in "truly chilling" attacks, US Attorney Joseph H Thompson said.

Mr Boelter, who police said researched the victims and their families beforehand, allegedly had planned for a larger scale attack, which police thwarted.

He appeared in court on Monday afternoon to face six federal charges, and possibly the death penalty, if he is found guilty.

Mr Boelter was wearing an orange jumpsuit when he arrived in court in St. Paul on Monday afternoon. He said he cannot afford a lawyer and will have a federal defence lawyer.

At the brief hearing, Mr Boelter said he has seven cars, $20,000-30,000 in savings and makes about $540 per week.

At a press conference on Monday officials walked through the early hours of Saturday morning in the suburbs of Minneapolis when the Hortmans were killed, and John Hoffman, a Minnesota state senator, and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, were shot multiple times.

They also announced that Mr Boelter faces six federal charges, some of which make him eligible for the death penalty. At the federal level, he faces two counts of stalking, two counts of murder, and two firearms-related charges.

Separately, at the state level Mr Boelter is charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder at the state level.

Thompson said that Mr Boelter arrived at the Hoffman home disguised as a police officer in a large black car with emergency lights on the vehicle. Mr Boelter was wearing a "hyper realistic silicon mask" when he rang the doorbell and shouted "this is the police, open the door".

Thompson said authorities have a clear picture of what happened because the Hoffmans have a security camera outside their front door.

Yvette and John Hoffman/Facebook Yvette and John HoffmanYvette and John Hoffman/Facebook
Yvette and John Hoffman were shot 17 times between them, but survived

When the Hoffmans opened the door, Mr Boelter shined a flashlight at the couple. Mr Boelter told the couple there was a shooting reported in the house and lowered his flashlight, Thompson said. The couple then realized he was not a police officer.

After they attempted to push him out, he allegedly fired at the couple multiple times, Thompson said, then fled the scene and the couple's daughter Hope called 911.

Yvette Hoffman was shot eight times and John Hoffman was shot nine times. Both remain in hospital, though Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has said they are expected to make a full recovery.

After allegedly shooting the Hoffmans, Mr Boelter drove to another state representative's home and rang the doorbell there, Thompson said.

That state representative was not home, Thompson said, noting that she and her family were on vacation. Authorities did not reveal her name.

He then drove to a third lawmaker's home, allegedly targeting them, Thompson said. Officials did not reveal the name of that state lawmaker, either.

Thompson said an officer pulled up next to Mr Boelter in his vehicle and assumed he was a police officer, dispatched to the scene to perform a wellness check on that lawmaker.

When the officer asked Mr Boelter what he was doing, he simply stared straight ahead, Thompson said, and Mr Boelter went on to the Hortman residence.

Watch: Minnesota governor Tim Walz confirms Vance Luther Boelter’s arrest

He is accused of arriving at the Hortman home, and allegedly shooting and killing Melissa and Mark Hortman. Police said they found him at that residence and engaged fire before Mr Boelter fled.

After he fled, police embarked on a two-day search for Mr Boelter before finding him late Sunday night in a wooded rural area west of Minneapolis, where he surrendered peacefully, eventually crawling towards officers, police said.

Thompson said Mr Boelter had "planned his attack carefully".

"He conducted surveillance of their homes and took notes about the location of their homes," he said of Boelter.

Upon finding his car, officials discovered five more firearms including assault-style rifles, large quantities of ammunition and a list of more than 45 Minnesota state and federal elected officials, including Melissa Hortman.

Mark Bruley, police chief from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, said the officers who arrived at the Hortman home "foiled" a larger plan. They "essentially took (Mr Boelter's) vehicle away from him, which involved all his maps, all his names, all his weaponry", Mr Bruley said.

"I would be very scared what it would look like over the next few hours ahead had we not done that," he said.

"It's a chilling attack on our democracy, on our way of life," Thompson said at the Monday press conference. "It's only the most recent example of violent political extremism in this country, and that's a trend that's been increasing over in recent years, and that's unfortunate.

I hope it is a wake up call to everyone that people can disagree with you without being evil or needing to be killed or hurt."

Mr Boelter is scheduled to return to court for his next hearing 27 June.

Getty Images File image of Melissa HortmanGetty Images

Trump Organization enters mobile phone business

Nur Photo/Getty Images In this photo illustration, the Trump Mobile website displayed on a laptop screen and Trump Mobile logo displayed on a phone screen are seen in Krakow, Poland on June 16, 2025Nur Photo/Getty Images

Donald Trump's family business is launching a new Trump-branded phone service, in its latest plan to cash in on the US president's name.

The Trump Organization, which is run by his sons, said it planned to sell a gold-coloured, made-in-America smart phone for $499, along with mobile phone service for a monthly fee of $47.45 - a reference to their father serving as the country's 47th and 45th president.

The announcement was light on details, including the name of the business partner that will run the service and is licensing the name.

Ethics watchdogs said the latest venture represented another means for potential corruption and conflicts of interest.

"It's unbelievable that the Trump family has created yet another way for President Trump to personally profit while in office," said Meghan Faulkner, communications director for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).

Trump has said he has put his business interests in a trust, which is managed by his children. The White House has maintained he acts on the interests of all Americans.

But Ms Faulkner said the latest venture raised familiar issues, including whether the new business will win customers from people hoping to influence Trump and how the president will craft policies and regulation for an industry in which his family now has a stake.

The Trump Organization did not respond to questions about its business partner and criticisms about potential ethics issues.

In announcing its plans, it said "hard-working Americans deserve a wireless service that's affordable, reflects their values, and delivers reliable quality they can count on".

It pitched a policy of "discounted" international calls to families with members serving outside the US in the military.

The announcement said the mobile service would have customer support staff based in the US to answer questions, as well as the gold-coloured phone, which is currently available for pre-order.

Trump's net worth has more than doubled

The deal is an extension of a business strategy that Trump embraced long before his presidency, striking deals to sell his name to hoteliers and golf course operators in exchange for fees and royalties.

But the opportunities to profit from his brand have expanded since he entered politics a decade ago.

On his most recent financial disclosure, Trump reported making more than $600m last year, including millions from of items such as Trump-branded bibles, watches sneakers and fragrances.

Forbes in March estimated his net worth was $5.1bn, more than double than a year earlier.

It said the surge was due in part to the president's "diehard following", which is credited with helping to prop up the value of Trump's social media company that runs the Truth Social platform, which accounted for roughly half his wealth last year.

The mobile phone market in the US is currently dominated by three major players: AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, which all offer phone service starting at less than $40 a month.

There are also a growing number of smaller firms paying to use those networks to target niche groups of potential customers, by offering lower prices or tailored plans.

The largest of those companies, which are known as mobile virtual network providers, have less than 10 million subscribers, according to a 2024 report by the Federal Communications Commission.

Mint Mobile, which was backed by Ryan Reynolds, was sold to T-Mobile for $1.35bn in 2023. At the time, one analyst estimated the service had roughly two million to three million subscribers.

The actor had a 25% stake in the business, giving him a potential pay out of about $300m.

Trump signs order confirming parts of UK-US tariff deal

Getty Images US President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as they speak to reporters after meeting during the Group of Seven (G7) Summit at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on June 16, 2025. Getty Images

President Donald Trump has signed documents to reduce tariffs on UK cars being imported to the US, which will bring into force parts of a tariff pact agreed between the two countries last month.

Speaking at the G7 summit in Canada, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the move a "very important day" for both countries.

The pact was the first that the White House has announced since it imposed tariffs on various goods entering America from around the world earlier this year.

But a 10% levy remains in place on most goods, including cars, arriving to American shores from the UK.

As agreed last month, the US said it would allow up to 100,000 cars into the US at a 10% tariff, instead of the 25% import tax imposed by Trump on all car imports earlier this year.

The document said the US would set up a similar system for steel and aluminium, but did not specify what it would be.

"We're gonna let you have that information in little while," the US President said when asked if steel tariffs would be axed for the UK - a major part of the original tariff pact.

The order also agreed to remove tariffs on certain kinds of aerospace products.

Sir Keir said the deal "implements on car tariffs and aerospace", and described the agreement as a "sign of strength" between Britain and America.

The deal will come into effect seven days following its official publication.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the announcement was "the result of work happening at pace between both governments to lower the burden on UK businesses, especially the sectors most impacted by the tariffs".

"We will update parliament on the implementation of quotas on US beef and ethanol, part of our commitment to the US under this deal," he added.

US beef exports to the UK had been subject to a 20% tariff within a quota of 1,000 metric tons. The UK has scrapped this tariff and raised the quota to 13,000 metric tonnes.

But the UK government has insisted there will be no weakening of food standards and that any US beef imports will need to meet food safety requirements.

California doctor to plead guilty to supplying Matthew Perry with ketamine

Getty Images Actor Matthew Perry smiles in a dark suit and purple tie while arriving to a party Getty Images
Actor Matthew Perry arrives at the Summer TCA Party at Pacific Design Center in 2015 in West Hollywood.

A California doctor accused of giving Friends star Matthew Perry access to ketamine in the weeks before the actor's overdose death has agreed to plead guilty, according to federal prosecutors.

Dr Salvador Plasencia will plead guilty to four counts of distributing ketamine, federal prosecutors said in a statement on Monday. The plea carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and the doctor is expected to make his plea in the coming weeks.

Perry – best known for playing Chandler Bing on Friends – was found dead in his hot tub in Los Angeles in October 2023. He was 54 and although he'd been open about struggles with depression and addiction, fans around the world were shocked by his death.

According to text messages shared with prosecutors from Dr Mark Chavez - a doctor who already pleaded guilty in the case - Dr Plasencia called Perry a "moron" and wondered how much he'd be willing to pay for the drugs.

According to documents filed for the plea agreement, Dr Plasencia injected Perry with ketamine at his home and in the parking lot of the Long Beach Aquarium. Dr Plasencia taught Perry's assistant - who is also a defendant - how to administer the drug and would sell extra vials for them to keep at home, according to the plea deal.

The doctor is one of five people charged with what prosecutors allege was an underground network of dealers and medical professionals who supplied Perry with ketamine. The actor was taking legal, prescribed amounts of the drug to treat his depression, but wanted more than what was prescribed.

In total, the plea agreement says, between 30 September 2023, and 12 October 2023, Dr Plasencia sold twenty 5ml (100mg/ml) vials of ketamine, less than a full package of ketamine lozenges, and syringes to Perry and his assistant.

Dr Plasencia's lawyers could not be immediately reached for comment.

British Steel secures £500m contract to supply UK train tracks

PA Media Sparks fly as a worker welds in the rail and sections hot end rolling mill at the British Steel site in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire in AprilPA Media

British Steel has secured a five-year contract worth £500m to supply train tracks for Network Rail.

The company will forge more than 337,000 tonnes of track in a deal safeguarding the short-term future of the Scunthorpe steelworks.

It comes after the government seized control of the company from its Chinese-owner Jingye in April amid accusations it was planning to switch the blast furnaces off, which would have made them permanently unusable.

British Steel said the new contract represented a "huge vote of confidence in UK workers and British industry".

While British Steel has long supplied the track used for Britain's railways with Scunthorpe producing rail since 1865, the latest deal provides guaranteed work for the plant for at least the next five years.

The contract will begin on 1 July, with the company continuing to provide Network Rail with 80% of its track needs and other European steelmakers to supply "specialist rail products" alongside, the government said.

Clive Berrington, Network Rail's director for railway business services, said the public company, which owns and maintains Britain's railways, was "committed to buying British where it makes economic sense to do so".

"British Steel remain extremely competitive in the provision of rail and will remain our main supplier in the years ahead," he added.

Craig Harvey, commercial director for rail at British Steel added the agreement demonstrated the firm's "importance to the UK's economy and infrastructure".

In April, the government took control of British Steel from its owners but has so far stopped short of fully nationalising the business.

It has not ruled out full public ownership, but is also looking for potential private investors to fund steelmaking operations, which has increasingly been raised as a national security issue.

Concerns over the future of the UK's steelmaking capability were raised when talks between the government and Jingye broke down, with the business secretary saying it had "become clear" that the company was intent on closing down the blast furnaces.

If the furnaces were starved of fuel and went out, the UK would no longer have the ability to produce so-called virgin steel, due to the process of restarting them being extremely difficult and costly.

Virgin steel-making involves iron being extracted from its original source to be purified and treated to make all types of steel used in major construction projects, such as new railways.

Scunthorpe, which employs 2,700 people, is the last plant in the UK producing virgin steel. It has four blast furnaces, all named after English Queens - Bess, Mary, Anne and Victoria, but Bess and Anne are the only two still in operation.

The government said the new deal with Network Rail demonstrated its progress to "strengthen domestic manufacturing and supply chains" in order to boost economic growth.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, who is set to visit Scunthorpe on Tuesday, said the contract "truly transforms the outlook for British Steel".

The deal comes ahead of the government's national infrastructure strategy being released later this week.

Uncertainty has surrounded the future of the UK's steel industry in recent years, with the closure of Port Talbot's blast furnaces in 2024.

US tariffs targeting imports of steel to the country have also threatened businesses. The UK has been temporarily spared from President Donald Trump's executive order doubling steel tariffs from 25% to 50%.

However, the UK could end up facing the higher rate if its deal signed with the Trump administration last month, which would see steel and aluminium tariffs axed, does not come into force.

Family of three Britons killed in Air India crash say they feel abandoned

Family Handout Akeel Nanabawa and Hannaa Vorajee hold their daughter Sara at a celebration event. Akeel wears a grey top while Hanaa wears a terracota head scarf and gold top. Sara is dressed in pink and they stand in front of a floral displayFamily Handout
Akeel Nanabawa, Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara died in the crash

The family of three Britons who died in the Air India plane crash are calling on the UK government to provide more support in India.

Akeel Nanabawa, Hannaa Vorajee and Sara Nanabawa, aged four, were returning home to Gloucester when their plane ploughed into a residential area in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

Akeel's brother, Hamzah, said they have not received his body despite giving DNA and waiting three days. A family spokesperson added: "We're not asking for miracles – we're asking for presence, for compassion, for action. Right now, we feel utterly abandoned."

A Foreign Office spokesperson said there is an advice helpline and a support centre has been set up near the airport.

The plane was carrying 242 people when it crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, in western India, including 53 Britons.

The sole surviving passenger was Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.

Mr Nanabawa said: "I need the UK government to come out by themselves, if they've given up all this big talk over in the UK, come out here and help."

He added there is no UK leadership in India, no medical team and no crisis professionals stationed at the hospital.

Hamzah Nanabawa being interviewed while sitting in a chair
Hamzah Nanabawa has been waiting days to receive the bodies of his relatives

"No one from UK has even reached out to me, my family, to my sister in law's family. Nobody has. So you're saying no one from the foreign office in the UK or here reached out to us at all, nobody," Mr Nanabawa said.

"They haven't done anything for us [or] what we wanted. You have to understand, this is the highest, highest incident in the UK's history of 53 lives, and we are now on day four."

He added: "All I want is you guys to come and help and help my brother, my sister in law, my niece and all the other 53 people that were on that plane.

"Come and help them, please. Because they are grieving. They are hurt. They haven't got anybody. They [haven't got any] structure, no structure at all."

UK air accident investigators are already in India and are assisting the Indian authorities, and UK forensic experts are there to support, a Foreign Office spokeswoman said.

She added: "Our staff continue to work around the clock in the UK and India to support the families and loved ones of all those impacted by the crash.

"We have set up a Reception Centre at the Ummed Hotel, near the Ahmedabad airport, and have a dedicated helpline to provide support and advice for the families and friends of British nationals."

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Church admits failure over sisters' 'sadistic' abuse

Supplied Old yellowing black and white photo of the three sisters as young children. The eldest on the left is wearing a checked dress and has long brown hair. The middle girl is younger and has blond hair and is wearing a plain dress while holding a necklace around her neck. The youngest on the right is a toddler with short dark hair.Supplied
The Read sisters Jenny, Wendy and Christina were abused as children

The Church of England has apologised to three sisters who say they were "fobbed off" after reporting historical child sex abuse claims.

Jenny, Wendy and Christina Read said they were "frequently" abused as young children by their father, a female church warden and a male curate in night-time "sadistic rituals" at a north-east England church.

An independent review commissioned by the Church found the institution's failure to take action "compounded" the women's trauma, while Cleveland Police "missed opportunities" to investigate for which the force apologised.

Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury when two of the reports were made, said he regretted how he handled the allegations.

This report contains distressing details

The sisters, who have waived their right to anonymity, said they reported the abuse three times to the Church and police years later but inadequate action was taken.

The Church, which never investigated, acknowledged its response "fell short of today's standards".

Meanwhile the police agreed they missed opportunities in their investigations, but said they would reinvestigate if new evidence came to light.

Supplied A black and white picture of Mary Wairing. She has short white hair and is smiling at the camera.Supplied
Mary Wairing was never criminally investigated before her death in 2015

The women's father died in 1996, while church warden and family friend Mary Wairing died in 2015. The BBC is not naming the curate or the sisters' father for legal reasons.

Wendy said she was raped by her father and the curate and then forced "to watch when they did the same thing to my sisters".

Jenny said her memories were of violence while Christina recalled being subjected to physical, emotional and spiritual abuse by Ms Wairing.

All three sisters have been diagnosed with several mental health conditions linked to childhood sexual abuse.

They have also shown the BBC hundreds of documents detailing their correspondence with the Church of England since the early 1990s and said their attempt to get evidence of what action the Church took had been a "horrendous" experience.

'Dismissed and trivialised'

The sisters reported the allegations to three Bishops in the Church of England – in 1993, 2003 and 2005.

The curate and Ms Wairing still had active roles in the Church at the time of those disclosures.

In 1993 Wendy had sought the informal advice of the then-Bishop of Monmouth Rowan Williams, who she knew from university.

She said he told her he had spoken to the relevant bishop "to support Wendy's approach and urge him to respond".

Dr Williams told the BBC he also took steps to confirm the identity of the curate at the time.

In 2003, a year after becoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Williams was formally informed in writing of the allegations when Wendy reported the claim to the Bishop of Whitby Robert Ladds.

Wendy said Bishop Ladds left her feeling "dismissed and trivialised" when he "questioned the reliability of childhood memories".

Bishop Ladds recommended at the time she contact the police, but she felt she had "been there and done that" after a criminal investigation 10 years earlier brought no charges.

"It felt like he wanted nothing to do with it," Wendy said.

Bishop Ladds said the Church of England had responded on his behalf, he had cooperated fully throughout and he would be making no further comment.

PA Media Dr Rowan WillIams gives a sermon. He has thick grey hair receding on top, and a beard and is wearing a glasses. He wears white, red and gold robes. Behind him is an ornate statue of a clerical figurePA Media
Dr Rowan Williams was Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012

Dr Williams told the BBC that Church structures made it difficult for him to take action.

"At the time this would have meant in practice that a local bishop would normally assess, with professional advice, whether action should be taken and of what kind," he said.

"There are some difficulties in overruling such a locally based process.

"I could not as Archbishop simply have suspended a priest in another diocese on my own authority."

After learning Bishop Ladds was not going to investigate, Dr Williams said he "could and should" have pressed the local archbishop to take it up, adding: "I very much regret that I did not follow up in this way."

He said he "may have misjudged what needed to be done".

Wendy said the Church's failure to commission a formal investigation was "really disappointing and frustrating".

The sisters reported their allegations to the Church again in 2005, but Dr Williams said he was not aware of that report.

'Church truly sorry'

An independent report commissioned by the Church – known as a Learning Lessons Review (LLR) – concluded the sisters "had been subjected to abuse based on the consistency of their testimonies, the graphic and detailed re-telling of their abuse, and therapy required".

It concluded the "initial disclosures were poorly handled" and the response from the institution in 1993 and 2003 "compounded the harm" for the sisters.

Jenny was shocked to learn the Church had no record of two of the sisters' reports being made.

"There's fobbing off," she said, adding: "It feels deliberate. I don't think they want to give me answers.

"They're either incompetent or they're covering up."

Jenny also accused the Church of "a lack of transparency" and being "secretive".

The Church of England said it "strongly" denies suggestions of a cover up.

A spokesman said it was "truly sorry" for the response the sisters received when they made their initial reports.

The Church said its "response to survivors who come forward today is very different" and it "would always seek" to put them at the centre of its response.

The relevant Diocese said it had "worked closely" with the sisters since 2020 and ensured they received "ongoing therapeutic, specialist and financial support".

The Church said the case was reviewed by its national child protection lead in 2003, but admitted the pastoral care initially provided "fell short of today's standards".

It said it was "committed to listening to survivors and the individual needs of the sisters".

The Church's interim leader, the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, had met the sisters and offered a "formal apology", the spokesman said.

'Police apologise unreservedly'

The LLR concluded the police response meant "opportunities have been missed" and the force's initial investigation appeared "to lack thoroughness".

The force has also apologised to the sisters.

Their father was arrested in 1992 when they first reported the abuse but neither the curate nor Ms Wairing were interviewed.

Another complaint was made to police in 2003 but there was no investigation.

In 2020, Cleveland Police investigated the allegations again and the curate was arrested but released due to insufficient evidence.

Christina said the fact Ms Wairing was never formally investigated by the force was the "the biggest offending misconduct".

Cleveland Police Assistant Chief Constable Richard Baker said the force "acknowledges it missed opportunities" in 1993 and 2003, adding: "For this, I apologise unreservedly."

He said he was "satisfied" with the force's 2020 investigation and pledged to investigate any new evidence.

Supplied Wendy and Christina Read now. Wendy has short white hair and is wearing a white top with a purple and blue trim. Christina has curly grey hair and is wearing a fancy blue hairpiece made from lace and feathers and a blue coatSupplied
Wendy and Christina say they can never forget what happened

A Church document showed the institution did not investigate following advice from Cleveland Police in 2003, the same year the force now admits it missed opportunities.

"It's incomprehensible that the Church takes direction from the police," said Wendy, who was "speechless and "enraged" by the development.

The Church of England said, "in 2003 the accepted practice was to follow the advice of statutory services".

Jenny thinks "the whole institution [of the Church] is in danger" and nothing less than "a profound reformation" will "solve the problems they've got themselves into".

The Church admits it "must build future foundations" to ensure it's "as safe as it can be".

Christina is demanding a change in attitude from Church leaders.

"Too often I've heard 'that was in the past, you need to forget about it'," she said, adding: "That's somebody who doesn't understand the impact of trauma.

"You can't just forget about it."

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Warning over TikTok filming by hospital patients

Getty Images A photograph of a phone filming a patient in hospital. In the viewfinder of the phone you can see a patient's arm and a nurse giving him a drug and performing a medical procedure. Getty Images

Patients who film their own medical treatment for TikTok or Instagram could be putting themselves and NHS staff at risk, the Society of Radiographers (SoR) has warned.

The trade union's annual conference heard that more patients were videoing their procedures on mobile phones, often without asking permission.

This could distract staff or make them feel uncomfortable and anxious, the society said.

Sharing material on social media also risks publicising the private medical data of other people who may be in the same room or area of the hospital.

"I had one patient whose relative started filming while I was trying to set up," said Ashley d'Aquino, a therapeutic radiographer from London.

"It wasn't the right time - I was trying to focus on delivering the treatment."

Ms d'Aquino, who is also a local union representative, said she had recently been contacted by other colleagues in a similar situation.

"We had a member of staff who agreed to take photos for a patient," she said.

"When the patient handed over her phone, the member of staff saw that the patient had also been covertly recording her, to publish on her cancer blog."

Most NHS staff wear identity badges and their names and job titles may be visible on videos posted online.

The union said another of its members, a department assistant from the south coast of England, was inserting a cannula as part of a cancer procedure, when the patient's 19-year old daughter started filming on her phone.

"She thought it would be entertaining on social media but she didn't ask permission," said the member of staff.

"I spent the weekend afterwards worrying: did I do my job properly? I know I did, but no-one's perfect all of the time," she added.

"I don't think I slept for the whole weekend."

NHS 'needs policies'

Ms d'Aquino said there were valid reasons for patients to record the audio of medical consultations - so they could listen back to the detail, for example.

"The difficulty is that our phones have become so much a part of our day-to-day life that recording and sharing has become second nature," she added.

Dean Rogers, the director of strategy at the SoR, is calling for NHS trusts to have clear policies in place that stop patients from filming without permission.

"As healthcare professionals, we need to think: does that recording breach the confidentiality of other patients? Does it breach our ability to deliver care?" he said.

"There are hospital trusts that have very good policies around patients taking photos and filming procedures but this is something all trusts need to have in place."

Prof Meghana Pandit, co-national medical director at NHS England, said it was vital that, if patients want to record any part of NHS care, they discuss it with staff first and it remains for their personal use only.

"Recording other patients inadvertently and without their permission risks breaching patient confidentiality – the information and treatment provided to other patients on NHS premises should never be recorded, let alone posted to social media," she added.

MPs to vote on decriminalising abortion

Getty Images A woman holds a pregnancy test in one hand and a pill in the otherGetty Images

A law change aimed at decriminalising abortion will be debated in the House of Commons on Tuesday.

Two Labour MPs, Tonia Antoniazzi and Stella Creasy, have tabled rival amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill.

Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle could pick one or both amendments to be debated by MPs, but is likely to only pick one to go to a vote.

MPs are usually given a free vote on abortion, meaning they do not have to follow any party line on the subject.

What does the current law say?

The current law in England and Wales states that abortion is illegal but allowed up to the first 24 weeks of pregnancy and beyond that in certain circumstances such as if the woman's life is in danger.

Abortions have to be approved by two doctors, who check if one of a list of criteria have been met - for example, if the pregnancy poses a risk to the physical or mental health of the woman.

Recent law changes have allowed women to access pills to be taken at home to terminate their pregnancies under 10 weeks.

In 2022, the most recent data available, 252,122 abortions were reported in England and Wales - the highest number since records began.

Abortion providers have reported receiving 100 requests for medical records from police officers in relation to suspected abortion offences in the last five years.

Last year, abortion provider MSI told the BBC, it was aware of 60 criminal inquiries in England and Wales since 2018, compared to almost zero before.

Six women have appeared in court in England charged with ending or attempting to end their own pregnancy outside abortion law, in the past three years.

Dr Jonathan Lord, medical director at MSI, said the organisation believes the "unprecedented" number of women being investigated could be linked to the police's increased awareness of the availability of the "pills by post scheme".

What would Tonia Antoniazzi's amendment do?

Tonia Antoniazzi's amendment aims to prevent women from being investigated, arrested, prosecuted or imprisoned for terminating their own pregnancies.

She has argued that the investigations are "dehumanising and prolonged and the women forced to endure them are often extraordinarily vulnerable".

She said those investigated can be victims of domestic abuse and violence, human trafficking and sexual exploitation or women who have given birth prematurely.

"The reality is that no woman wakes up 24 weeks pregnant or more and suddenly decides to end their own pregnancy outside a hospital or clinic.

"But some women, in desperate circumstances, make choices that many of us would struggle to understand. What they need is compassion and care, not the threat of criminal prosecution."

Her amendment would maintain punishments for medical professionals and violent partners who end a pregnancy outside of the existing law.

It has received the backing from 176 MPs and the main abortion providers.

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children has said the amendment is an "extreme and dangerous proposal" that would "effectively decriminalise abortions".

How is Stella Creasy's amendment different?

Stella Creasy has put forward a rival amendment which would enshrine abortion access as a human right and also aims to prevent women who have terminated their own pregnancies from being investigated.

Creasy has said her amendment goes further than her Labour colleague's proposal, by offering "protection to all those involved in ensuring that women can access safe and legal abortions".

Creasy has argued that Antoniazzi's amendment would not stop the authorities investigating "the partners of people who had an abortion or the medics who provided the abortions and it would not prevent demands for women to give evidence as part of that process".

It is backed by 108 MPs but not abortion providers. Rachael Clarke from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service has said Creasy's amendment is not the right way to achieve "generational change".

Speaking to the Radio 4's Today programme last week, Ms Clarke said abortion law is "incredibly complex", adding: "It is essential that any huge changes to abortion law is properly considered."

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children has described Creasy's amendment as "even more extreme" than that of Antoniazzi's adding: "There'd no way to bring an abusive partner who causes the death of an unborn baby to justice."

What are Trump's options for dealing with Iran?

Getty Images Donald Trump at G7 meeting in Alberta, sat at a table, hands clasped, looking to the rightGetty Images

President Trump's comments on the Israel-Iran conflict have veered from full throated support for Israel's strikes to strongly distancing himself from them, and back again.

His ambiguity has added to the sense of uncertainty as the fighting itself escalates.

Meanwhile the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the attacks were "fully coordinated" with the US.

So what factors are weighing on Trump and, crucially, what are his options now?

1. Bowing to Netanyahu pressure and escalating

As Israeli missiles hit Tehran on Thursday, Trump threatened Iran's leaders with "even more brutal" attacks from his Israeli ally armed with American bombs.

We know Trump's ultimate objective. He says, like Netanyahu, that Iran can't have a nuclear bomb. Crucially, he has said his preferred option (unlike Netanyahu) is via a deal between the US and Iran (this route also reflects his self-described image as a world-class dealmaker).

But he has equivocated over how to get there, sometimes leaning into the threat of force, other times pushing the diplomacy. Last week he even said in the same breath that an Israeli attack on Iran would help a deal or it would "blow it".

His unpredictability is sometimes portrayed by his supporters after the fact as strategic - the so-called "madman" theory of foreign relations. This theory is one that has previously been used to describe Trump's negotiating tactics and suggests that deliberate uncertainty or unpredictability about escalation works to coerce adversaries (or even allies in Trump's case) into complying. It was famously attributed to some of the Cold War practices of President Richard Nixon.

Some of Trump's advisers and supporters back the "maximum pressure" side of the madman theory when it comes to his approach to Iran. They think the threats will in the end prevail because, they argue, Iran is not serious about negotiating (even though in 2015 the country signed an Obama-led nuclear deal that Trump later pulled out of).

Getty Images Smoke billows from the Tehran skyline as the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) building has been hit by Israeli attackGetty Images
Smoke rises from explosion at state broadcasting building in Tehran

Netanyahu has applied constant pressure on Trump to go down the military not diplomatic path, and the US president - despite his oft-stated desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize - may in the end see a need to deliver on his more belligerent threats to Tehran's leadership

Israel may also push harder behind the scenes for American involvement to, as it sees it, to finish the job. The US has bunker buster bombs Israel believes can destroy Iran's underground uranium enrichment site at Fordow.

As the fighting escalates, so does the pressure on Trump from the hawkish camp of Republicans in Congress who have long called for regime change in Iran.

Trump will also see the argument that it could force the Iranians into negotiating with him with a now weaker hand. But the fact remains that the Iranians already were at that table, as a sixth round of talks due with Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff had been planned in Oman on Sunday.

The talks are now abandoned.

2. The middle ground - holding the course

So far, Trump has reiterated that the US is not involved in Israel's attacks.

Escalation comes with significant and potentially legacy-defining risks for Trump. American naval destroyers and ground based missile batteries are already helping in Israel's defence against the Iranian retaliation.

Some of Trump's advisers at the National Security Council are likely to be cautioning against him doing anything that could add to the intensity of Israel's attacks on Iran in the immediate days, especially with some Iranian missiles breaching Israeli-US defences to deadly effect.

Netanyahu is now arguing that targeting Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would end, not escalate, the conflict.

But an anonymous US official briefed to some news outlets at the weekend that Trump made clear he was against such a move.

Getty Images A building which was directly hit in Petah Tikva following an Iranian ballistic missile barrageGetty Images
Iranian ballistic missiles hit buildings in Tel Aviv

3. Listening to the Maga voices and pulling back

One of the big political factors playing on Trump's mind is his domestic support.

Most Republicans in Congress still staunchly back Israel, including continued American arms supplies to the country. Many have vocally backed Israel's attacks on Iran.

But there are key voices within Trump's Make America Great Again (Maga) movement who now outright reject this traditional "ironclad" support for Israel.

Over the last few days they've asked why the US is risking being drawn into a Middle East war given Trump's "America First" foreign policy promise.

The pro-Trump journalist Tucker Carlson wrote a stinging criticism on Friday saying the administration's claims not to be involved weren't true, and that the US should "drop Israel".

He suggested Mr Netanyahu "and his war-hungry government" were acting in a way that would drag in US troops to fight on his behalf.

Carlson wrote: "Engaging in it would be a middle finger in the faces of the millions of voters who cast their ballots in hopes of creating a government that would finally put the United States first."

Similarly, the staunch Trump loyalist US representative Marjorie Taylor Greene posted on X that: "Anyone slobbering for the US to become fully involved in the Israel/Iran war is not America First/MAGA".

This represents a considerable vulnerability for Trump.

It adds pressure on him to put distance between the US and Israel's offensive and there are signs, in public at least, that he has responded.

The Maga debate over the weekend coincided with him posting on social media that he joined Russia's president Putin in calling for an end to the war. By Sunday he said Iran and Israel should make a deal, adding: "The US had nothing to do with the attack on Iran".

Iran has already threatened to attack US bases in the region if, as is now happening, Washington assists Israel's defence.

The risk of any American casualties would likely see the Maga isolationist argument grow exponentially, in turn potentially adding pressure on Trump to pull back and urge Mr Netanyahu to bring the offensive to a swifter end.

中国驻以使馆促在以公民尽快通过陆路口岸离境

随着以伊冲突加剧,中国驻以色列使馆发声明敦促在以中国公民尽快通过陆路口岸离境。

据中国驻以色列使馆微信公众号“以馆为家”消息,中国驻以色列使馆星期一(6月16日)发布关于在以中国公民尽快通过陆路边境口岸转道回国或离境的提醒。

声明说,当前以伊冲突持续升级,民用设施多有受损,平民伤亡不断增加,安全形势更加严峻。连日来,不少在以中国公民电话联系使馆或邮件询问机场何时开放、海航航班何时复航。

经了解,目前以色列领空仍处于关闭状态,以政府也将全国紧急状态延长至6月30日。同时,以政府相关部门特别提醒,以色列与约旦、埃及边境口岸保持开放。中国驻以色列使馆提醒在以中国公民在确保自身安全的前提下尽快通过陆路边境口岸离境,建议优先选择约旦方向。

以色列上星期五(6月13日)对伊朗发动打击,伊朗随即用导弹袭击特拉维夫、海法等以色列城市。目前以色列已关闭国内领空,并宣布全国进入紧急状态。

中国车企供应商对车企60天账期承诺持疑虑

尽管中国多家汽车制造商承诺将付款周期缩短至60天,但不少供应商仍质疑这些承诺能否真正落实。

在6月初与工信部、市场监管总局和国家发改委三大监管部门会谈后,比亚迪、吉利、长城汽车等至少17家车企承诺,将统一把对供应商的账期控制在60天以内。这一举措被视为中国车企向国际行业惯例靠拢的重要一步——过去部分中国车企的付款周期曾长达数百天。

据彭博社报道,上周在香港举行的一场汽车及供应链展会上,多名受访的零部件制造商坦言,延迟付款在行业内早已司空见惯,部分企业可能仍会通过其他方式延后支付,从而削弱这一改变的成效。

一名从事线束与电气零件制造的市场开发工程师指出,企业常见的规避方式是开具银行承兑汇票(即商业票据),将实际支付时间进一步推迟。在承诺60天付款期的17家车企中,仅有国企上汽集团与北汽集团明确表示不会使用商业票据,其他企业则未说明具体的付款形式。

在中国汽车行业,商业票据和供应链金融早已普遍应用。比亚迪旗下的“迪链”(Dilink)系统便是其中的典型案例。该系统允许票据延期兑付、在市场流通转让,或通过支付手续费实现提前兑现。

尽管部分供应商对这一做法并不排斥,因他们可凭借账款融资取得现金流,但商业票据的大量使用也折射出行业在价格战压力下的资金紧张局面。

根据比亚迪上一次披露的数据,截至2023年5月,“迪链”平台已累计发行票据总额达4000亿元人民币(约713亿新元)。会计咨询公司GMT Research则指出,截至2024年6月底,通过延迟付款等方式,比亚迪的实际净负债可能超过账面披露数十倍。

中国工业和信息化部在回应车企账期承诺时说,新能源汽车市场竞争加剧,竞争压力从整车向产业链环节传导,出现了供应商货款支付账期加长、资金周转困难等现象,不利于产业技术创新和健康可持续发展。

妖魔化中国公民只会伤害美国

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妖魔化中国公民只会伤害美国

米华健
Joanna Blémont
特朗普总统的第一个任期给了我们“中国行动计划”,目的是铲除中国的间谍活动。结果却是对华裔和亚裔美国研究人员的种族形象定性,一些站不住脚的案件最终被撤销,没有学者因间谍活动或窃取机密而受到起诉。拜登总统明智地取消了该计划。
但是,特朗普的现任政府故技重施,再次妖魔化中国公民,国务卿马可·鲁比奥今年5月28日宣布,美国将“大力撤销”中国留学生的签证。虽然上周的贸易谈判后,特朗普团队似乎暂时放弃了这项措施,但威胁依然存在,损害可能已经造成。
上一次把中国学生、研究人员和学者作为打击对象是极其糟糕的主意,如今亦然。这种做法将在学术、经济、战略上给美国造成损害。这样做将让我们对最大竞争对手更加无知,助长偏执情绪,同时对保护敏感信息也起不了多少作用。
我们当然应该对中国的大范围间谍活动有所警惕。
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这些间谍活动主要针对美国政府或企业。但大学也是间谍活动的目标。中国政府的已知手段包括向中国留学生施压,叫他们从美国同事那里收集有关技术和创新的信息,如果不照做的话,他们在中国的家人就会受到威胁。这些无辜的学生同样也是中国的受害者。我们应该设法保护他们在美国土地上的学术自由和安全。采取一刀切的方式把他们排斥在外无异于责备受害者,好坏不分地一并清除。
事实上,美国校园内开展的研究极少涉及机密。许多大学基于学术研究成果应该公众共享原则,明令禁止涉密研究。虽然有些研究领域确实较为敏感,但美国现有的的限制筛选程序早已对特定领域的中国研究人员实施签证封锁或限制。例如,2020年的一项特朗普行政命令明确规定,对于美国认定涉及潜在军事用途技术的中国实体,无论是过去还是现在与它们存在关联的研究生,其入境将受到严格限制。
令人担忧的是,鲁比奥的宣布在这些本来就很严格的标准之上增加了新的模糊标准
他专门提到“与中国共产党有关系”的学生,对一个中共掌管所有事情的国家来说,这几乎毫无意义。正如每个美国人都以某种方式与美国政府产生联系,如获得驾照、纳税、在公立学校读书,与共产党打交道是中国公民现实生活的一部分,而非意识形态立场的体现。
鲁比奥还提及“在关键领域学习”的学生。这是仅指敏感技术领域呢,还是像特朗普政府一贯的极端做法那样,把社会科学、国际关系乃至商业和金融包括进来?
这些过于宽泛且最终没有必要的标准令人不禁怀疑,特朗普团队也许正在为实现“2025计划”的又一个目标奠定基础,这份右翼宣言已成为特朗普第二的任期的施政纲领。特朗普打击移民、取消多元化项目、取消保护气候的措施,以及其他重大政策举措,都是“2025计划”希望一览表上的主要事项,该计划也要求美国“大幅减少或取消”发给中国留学生和研究人员的签证。
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这样做会在多个方面伤害美国。
以贸易为例。特朗普为美中贸易逆差耿耿于怀。但2023年,在美国合法学习的27.7万多名中国学生为美国经济贡献了140多亿美元,与一些美国对华最大出口产品的价值相当。
美国也从来自中国的长期“人才流入”中受益。2001年至2015年,超过5.5万名中国留学生从美国大学获得STEM博士学位,其中90%的人在毕业后留在了美国。然而,由于新冠疫情和中美关系恶化,中国在美留学生人数从2019年的37万人大幅下降。限制中国学生签证将进一步削弱美国的这种技术优势。
对此我深有体会,偏执的学术壁垒最终会伤害到设置壁垒的国家。
2004年,我曾经参与撰写了一本关于中国维吾尔人的书,维吾尔人是新疆的原住民群体之一。维吾尔人对共产党来说是一个高度敏感的话题,由于他们历史上对中国统治的不满,共产党试图阻止外国学者展开相关研究。中国谴责这本书企图煽动维吾尔分裂主义,随后拒绝向我和其他几位撰写该书的美国教授发放签证。
这一做法对中国来说适得其反。我们继续做研究,出版著作和教学,但我们不能访问中国,不能像以前那样,与在北京为政府出谋献策的中国学者进行坦率的面对面交流。恶劣的学术氛围也意味着中国专家不再受邀参加海外维吾尔和新疆研究领域的会议和其他学术交流。中国失去了一个重要的渠道,通过这个渠道,中国学者本可以接触最新研究成果,并掌握海外对其新疆政策的反应。
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2018年,当中国在再教育中心拘禁了100多万维吾尔人和其他穆斯林少数民族的消息传出时,中国对随之而来的全球愤怒毫无准备。我很早就告诉在华盛顿的中国官员,世界将把这些拘禁营视为集中营,将把中国对待维吾尔人的方式视为反人类罪种族灭绝,当时他们嗤之以鼻。中国的回应很笨拙,一开始断然否认,这显然站不住脚——再教育设施的卫星图像是明摆着的——然后一再改变说法。结果,中国的国际声誉受到了严重损害,美国也对其实施了制裁。
通过限制学术交流,中国削弱了预测美国和世界反应的能力。如果美国对中国学者采取同样的做法,恐将重蹈覆辙。
从务实的美国国家安全立场来看,我们应该尽可能地了解中国。这意味着保持联系,而不是切断联系。然而,特朗普似乎执意要让我们自我蒙蔽。在他的第一个任期内,他废除了与中国的富布赖特学术交流项目,该项目几十年来促成了成千上万的两国学生互访。他的新一届政府削弱了自由亚洲电台——国会和白宫长期倚仗该电台对新疆、西藏和中国的报道——并取消了对监督中国侵犯人权行为的资助
撤销中国留学生签证将进一步切断美国与最大竞争对手的联系,这种为报复对手而牺牲安全、因偏执而放弃追求知识的做法与中国共产党的孤立主义几乎没有区别。这也摧毁了美国本应展现的人道关怀——面对一个占全球六分之一人口的国家中的普通人,我们理应怀有同理心。
一个自信的美国不应该害怕来自世界各地的人们,哪怕是来自竞争对手国家的人前来获取全人类需要的知识,以共同应对日益严重的全球性问题。学习不是间谍活动。

米华健(James A. Millward)是乔治城大学(Georgetown)历史学教授。著有《欧亚十字路口:新疆历史》(Eurasian Crossroads: A History of Xinjiang)和《丝绸之路简介》(The Silk Road: A Very Short Introduction)。

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Jane Goodall chimpanzee conservation project in Tanzania hit by USAID cuts

A young chimpanzee in Gombe Stream national park, where Hope Through Action works

The US government funding cuts will hit a chimpanzee conservation project nurtured by the primatologist Jane Goodall.

USAid has been subjected to swingeing cuts under Donald Trump, with global effects that are still unfolding. Now it has emerged that the agency will withdraw from the Hope Through Action project managed by the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI). USAid had pledged $29.5m (£22m) over five years to the project, which was designed to protect endangered chimpanzees and their habitats in western Tanzania.

Launched in November 2023, the project is intended to protect endangered chimpanzees through reforestation and “community-led methodology” in order to conserve biodiversity conservation and improve local livelihoods.

Its work is built upon Jane Goodall’s research.She “redefined species conservation” by highlighting the importance of cooperation between local people and the natural environment to protect chimpanzees from extinction.

According to JGI figures, chimpanzees have become extinct in three African countries, and overall population numbers have fallen from millions to below 340,000.

Goodall criticised Trump during his first term in office when he signed an executive order dismantling Barack Obama’s clean power plan. She called Trump’s climate agenda “immensely depressing”.

In collaboration with JGI Austria, Ecosia – a Berlin-based search engine that donates 100% of its profits to climate action – has offered $100,000 over the next three years to further TGI Tanzania’s Gombe reforestation project. The donation far from covers the original funding amount, but it is intended to pay for the planting of 360,000 seedlings, work put at risk after the project was defunded.

The director of JGI Austria, Diana Leizinger, said: “We refuse to abandon people and nature. Where hope could have been destroyed, we are helping it grow again.”

An analysis in April by Refugees International found that 98% of USAid’s awards related to the climate had been discontinued.

USAid was approached for comment.

Social media now main source of news in US, research suggests

Getty Images Joe Rogan speaking into a microphoneGetty Images
US podcaster Joe Rogan's content was seen by almost a quarter of people in the US in the week of the research

Social media and video networks have become the main source of news in the US, overtaking traditional TV channels and news websites, research suggests.

More than half (54%) of people get news from networks like Facebook, X and YouTube - overtaking TV (50%) and news sites and apps (48%), according to the Reuters Institute.

"The rise of social media and personality-based news is not unique to the United States, but changes seem to be happening faster – and with more impact – than in other countries," a report found.

Podcaster Joe Rogan was the most widely-seen personality, with almost a quarter (22%) of the population saying they had come across news or commentary from him in the previous week.

The report's author Nic Newman said the rise of social video and personality-driven news "represents another significant challenge for traditional publishers".

The institute also highlighted a trend for some politicians to give their time to sympathetic online hosts rather than mainstream interviewers.

It said populist politicians around the world are "increasingly able to bypass traditional journalism in favour of friendly partisan media, 'personalities', and 'influencers' who often get special access but rarely ask difficult questions, with many implicated in spreading false narratives or worse".

Despite their popularity, online influencers and personalities were named as a major source of false or misleading information by almost half of people worldwide (47%) - putting them level with politicians.

The report also stated that usage of X for news is "stable or increasing across many markets", with the biggest uplift in the US.

It added that since Elon Musk took over the network in 2022, "many more right-leaning people, notably young men, have flocked to the network, while some progressive audiences have left or are using it less frequently".

In the US, the proportion that self-identified as being on the right tripled after Musk's takeover.

In the UK, right-wing X audiences have almost doubled.

Rival networks like Threads, Bluesky and Mastodon are "making little impact globally, with reach of 2% or less for news", it stated.

Other key findings about news sources:

  • TikTok is the fastest-growing social and video network, used for news by 17% of people around the world, up four percentage points since last year.
  • The use of AI chatbots to get the news is on the rise, and is twice as popular among under-25s than the population as a whole.
  • But most people think AI will make news less transparent, accurate and trustworthy.
  • All generations still prize trusted brands with a track record for accuracy, even if they don't use them as often as they once did

The report is in its 14th year and surveyed almost 100,000 people in 48 countries.

Israel bombs Iran state TV during live broadcast

Moment debris falls in Iran state TV studio after Israeli strikes

Israeli aircraft have struck the headquarters of Iran's state broadcaster in Tehran, after the Israeli military told residents of the area of the capital where it is located to evacuate.

A live broadcast on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting's TV channel was briefly interrupted after blasts were heard and the studio lights went out. Iranian media reported that at least one staff member was killed.

The Israeli military said it targeted a "communications centre of the Iranian regime". Iran's foreign ministry said the strike was a "war crime".

Residents of Tehran meanwhile appeared to be fleeing in large numbers, with pictures showing traffic jams on one highway heading north.

Earlier, the Israeli military declared that it had achieved "full air superiority" over the city and had destroyed a third of Iran's missile launchers.

It came after Iranian missiles struck four different areas in the northern and central Israel overnight, killing at least eight civilians, according to the military.

Iran's health ministry said at least 224 people had been killed and more than 1,200 injured in Israeli air strikes since Friday, when Israel launched a large-scale air campaign targeting Iran's nuclear programme and ballistic missiles.

Iranian missile strikes have killed at least 24 people and injured 592 others in Israel over the same period, according to the Israeli prime minister's office.

On Monday afternoon, the Israeli military's Persian-language spokesperson called on residents of western Tehran's District 3 to evacuate immediately, saying it planned to target military infrastructure and that their lives were at risk.

Hours later, the Israeli strike on the building housing Iran's state broadcaster was broadcast live on its TV network, IRINN.

Following the sound of several explosions, newsreader Sahar Emami said: "What you noticed is the sound of a clear aggression by the Zionist regime on IRIB."

Another, much louder explosion then shook the studio, forcing Emami to leave.

The broadcast was cut off and replaced with news bulletins, before resuming minutes later.

Later, the head of IRIB, Peyman Jebelli, appeared on TV showing a blood-stained paper. He said the channel and its employees were "standing until the end".

The semi-official Fars news agency reported that Masoumeh Azimi, an employee of the IRIB Secretariat, was killed in the attack.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baqai, condemned the strike, saying it was a "wicked act" and a "war crime".

AFP Smoke billows following an Israeli air strike on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) building in Tehran, Iran (16 June 2025)AFP
Smoke billowed from the headquarters of Iran's state broadcaster following the Israeli air strike

The Israeli military's spokesman, Brig Gen Effie Defrin, said it targeted "a communications centre of the Iranian regime, which served Iran's armed forces".

"According to our intelligence, the centre was used by military forces to advance operational activity under the cover of civilian assets and infrastructure," he alleged.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called IRIB the "propaganda and incitement broadcasting authority of the Iranian regime".

The Iranian Red Crescent also said three of its first responders were killed when an ambulance was hit by an Israeli strike in Tehran's Shahid Bagheri district on Monday.

"This incident is not only a crime against international humanitarian law but also a blatant attack on humanity and morality," a statement added.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, but Deffrin said aircraft had struck trucks carrying weapons, surface-to-air missile launchers, other military infrastructure, and also eliminated "operatives" attempting to flee Tehran.

WANA via Reuters A woman walks past shuttered shops at Tehran's Grand Bazaar (16 June 2025)WANA via Reuters
Many shops in Tehran's Grand Bazaar were closed on Monday

A resident of western Tehran told the BBC in a message that the sound of explosions from Israeli air strikes and Iranian air defence batteries was "constant".

"Many have left Tehran. And I noticed that some local shops are also closed," they wrote. "The bakeries are packed, though, and those out and about you see them panic buying."

They added: "Panic and fear are the words to describe the mood in Tehran right now. [But] I don't want to leave."

A second Tehran resident told BBC Persian that their family had gathered their documents and jewellery and fled northwards early on Saturday.

"I cleaned and tidied the house completely, said goodbye to it, and cried for 15 minutes. Then we left Tehran," they said.

A third person with two young children said she had decided to stay.

"I'm too exhausted to even think of leaving and coming back to find my life destroyed," they explained. "I've struggled to get here. If everything is going to be ruined, then I'd rather my kids and I go with our home."

Iran's foreign ministry also accused the Israeli military of targeting a hospital during a series of air strikes in the western city of Kermanshah on Monday.

State media reported that parts of the Farabi hospital were damaged by Israeli projectiles and that several patients were injured as a result.

Kurdish human rights group Hengaw said it had received credible information that the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) had converted buildings near the hospital into "storage sites for military projectiles" and accused the force of using civilians as "human shields".

Watch: Hugo Bachega reports from Petah Tikva following an Iranian attack

Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, told Israeli Air Force personnel at Tel Nof airbase that taking control of the skies over Tehran "changes the entire campaign".

"We are on the way to achieving our two objectives: eliminating the nuclear threat and eliminating the missile threat," he said.

"When we control the skies over Tehran, we strike regime targets, as opposed to the criminal Iranian regime which targets our civilians and comes to kill women and children. We tell the people of Tehran to evacuate - and we act."

In a separate interview with ABC News, Netanyahu was asked about reports from US media that President Donald Trump had rejected an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, because it might escalate the conflict.

"It's not going to escalate the conflict. It's going to end the conflict," he replied.

President Trump blamed Iran for not engaging fully in talks with the US on a new deal that would place strict curbs on its nuclear programme.

"Iran is not winning this war, and they should talk... before it's too late," he told reporters at the G7 summit in Canada.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Netanyahu had attacked Iran to scuttle a deal between Iran and the US.

"If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential," he added.

"Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue."

Flattery or Discipline? The Difficult Task of Managing Trump.

Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney deployed both methods on the first day of the Group of 7 summit in Alberta to keep Mr. Trump focused and avoid drama.

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s handling of President Trump on Monday was an evolution of his meeting with him in the Oval Office in May, when he chose to both stroke Mr. Trump’s ego, but also firmly push back on the president’s threats to annex Canada.

以色列与伊朗冲突升级,战斗或持续数周

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以色列与伊朗冲突升级,战斗或持续数周

PATRICK KINGSLEY
周日上午,以色列雷霍沃特市遭伊朗导弹袭击。
周日上午,以色列雷霍沃特市遭伊朗导弹袭击。 Avishag Shaar-Yashuv for The New York Times
去年以色列与伊朗发生冲突时,它们是以短促、克制的方式交战,通常在数小时内停火,而且双方都在寻找让紧张局势缓和下来的途径。
自从以色列上周五开始新一轮战斗以来,两国都已表示,只要有必要,就将继续战斗下去,双方扩大了打击范围,并导致伤亡人数大幅上升。这次冲突看来将至少持续一周,而且双方都对化解冲突的途径置若罔闻。
以色列继续战斗似乎意在通过武力或重启谈判彻底摧毁伊朗的铀浓缩项目。但伊朗并未表现出自愿停止铀浓缩(制造原子弹的一个关键工序)的迹象,而以色列目前已知的军事能力尚无法摧毁一个深藏地下的关键铀浓缩设施。
“这场冲突的结束需要数周而不是数天时间,”曾在五角大楼负责中东事务直至今年1月卸任的丹尼尔·夏皮罗表示。
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“以色列将继续行动,不管用什么方法,直到让伊朗不再拥有铀浓缩能力为止,”夏皮罗补充道,他现在是华盛顿研究机构大西洋理事会的研究员。“现已清楚的是,如果以色列不解决这个问题,它的军事行动将是失败的。”
虽然以色列轻而易举地打击了位于伊朗中部纳坦兹的主要铀浓缩设施,但它缺乏摧毁伊朗北部福尔多附近深山中的一个小型地下设施的武器:美国制造的“碉堡克星”炸弹。以色列官员希望,他们打击其他目标——包括伊朗最高军事指挥官、核科学家及能源产业——的行动能给伊朗带来足够的痛苦,促使它自愿结束福尔多设施的运行。
就目前而言,伊朗远未表现出屈服的迹象,尽管以色列在伊朗领空的主导地位日益明显,这是伦敦皇家国际事务研究所的中东问题研究主管萨纳姆·瓦基尔的看法。虽然以色列希望促成伊朗政权的崩溃,但伊朗政府仍牢牢掌控着国内局势,并且仍拥有大量的弹道导弹库存,即使以色列已削弱了其部分发射能力。
“目前看不到德黑兰有任何投降的迹象,没有人在摇白旗,”瓦基尔说。“在伊朗的核项目看来仍在运行、国家体系完好的情况下,很难看出伊朗会放弃铀浓缩的权利,”她补充道。“他们的目标是生存下去,(让以色利)遭受破坏,展示他们的韧劲。”
局势很大程度上取决于美国总统特朗普如何反应。与以色列不同,美国已拥有摧毁福尔多核设施所需的炸弹和飞机。夏皮罗等分析人士指出,如果伊朗选择加速研制核弹,而不是达成妥协的话,特朗普可能会考虑采取行动。
“这将在美国是否应该进行干预的问题上,给特朗普制造一个关键的决策点,”夏皮罗说。
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考虑到以色列的打击已削弱了伊朗的防御能力,对特朗普来说,现在也许更容易在不造成严重安全后果的情况下进行干预。
不过也有人认为,除非伊朗军方将攻击目标从以色列转向美国在中东的利益和人员,从而压缩特朗普的回旋余地,否则他更可能会避免与伊朗的直接对抗。自上周五以来,伊朗一直避免为美国的介入提供此类借口,并已避免打击美国在该地区的其他盟友,包括沙特阿拉伯和阿联酋。
特朗普自上周五以来的表态显示,他目前倾向于把以色列的军事成果用作与德黑兰重启核谈判的筹码。
德黑兰的一块广告牌上承诺对以色列的打击进行报复。
德黑兰的一块广告牌上承诺对以色列的打击进行报复。 Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times
数月来,特朗普一直在主导与伊朗的谈判进程,希望伊朗政府在无需以色列军事干预的情况下同意结束本国的铀浓缩项目。
伊朗拒绝让步后,这些谈判陷入了僵局。特朗普在周末发表的言论中暗示,在以色列的军事打击威慑下,伊朗也许最终会做出其此前不予考虑的妥协。因此,一些分析人士称,如果特朗普判定伊朗的态度已趋软化,他可能会向以色列施压,让其停止军事打击。
“这场冲突的终结将取决于特朗普的决断,而这很可能在他认为伊朗做好了妥协的准备后发生,”特拉维夫的国家安全研究所伊朗问题专家约尔·古赞斯基说。
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专家表示,这种180度的大转弯在历史上不是没有先例,尽管目前看来不太可能。据以色列赖希曼大学讲授伊朗研究课程的教授梅尔·贾维丹法尔说,伊朗领导人曾在20世纪80年代两伊战争结束时做出过类似地出人意料的妥协。当时伊朗曾多次拒绝了结束战争的提议,但在战争的代价变得难以承受后,阿亚图拉·霍梅尼最终同意了停火协议,贾维丹法尔说。
“霍梅尼做了个180度的大转变,”他说。“这也正是以色列现在所希望的。”
但历史也表明,这可能需要时间。结束两伊战争的协议用了八年时间才达成。

Gabby Sobelman自以色列雷霍沃特、Myra Noveck自耶路撒冷、Johnatan Reiss自特拉维夫对本文有报道贡献。

Patrick Kingsley是时报耶路撒冷分社社长,领导时报对以色列、加沙和西岸的报道。

翻译:Cindy Hao

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Senate Bill Would Make Deep Cuts to Medicaid, Setting Up Fight With House

The proposal would salvage some clean-energy tax credits and phase out others more slowly, making up some of the cost by imposing deeper cuts to Medicaid than the House-passed bill would.

© Eric Lee for The New York Times

The 549-page measure, released by the Senate Finance Committee, outlines changes to Medicaid that would be far more aggressive than the version passed in the House, making millions more Americans subject to a work requirement.
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