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专家谈特朗普对欧盟的新关税:“对所有参与谈判的人来说都是一记耳光”

德才
2025-07-13T13:40:45.055Z
自今年1月开启第二个总统任期以来,特朗普在全球范围内举起关税大棒,导致金融市场动荡,并引发了人们对全球经济衰退的担忧

(德国之声中文网)美国总统特朗普继续在全球范围内挥舞关税大棒。他最新宣布,将向欧盟和墨西哥的进口商品征收30%的关税。此前数日,这位美国总统已经对20多个国家发出信函,宣布要征收新的关税。

经济专家:可能只是特朗普的谈判策略

全球金融机构荷商银行(ING)高级经济学家费希纳(Inga Fechner)对德国之声表示,过去几周以来,欧盟谈判代表一直强调同美国的相关谈判进展顺利,因此特朗普突然发布8月1日起征关税的声明着实令人意外。不过费希纳也对德国之声表示:“好消息是起征日期已经从7月9日延长至8月1日”。费希纳甚至认为,这可能只是特朗普的一个“谈判策略”而已。

同时,费希纳也坦承,特朗普发出的关税威胁对“所有参与谈判、并为缓和美方情绪而付出不懈努力的人来说,都毫无疑问是一记响亮的耳光。”

这位经济学家强调:“但毕竟我们仍然还有三周时间,这是一段蛮长的时间,在8月1日之前,让我们看看接下来会发生什么。”不过,费希纳也表示,由于欧盟各成员国的立场不一,布鲁塞尔就关税问题形成统一应对方案的难度极大。“在后续谈判中我们会看到,有些国家真的在推动对等措施,而有些国家则希望选择息事宁人的做法。”

欧盟委员会主席冯德莱恩:仍对谈判解决争端抱持期望。

欧盟推迟启动反制措施

为了避免激化矛盾,并争取通过谈判解决同美国的关税争议,欧盟委员会决定将启动反制措施的时间点推迟到八月初。

欧盟委员会主席冯德莱恩周日(7月13日)宣布,推迟反制措施的启动日期是为了观望美方是否仍有可能与欧盟达成协议。冯德莱恩表示:“我们仍然对达成协议抱持希望。”

特朗普周六宣布对欧盟的关税将自8月1日起生效;冯德莱恩表示,将力争在月底前通过谈判找到解决方案,因此欧盟委员会做出暂缓反制措施的决定是合情合理的。

由于美国方面此前就已对一系列欧盟产品启动了关税措施,因此按照原定计划,欧盟针对美国价值210亿欧元的反制措施本应于周一(7月14日)开始生效。但路透社从谈判团队获悉的消息显示,德国政府及其他一些成员国在欧盟周末举行的表决中,主张暂缓执行反制措施,希望以此来降低未来同华盛顿谈判的难度。

特朗普抱怨美欧贸易存在“长期、大规模且持续”的贸易逆差

周六,美国总统特朗普在其社媒平台Truth Social 上发布了他致欧盟委员会主席冯德莱恩的一封信,信中抱怨美欧贸易存在“长期、大规模且持续”的贸易逆差,指责拥有27个成员国的欧盟实行不公平的贸易政策和设置贸易壁垒。特朗普宣布将自8月1日起对欧盟进口商品征收30%关税。

特朗普在信中写道,如果“欧盟或欧盟内部的国家决定在美国境内投资建设或生产”,美国则会撤销这些高额关税。

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© 2025年德国之声版权声明:本文所有内容受到著作权法保护,如无德国之声特别授权,不得擅自使用。任何不当行为都将导致追偿,并受到刑事追究。

相关图集:特朗普关税战2.0时间线梳理

2025年2月1日 |对墨、加、中加征关税:特朗普上任后首次大规模加征关税:自2月1日开始对美国三大贸易伙伴加拿大、墨西哥和中国加征关税。特朗普宣布对邻国加拿大和墨西哥进口商品加征25%的关税,指责两国未能阻止非法移民进入美国;对来自中国商品加征10%的关税,指责中国在芬太尼生产中扮演重要角色。
2025年2月10日 |加征钢铝关税 无例外豁免:特朗普2月10日签署行政令,对所有进口至美国的钢铁和铝制品加征25%关税,并取消加拿大、墨西哥和巴西等钢铝主要供应国的免税额度。
2025年3月26日|宣布对进口汽车全面征税:特朗普于3月26日宣布,自4月3日起,对所有进口汽车与轻型卡车征收25%的关税。全球汽车供应链受冲击,日韩汽车产业首当其冲。受此消息影响,丰田、本田、现代和起亚等汽车制造商股价大幅下跌,总市值蒸发约165亿美元。
2025年4月2日|宣布“对等关税”:特朗普4月2日在白宫玫瑰花园举行“让美国再次富有”(Make America Wealthy Again)记者会,宣布“对等关税”措施。美国对大多数国家征收10%的基准关税,但针对特定国家征收更高税额。中国、欧盟和越南分别面临34%、20%和46%的关税; 日本、韩国、印度、柬埔寨和台湾,分别受到24%、25%、26%、49%和32%进口关税的打击。
2025年4月9日|暂缓关税90日 中国除外:特朗普4月9日在大规模“对等关税”上路不到24小时后出现政策大转弯,宣布暂缓征收“对等关税”90天,在此期间,税率将统一降至10%的基准关税。但中国被排除在暂缓名单之外,不仅如此,还将对中国的关税加码至145%,其中包含了美国此前指控中国打击芬太尼不力而征收的20%关税。
2025年5月4日 | 对美国境外制作的电影征收100%关税:特朗普5月4日以“国安威胁”为由,宣布将对非美国制作的电影征收100%关税,理由是要“拯救美国电影业”。
2025年5月12日|中美关税战90天“停火协议”:美中高层在瑞士进行谈判后于5月12日发布联合声明,就90天的“暂停期”达成协议:美国对大多数中国输美商品加征145%的关税将在5月14日前下调至30%,30%关税里包括针对芬太尼问题额外施加的20%惩罚性关税;中国对美产品加征的125%关税则将降至10%。美中双边早前不断叠加的报复性关税,在这波协商中几乎都被取消。(图为美财政部长贝森特与贸易谈判代表格里尔出席美中贸易会谈)
2025年5月13日|美大幅下调中国“小包裹”关税:白宫5月13发布行政命令,将从5月14日起将对中国低价值货物(不超过800美元)征收的“最低限度”关税从120%下调至54%,原计划的200美元固定费用征税方案被搁置,现行的100美元固定费用将继续执行。
5月23日 对阵欧盟:特朗普威胁自6月1日起对欧盟商品加征50%的统一关税。他同时警告苹果公司,若其在美国销售的手机是在海外生产的,将面临25%的关税。两天后,特朗普收回了对欧盟加征50%关税的威胁,他表示,与欧委会主席冯德莱恩通电话后,同意将美国和欧盟的谈判期限延长至7月9日。
5月28日 美国法院裁定特朗普对等关税“越权”:美国联邦国际贸易法庭裁定,特朗普今年4月2日对多国征收的对等关税,以及早前向中国、加拿大和墨西哥加征的报复性关税都属于“非法”。判决认定,特朗普征收全球关税的行为超出了《国际经济紧急权力法》(IEEPA)赋予总统的权限。美政府表示将对该裁决提出上诉。
5月29日 美国上诉法院暂准特朗普关税恢复执行:美国联邦上诉法院一天后推翻该判决,让特朗普的关税政策得以持续实施。上诉法院指出,为了审理特朗普政府的上诉,将先暂缓此前法院的裁决,并命令原告及特朗普政府分别在6月5日和6月9日前提交回应文件。
5月30日 特朗普全面上调钢铝关税:美国总统特朗普宣布将对全球钢铁和铝产品的进口关税提高至50%。中国是美国的第三大铝供应国。他指责中国未按约降低关税,取消针对稀土等产品的贸易限制。他说:“中国完全违反了与我们达成的协议。不能再做好好先生了!”
6月10日 美中谈判双方宣布原则上达成贸易框架协议:中国和美国官员在英国伦敦举行贸易谈判,经过两天的会议,6月10日,双方宣布原则上已达成贸易框架协议,以落实5月在瑞士日内瓦的共识、还有两国领袖上周的通话内容。特朗普在社交媒体Truth Social上表示,按照美中达成的新的贸易协议,美国将从中国获得稀土磁体。他还表示,将允许中国学生在协议达成后继续留在美国大学学习。

The Royal Box: Who’s in Wimbledon’s Most Exclusive Seats?

The event’s most coveted seats are available only through invitation, reserved for celebrities and dignitaries. Here’s a look at who’s sitting in them.

© Kin Cheung/Associated Press

Queen Camilla, seated bottom center, watched the Wimbledon Tennis Championships from the Royal Box on Centre Court on Wednesday, accompanied by actor Hugh Grant, to her left, during the tenth day of the tournament in London.

Gaza officials say children killed in strike as Israeli military admits 'error'

Getty Images Palestinians assess the damage in the aftermath of an overnight Israeli strike that hit Nuseirat in the central Gaza StripGetty Images
The aftermath of a strike in Nuseirat on Sunday

Ten people, including six children, have been killed in an Israeli air strike while waiting to fill water containers in central Gaza on Sunday, emergency service officials say.

Their bodies were sent to Nuseirat's al-Awda Hospital, which also treated 16 injured people, seven of them children, according to a doctor there.

Eyewitnesses said a drone fired a missile at a crowd of people queuing with empty jerry cans next to a water tanker in the heart of the al-Nuseirat refugee camp.

The Israeli military has been asked to comment.

Unverified footage shared online after the strike showed bloodied children and lifeless bodies, with screams of panic and desperation.

Residents rushed to the scene and transported the wounded using private vehicles and donkey carts.

The strike came as Israeli aerial attacks across the Gaza Strip have escalated.

A spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defense Agency said 19 other Palestinians had been killed on Sunday, in three separate strikes on residential buildings in central Gaza and Gaza City.

Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 57,882 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Most of Gaza's population has been displaced multiple times.

More than 90% of homes are estimated to be damaged or destroyed. The healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene systems have collapsed, and there are shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.

This week, for the first time in 130 days, 75,000 litres of fuel was allowed into Gaza - "far from enough to meet the daily needs of the population and vital civilian aid operations", the United Nations said.

Nine UN agencies warned on Saturday that Gaza's fuel shortage had reached "critical levels", and if fuel ran out, it would affect hospitals, water systems, sanitation networks and bakeries.

"Hospitals are already going dark, maternity, neonatal and intensive care units are failing, and ambulances can no longer move," the UN said.

UK pledges to make electric cars cheaper to buy

Watch Heidi Alexander "guarantees" electric vehicle costs will be lowered

The government will make it cheaper to buy an electric car (EV) in a bid to get more drivers to make the switch, the Transport Secretary has said.

Heidi Alexander was responding to reports suggesting the government will offer drivers thousands of pounds in grants to cut the price of buying an EV.

People without driveways will be able to have charge points fitted using "cross-pavement gullies" paid for with £25m allocated to councils, she told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

The Conservatives welcomed the investment but accused the government of "forcing families" into "expensive electric vehicles before the country was ready".

"We are going to be making some announcements later this week on how we make it more affordable for people to buy an electric vehicle," Alexander said.

When pushed on whether this would come in the form of hundreds of millions of pounds in EV grants, as reports suggested, Alexander refused to say.

"I can guarantee to your viewers that we will be making it cheaper for those who do want to make the switch to an electric vehicle, " she added.

The Department for Transport would not comment further.

It comes after Alexander told the Telegraph the high cost of electric vehicles was making people wary, saying "It was right that the government thinks in the round about what we can do to tackle both of the issues, on charging and on the upfront cost of purchase."

Richard Fuller MP, shadow chief Secretary to the Treasury, accused Labour of "forcing families into more expensive electric vehicles before the country is ready."

'I don't have an electric car'

The reports come as the government said it would invest £63m to boost charging infrastruture across the UK.

Alexander admitted she did not have an electric vehicle herself, adding that she lived in a terraced house without a driveway.

"I don't have an electric car... like millions of people in this country - I bought a new car about six years ago, I'm thinking about the next car that I will purchase and it will definitely be an electric vehicle," she said.

Some 21.6% of new cars sold during the first half of the year were electric, according to the latest figures from the UK motor trade association the SMMT.

However, figures remain well below the mandated targets manufacturers have been set, ahead of the ban on selling new petrol and diesel cars which comes into effect in 2030.

In April, Alexander announced manufacturers would have more flexibility on annual targets and face lower fines to allow them to manage the impact of trade tariffs from the US.

How we saved hundreds of pounds on our summer holiday

Laura Strang Laura Strang and her husband in the water between rocks wearing flotation devicesLaura Strang
Laura Strang and Sam Gledhill book their getaways at the last minute

The cost of all-inclusive package holidays to some of the most popular destinations has soared, prompting people to get creative to save money.

BBC News has been speaking to people who have used money-saving hacks to slash the price of their summer getaways.

If there are issues you would like to see covered, you can get in touch via Your Voice, Your BBC News.

'We booked two days before'

Infographic including a close up of Laura Strang and her husband in baseball caps and the following information:
Laura Strang, 25
Travellers: Two adults
Destination: Cancun, Mexico
Cost: £2,400 for 14 days

Laura Strang, 25, from Oban, Scotland saves money by booking at the last minute.

She even booked her honeymoon just two days before they flew.

"We got married on the 21st of June and waited until the 23rd of June to book a holiday for June 25th.

"We had two weeks in Mexico because it was cheaper than two weeks in Europe."

Laura and her husband Sam Gledhill, 27, paid £1,200 each for 14 nights all-inclusive in Cancun.

"I would say we saved thousands of pounds, based on reviews," she says.

"Ten nights in Spain was coming up the same or more expensive. It's a 10-hour flight over to Mexico so it's a little bit crazy, that."

She says she and her husband have previously booked holidays within a few days of flying to Tenerife, Salou and Marrakesh and have saved money each time.

"Choosing not to go all-inclusive can save money but that depends on the country," says Laura.

"We found Mexico quite expensive when going out and about [so all-inclusive made sense], but you could probably save money in Spain by going half board."

'We travel off-peak and look for kids go free places'

Infographic including an image of Nathan, his wife and their two children and the following information: 
Nathan Hart, 33
Travellers: Two adults, two children
Destination: Ibiza 
Cost: £2,500 for 10 days

Nathan Hart and his fiancee Cassie Farrelly estimate they saved £3,300 by searching for a holiday that offered a free child's place and going outside school holidays.

They have booked a 10-day all-inclusive holiday in Spain's Balearic Islands at the end of September with their three-year-old twin daughters Alba and Luna.

The couple from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales recommend using the filter option on some of the biggest travel agency websites.

"When searching you can see which places offer one free child place, choose a range of locations and sort by lowest price," says Nathan.

"We found an exceptional hotel for £800 per person plus one free child place, so that's already an £800 saving.

"As well as that, on the booking page you can see a calendar showing the difference in price for the holiday on different dates."

Nathan says when he compared the same holiday in August it was double the price.

"That would have been completely unaffordable for us.

"I now completely understand why parents with older kids travel inside school term time and it's absolutely something we will have to consider when our girls are older."

Parents who take their children out of school for holidays during term time risk being fined, and repeat offenders could face prosecution.

'I swapped my London flat for a Spanish villa'

Infographic featuring an image of May Burrough smiling and the following information:
May Burrough, 37 
Travellers: Seven adults
Destination: Costa Brava
Cost: £85 for villa for one week

May Burrough works in central London. But her flat is too small to have lots of people to stay, so last October she invited some close friends to a five-bedroomed villa with a pool on the Costa Brava, Spain.

She estimates it would normally have cost around £3,500 to rent a house like that. But she used a home-swapping site and only paid €100 (£85) - for the cleaning fee - plus around £250 on transport.

Although she saved money on the villa, May and her friends did splash out on food and drink, such as oysters and wine from the region.

"We really had a lush time at the house because we were like, 'well, we're not paying for the accommodation!'"

Because finding someone to do a straight swap with can often be tricky, the Home Exchange site she uses allows her to earn credits by letting people stay in her one-bedroom flat, and then spend them elsewhere.

"It does take a bit of effort. I put valuables away, you have to change the bedsheets, cleaning every time. But it is fully worth it," says May.

She says the site is a bit clunky to use, but she loves what it allows her to do, for an annual fee of around £170.

Recently she booked a one-night stay in Vienne, France so she could go to a concert.

"A hotel was going to be mega-expensive. So I booked a room in someone's home and left in the morning."

'I use my credit card to get loyalty points for flights'

An infographic featuring Ebrahim Paruk in a baseball cap and a football match in the background with the following information:
Ebrahim Paruk, 35 
Travellers: One adult
Destination: Dusseldorf, Germany
Cost: £500 for four nights

Ebrahim Paruk, 35, from Nuneaton near Coventry in Warwickshire saves money on flights by saving up Virgin Atlantic credit card points.

He does his best to collect as many points as possible.

"I pay for everything I can with the card," he says, including his bills, weekly petrol, and weekly groceries.

"These are day-to-day necessities that you have to buy, so you might as well get a reward," he says.

Describing himself as "the biggest football fan you will probably ever find", he started doing it as a way of going to the major international tournaments.

The best saving he made with the points was a return flight to Düsseldorf to watch Germany v Denmark in the 2024 Euros - he saved £400 on his £800 flight.

To add to the saving, he won the match ticket and hotel accommodation in a competition, meaning the whole trip cost him a total of £500.

Now he uses the same method to save money when booking holidays for him and his wife.

'I house sit and get to see the US'

Infographic featuring Annmaree in sunglasses, smiling with flowers in the background and the following information:
Annmaree Bancroft, 46
Travellers: One adult, one child
Destination: New York and Connecticut
Cost: £1,435 for four weeks

Annmaree Bancroft is a single mum of a three-year-old and has been house sitting with him 11 times.

Their first time was looking after two dogs for a week in a house in Scarsdale outside New York City.

This year they will be going back there for a few days, this time as friends of the homeowner. Then they will stay on for three more weeks in the US, without paying for any overnight accommodation, thanks to further housesitting stints in Connecticut and Brooklyn.

The cost of the holiday will be the £1,435 she is spending on flights, plus travel between cities and spending money.

"A lot of parents think that once you have a child, you can't travel," says Annmaree.

"That is just not true. There are these alternative ways now to travel and make it affordable."

If you do choose to house sit, it is recommended that you use a reputable site. Annmaree uses the online platform Trusted Housesitters, which charges a membership fee for sitters of £99 to £199 a year.

'We're staycationing in the UK'

Infographic featuring a close up of Kayleigh Pennel-Price smiling and the following information:
Kayleigh Pennel-Price, 33
Travellers: Two adults, two children, dog
Destination: Buckinghamshire
Cost £250 for two weeks

House sitting may also be an option for those choosing not to go abroad.

Kayleigh Pennel-Price lives with her partner, two children, aged two and four months, and their golden retriever Kofi in Wiltshire.

She had looked into a family holiday through the traditional means but calculated that it would cost around £3,000 to go on a foreign holiday for a week.

Instead, the whole family is going house sitting in a small village in Buckinghamshire for two weeks.

They will be staying in a home with a sauna, swimming pool and a private woodland, to look after two Yorkshire terriers, booked through the website HouseSit Match.

"We mostly plan to just stay there," says Kayleigh, who thinks the whole trip could cost £250.

"We love both abroad and UK holidays, but we don't like to leave our dog," she says. "And with the two babies, abroad is a little harder."

Liverpool players should follow their emotions to cope with Jota tragedy, says Slot

Liverpool players should 'follow emotions' - Slot

Arne Slot with Diogo Jota on the touchline during a game.Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Diogo Jota (right) scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool.

  • Published

Liverpool boss Arne Slot says his players should be themselves and follow their emotions as they come to terms with the death of team-mate Diogo Jota.

Portugal forward Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car crash on 3 July in the Spanish province of Zamora.

The Reds play their first pre-season friendly since Jota's death at Preston North End at 15:00 BST on Sunday.

In his first interview since Jota's death, Slot told Liverpool TV: "If we want to laugh, we laugh; if we want to cry, we're going to cry.

"If they want to train they can train, if they don't want to train they can not train. But be yourself, don't think you have to be different than your emotions tell you.

"We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go."

The funeral of the brothers took place in their hometown of Gondomar last Saturday when a large Liverpool delegation, including Slot, were in attendance.

There have also been floral tributes at Anfield, where Jota's wife Rute Cardoso, members of the brothers' family and Liverpool's squad all visited on Friday to pay their respects.

Liverpool have retired Jota's number 20 shirt across their men's, women's and academy teams in "honour and memory" of the former Wolves forward.

A number of tributes have been planned for the Preston game, including a pre-match rendition of Liverpool's anthem You'll Never Walk Alone and a minute's silence, with both sets of players wearing black armbands.

"Nothing seems to be important if we think of what has happened," said Slot. "But we are a football club and we need to train and we need to play again, if we want it or not.

"What I've said to the players, I can say it here as well. It's very difficult to find the right words because we constantly debate what is appropriate. What is appropriate in our actions? What is appropriate [for] what we have to say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we be angry if there's a wrong decision?

"And I've said to them, maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota was. And what I meant with that is that Jota was always himself, it didn't matter if he was talking to me, to his team-mates, to the staff, he was always himself. So let us try to be ourselves as well."

Jota scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool, helping them win the FA Cup and League Cup in 2022 and the Premier League title last season.

He played his final match for Portugal as they beat Spain in the final of the Nations League on 8 June. He scored 14 goals in 49 internationals.

The Guardia Civil told BBC Sport that Jota and his brother died after their car, a Lamborghini, left the road due to a tyre blowout while overtaking another vehicle.

The brothers had been heading to the Spanish port of Santander so Jota could return to Liverpool for pre-season training.

Children fetching water killed in Israeli strike in Gaza, emergency officials say

Getty Images Palestinians assess the damage in the aftermath of an overnight Israeli strike that hit Nuseirat in the central Gaza StripGetty Images
The aftermath of a strike in Nuseirat on Sunday

Ten people, including six children, have been killed in an Israeli air strike while waiting to fill water containers in central Gaza on Sunday, emergency service officials say.

Their bodies were sent to Nuseirat's al-Awda Hospital, which also treated 16 injured people, seven of them children, according to a doctor there.

Eyewitnesses said a drone fired a missile at a crowd of people queuing with empty jerry cans next to a water tanker in the heart of the al-Nuseirat refugee camp.

The Israeli military has been asked to comment.

Unverified footage shared online after the strike showed bloodied children and lifeless bodies, with screams of panic and desperation.

Residents rushed to the scene and transported the wounded using private vehicles and donkey carts.

The strike came as Israeli aerial attacks across the Gaza Strip have escalated.

A spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defense Agency said 19 other Palestinians had been killed on Sunday, in three separate strikes on residential buildings in central Gaza and Gaza City.

Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 57,882 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Most of Gaza's population has been displaced multiple times.

More than 90% of homes are estimated to be damaged or destroyed. The healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene systems have collapsed, and there are shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.

This week, for the first time in 130 days, 75,000 litres of fuel was allowed into Gaza - "far from enough to meet the daily needs of the population and vital civilian aid operations", the United Nations said.

Nine UN agencies warned on Saturday that Gaza's fuel shortage had reached "critical levels", and if fuel ran out, it would affect hospitals, water systems, sanitation networks and bakeries.

"Hospitals are already going dark, maternity, neonatal and intensive care units are failing, and ambulances can no longer move," the UN said.

Child dies at Alder Hey Hospital as measles cases surge

Getty Images A sign outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, northwest England.Getty Images
It is thought 17 children have been treated at Alder Hey for the disease since June

A child has died at Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital after contracting measles, the BBC understands.

There has been a surge in children being taken to the hospital after becoming seriously unwell with the highly contagious virus.

Alder Hey said it would not officially comment on individual cases to respect patient confidentiality but the death has been confirmed to the BBC.

No details have been released about whether the child was being treated for other health problems or their vaccination status.

It is thought 17 children have been treated at Alder Hey for the virus since June.

The child is believed to be only the second in the UK in a decade to have died after contracting measles, after Renae Archer, of Salford, Greater Manchester, died aged 10 in 2023.

PA Media A person wearing yellow medical gloves holding a vaccination needle.PA Media
There has been a spike in cases at Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital

An Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: "To respect patient confidentiality, we can't comment on individual cases.

"We are concerned about the increasing number of children and young people who are contracting measles.

"Measles is a highly contagious viral illness which can cause children to be seriously unwell, requiring hospital treatment, and in rare cases, death.".

The hospital warned parents earlier this week that a fall in MMR vaccine uptake was behind the spike in measles cases in the region.

Chief nurse Nathan Askew said he felt misunderstandings around the vaccine were to blame.

"This vaccine's been in use for well over 50 years. It's very safe, tried and tested," he said.

Patients at the site include those with compromised immunity due to other health issues "making them more susceptible to infections, including measles, an Alder Hey spokesperson said.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.

Related links

More rules being considered to keep children safe online

Watch: New Ofcom rules "foundation" for safer internet but "not end of the conversation" says Heidi Alexander

The government is considering further action to keep children safe online and will not "sit back and wait" on the issue, a cabinet minister has said.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told the BBC new age-verification rules beginning later this month would have a "really important" impact.

She said the regulations, to be overseen by media regulator Ofcom, would not be the "end of the conversation" on online safety.

Ofcom boss Melanie Dawes vowed to rigorously enforce the new requirements, adding the regulator "means business". But she acknowledged Ofcom may require further legal powers in order to keep pace with the rapidly developing impact of artificial intelligence (AI).

Under new powers introduced by the Online Safety Act and passed under the previous Tory government, Ofcom will require internet companies to conduct stricter age verification methods to check whether a user is under 18.

A new code of practice, to apply from 25 July, will also require platforms to change algorithms affecting what is shown in children's feeds to filter out harmful content.

At the last election, Labour committed to "build on" the previous government's law and consider further measures to keep children safe.

But it is yet to publish fresh legislation of its own, with ministers arguing the existing set of new regulations need to be rolled out first.

'Addictive habits'

Speaking to Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Alexander said the new rules would bring in "really robust safeguards" to ensure proper age verification.

But she added: "We are very clear as a government that this is the foundation for a safer online experience for children, but it is not the end of the conversation".

She said Technology Secretary Peter Kyle was looking at further action in a number of areas, including how to address "addictive habits" among children, although she did not provide further details.

"We're not going to be a government that sits back and waits on this, we want to address it," she added.

Ofcom's chief executive told the programme the new rules would mean tech platforms would have to change their content algorithms "very significantly".

Ms Dawes said the regulator would give websites some flexibility when deciding which age-verification tools to use, but pledged that those failing to put adequate checks in place "will hear from us with enforcement action".

However, she acknowledged some newer forms of AI "may not" be covered be powers contained in the existing legislation.

"There may need to be some changes to the legislation to cover that," she added.

Health Secretary and doctors' union to meet in bid to avoid strikes

Getty Images A junior doctor holds a placard that says "Pay restoration for doctors" during a rally in London in June last year. They are holding up one arm and wearing an orange British Medical Association hat and sunglasses, while their body is largely obscured by their sign. Behind them other protesters, a police officer and pedestrians are standing around.Getty Images
Resident doctors took part in 11 separate strikes during 2023 and 2024

Talks between Health Secretary Wes Streeting and the British Medical Association (BMA) will take place next week in a bid to avert strike action in England's NHS, the BBC understands.

Resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors, announced earlier this week that they will walk out for five consecutive days from 25 July until 30 July over a dispute about pay with the government.

The BMA said strikes would only be called off if next week's talks produce an offer it can put to its members.

The government has insisted it cannot improve its offer of a 5.4% increase for this year.

Resident doctors were awarded a 5.4% pay rise for this financial year - which will go into pay packets from August - following a 22% increase over the previous two years.

But they are arguing that pay in real terms is still around 20% lower than it was in 2008 and have called for the government to set out a pathway to restoring its value.

They believe that this year's 5.4% increase doesn't take them far enough down that path.

Health department sources have told the BBC the health secretary is sympathetic to improving working conditions for resident doctors, but he won't budge on salaries.

After the BMA's strike announcement, Streeting called the strike "unnecessary and unreasonable", adding: "The NHS is hanging by a thread - why on earth are they threatening to pull it?"

He said the government was "ready and willing" to work with the BMA, but any further strike action would be a disaster for patients and push back the progress made in reducing waiting lists in England.

BMA resident doctor committee co-chairs, Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt, said on Wednesday they had been left with "no choice" but to strike without a "credible offer to keep us on the path to restore our pay".

Lord Robert Winston, a professor and TV doctor who was a pioneer of IVF treatment, resigned from the BMA on Friday over the planned strikes.

In an interview with The Times, he urged against strike action and said it could damage people's trust in the profession.

Resident doctors took part in 11 separate strikes during 2023 and 2024.

In order to end the previous strikes last year the incoming Labour government awarded a backdated increase worth 22% over two years.

The action in England will not affect resident doctors in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, who negotiate directly with their devolved governments on pay.

Resident doctors' basic salaries in England range from £37,000 to £70,000 a year for a 40-hour week, depending on experience, with extra payments for working nightshifts and weekends.

That does not include the latest 5.4% average pay award for this year which will start to be paid into wage packets from August.

Wimbledon men's final: Absorbing Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry set for next chapter

Absorbing Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry set for next chapter

Jannik Sinner congratulates Carlos Alcaraz after their French Open finalImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are meeting for the second successive Grand Slam men's singles final

  • Published

There are a number of factors which turn an exciting rivalry into an epic, enduring duel that transcends the sport.

The core talent. The blend of personalities. The gripping encounters on the biggest stages.

The tussle between Italy's Jannik Sinner and Spain's Carlos Alcaraz - ranked one and two in the men's game - has all those components.

It also has arguably the most important ingredient: each player being pushed to a greater height by the other.

On Sunday, the pair will meet again in the Wimbledon final - where Sinner aims to win his first title and Alcaraz bids for a rare third in a row.

A renewal of their acquaintance at the All England Club comes just 35 days after Alcaraz beat Sinner in an all-time classic French Open final.

Asked about their rivalry, Alcaraz said: "I'm not going to say I'm feeling like when Rafa [Nadal] and Roger [Federer] are playing.

"But I'm feeling like it is a different energy when we are facing each other than other players."

Sinner, 23, and 22-year-old Alcaraz have created a duopoly in the men's game over the past two seasons.

Because of his brilliance, Sinner has remained the world number one - despite serving a three-month doping ban this year in a case which rocked the sport.

The pair have gained a grip on the Grand Slam tournaments, winning the past six majors between them.

Their epic French Open battle was another demonstration of how the absorbing rivalry - which the ATP Tour has long pinned its hopes on filling the Federer-Nadal-Novak Djokovic void - could be a blockbuster for years to come.

"You cannot compare what the 'Big Three' did for 15-plus years. [Our rivalry] is not that big yet," said three-time Grand Slam champion Sinner, who is aiming for his first non-hard court major.

"This is the second consecutive Grand Slam that we are in the final and playing each other - I believe it's good for the sport.

"The more rivalries we have from now on, the better it is, because people want to see young player going against each other."

The quality, excitement and tension of the recent Roland Garros final accelerated interest in the pair.

Alcaraz fighting back from two sets down - and having saved three championship points - to win a five-setter in over five hours has whetted the appetite for Wimbledon.

The five-time major champion expects to be pushed "to the limit" again at the All England Club.

"It's going to be a great day, a great final. I'm just excited about it," he said.

"I just hope not to be five and a half hours again. But if I have to, I will."

Ice versus fire - the 21st century version

The contrasting personalities are reminiscent of another pair who created a rivalry which continues to endure almost 50 years later.

Bjorn Borg was the 'ice' compared to John McEnroe's 'fire' and there are similar characteristics in Sinner and Alcaraz.

Sinner is ice-cold during matches and little appears to faze the mild-mannered Italian - on or off court.

He was able to stay sanguine during the doping controversy and has also moved on quickly from the brutal nature of his French Open defeat.

"We keep talking about the fact that he's got really good self-awareness and puts everything into perspective," Sinner's coach Darren Cahill told BBC Sport.

"I think that's part of the reason why he's been able to do what he's been able to do here.

"I would have been heartbroken after losing a final where I had match points, but he sees the big picture really well and is why he's able to bounce back so quickly."

Alcaraz is not as combustible as the famously volatile McEnroe. But he does possess a more colourful side than Sinner.

He bellows 'Vamos' when big moments go his way in matches and also regularly shows his emotion by breaking out into beaming smiles.

The natural warmth and authenticity of the Spaniard, plus his array of stunning shot-making, makes him relatable to fans.

"He's got the X-Factor - he's a performer," American great Billie Jean King told BBC Sport.

Who's got the advantage?

Sinner has been the dominant player on the ATP Tour for the past two seasons, winning 98 of his 109 matches (90%) and lifting nine titles.

In the same timeframe, Alcaraz has won 102 of his 120 matches (85%) and claimed nine titles.

But it is the Spaniard who is dominating their head-to-head record.

The triumph on the Paris clay was his fifth straight victory over Sinner, extending his dominance to eight wins from their 12 career meetings.

"When Sinner brings his A game there is no-one that can beat him - other than Alcaraz," said seven-time major champion McEnroe, who is a BBC Sport analyst during the championships.

Jannik Sinner shakes hands with Carlos Alcaraz after their 2022 match at WimbledonImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Sinner won their only previous meeting at Wimbledon, back in 2022 when he won 6-1 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 in the last 16

"On the other hand if Alcaraz doesn't bring his A game then Sinner will win every time. So it's going to be extremely interesting."

Alcaraz has moved through the gears nicely at the All England Club and goes into the final - unlike Sinner - having suffered no injury problems over the past fortnight.

After beating Djokovic in the semi-finals, Sinner said the elbow injury he suffered in the fourth round against Grigor Dimitrov would provide "no issues" on Sunday.

"I will give a slight edge to Carlos as a favourite because of the two titles he's won here and the way he's playing and the confidence he has right now," seven-time champion Djokovic said.

"But it's just a slight advantage because Jannik is hitting the ball extremely well.

"It's going to be, again, a very close match-up like we had in Paris."

Related topics

US drops charges against doctor accused of destroying Covid vaccines

Reuters US Attorney General Pam Bondi, a woman with short blonde hair wearing a black blouse, speaks in front of a US flag, with US President Donald Trump behind  her wearing a dark blue jacket, white shirt and bright blue tie.Reuters
Attorney General Pam Bondi said she had ordered the charges to be dropped

The US attorney general has ordered charges to be dropped against a doctor accused of destroying Covid-19 vaccines worth $28,000 (£20,742), distributing fake vaccination record cards, and giving children saline shots instead of the vaccine at their parents' request.

Pam Bondi said Dr Michael Kirk Moore Jr. "gave his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so". He had been indicted by the Justice Department under the Biden administration in 2023.

The plastic surgeon was already on trial in Utah, where he had pleaded not guilty to all charges including conspiracy to defraud the US.

The acting US Attorney for the district of Utah, Felice John Viti, filed to dismiss the charges on Saturday, saying this was "in the interests of justice".

Dr Moore was accused of providing fraudulently completed vaccination certificates for more than 1,900 vaccine doses, the US Attorney's office in Utah said in 2023.

These were allegedly provided, without administering the vaccine, for a charge of $50 (£37), in exchange for direct cash payments or donations to a specific charity.

The government also accused him of giving children saline shots at their parents' request so that the "children would think they were receiving a COVID-19 vaccine," according to the US attorney's office.

He was accused alongside his company - Plastic Surgery Institute of Utah, Inc. - and three others of seeking to defraud the US and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Bondi wrote on X on Saturday that she had ordered the Justice Department to drop the charges because Dr Moore "did not deserve the years in prison he was facing".

She said US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and Senator Mike Lee, both Republicans, had brought the case to her attention, calling them champions for "ending the weaponization of government".

Lee thanked the attorney general for "standing with the countless Americans who endured too many official lies, mandates, and lockdowns during COVID".

Dr Moore and other defendants faced up to 35 years in prison on multiple charges, according to the Associated Press news agency.

The current US Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., ran a group for eight years, Children's Health Defense, that repeatedly questioned the safety and efficacy of vaccination.

Kennedy has in the last year repeatedly said he is not "anti-vax" and will not be "taking away anybody's vaccines".

Bob Geldof Reflects on Live Aid, 40 Years Later

The rock star-turned-activist reflects on the 1985 benefit concert and why it could not happen now.

© Chris Hoare for The New York Times

The singer and activist Bob Geldof at home in London. The Live Aid shows were seen by about 1.5 billion people in more than 150 countries and would go on to raise more than $140 million.

德语媒体:单凭提升军力 台湾还不足以自保

null 媒体看中国
2025-07-10T13:58:20.814Z
日报:单凭提升军力 台湾还无法自保

(德国之声中文网)中华人民共和国的武统威胁日益加剧之际,台湾周二开始了过去数十年来最大规模的军演。《日报》发表评论称,加大军演规模实属必要,因为台湾往年的军演更像是公关秀,根本没有起到军事威慑的作用。这篇题为《军事手段并不足够》的评论写道:

“通过这次规模创纪录的军演,台北传达出了多重信号。首先是面对中国的信号:自治且民主的台湾不会屈服于北京的威胁。 其次是对本土民众发出的信号:自由派政府高度重视提升国防能力,积极为最坏情况进行准备,并在努力提高台湾民众的危机意识。第三是对美国发出的信号:华盛顿已签署条约承诺协防台湾。至于美国届时会向台湾提供武器、抑或直接派兵参战,美国故意不做出明确表态,目的就是要让北京不明就里,捉摸不定,同时也是为了不助长台湾独派进行冒险。拜登曾明确表示若有需要会以武力护台,而特朗普目前则对此含糊其辞,并敦促台湾加强自身防务。

面对中国日益扩张的军备以及对台湾构成的严重威胁,除了继续巩固其在高端芯片领域的垄断地位所构成的所谓‘硅盾’之外,强化自身防御能力已经成了台湾的不二选择。但仅凭‘硅盾’和提升军力还远远不够。一方面,毕竟台湾无法在同中国的军备竞赛中胜出;另一方面,北京更可能会对台湾实施海上封锁,而不是发动正面进攻。只要九成以上能源和七成食品继续依赖进口,台湾就极易受到中国的渗透、破坏和封锁。长期以来,北京一直在通过不断的挑衅来试探台湾和美国的反应,而迄今为止,台美双方也一直没有给出令人信服的应对方案。”

金砖集团 - 世界新秩序的序幕?

《柏林日报》以《世界新秩序的序幕》为题,就金砖集团的快速崛起发表评论。

“金砖国家要求对全球贸易与金融体系进行大刀阔斧的改革。以国际货币基金组织与世界银行为代表的布雷顿森林体系应进行民主化改革,以反映 21 世纪的力量对比。2000 年以来,金砖国家在全球市场的份额已从 20% 翻倍至 40%。为此,IMF 的配额制度应当进行改革,以便让投票权分配与贷款决策变得更加合理,使金砖国家在融资与管理层面拥有更强的影响力。

金砖峰会的联合公报中写道,‘多边贸易体系长期以来一直处于转折点’。关税与贸易保护主义威胁着全球贸易和供应链,进而加剧了世界的不平衡发展。美国的制裁机制更加促进了金砖各国的团结。

柏林日报:金砖集团 - 世界新秩序的序幕?

联合公报称:‘我们谴责任何违反国际法的单边强制措施,并重申包括单边经济制裁和次级制裁在内的此类措施会对人权造成深远的负面影响。’” 

评论指出,金砖国家的主张引起了美国总统特朗普的强烈不满。他发出威胁称,任何同反美主义金砖集团结盟的国家,都将被课以10%的惩罚性关税。

“华盛顿的反应暴露了问题的实质。七国集团与金砖阵营之间的分歧与矛盾正在日益加剧。如果西方不放弃对现行世界秩序的单边主张,制度性脱钩的到来可能会快过多数人的预想。到那时,欧洲国家将不得不在两种世界秩序间做出选择,甚至会沦为两大阵营的博弈棋子。

无论在经济,还是政治议题上,金砖国家都表现出了不容置疑的结盟姿态。他们对‘美以两国对伊朗的攻击、加沙的种族灭绝以及乌克兰对俄罗斯基础设施的轰炸’进行明确谴责。他们虽反对俄乌战争,但却拒绝承认俄罗斯为侵略战争的唯一责任者。俄乌战争正在欧洲大陆进行,因此欧洲也就必须承担相应的后果。 巴西和中国已就乌克兰和平发布了路线图,而布鲁塞尔和柏林则尚未做出回应。世界力量格局的转移,往往就是这样发生的。”

 

摘编自其他媒体的内容,不代表德国之声的立场或观点。

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德国医院呼吁加强立法 严惩“医闹”

德才
2025-07-13T11:09:30.395Z
医院协会呼吁加强立法严惩“医闹”肇事者

(德国之声中文网)德国医院和诊所不得不采取各类防护措施,以防范医护人员遭到暴力侵害。德国医院协会DKG主席加斯(Gerald Gaß)呼吁加重处罚,并为受害者建立更完善的报备系统。

德国医院协会与联邦医师协会共同呼吁,对医院和诊所工作人员的侵害应当加重处罚。DKG主席加斯在接受德国编辑网络(RND)采访时表示:“国家必须发出一个明确的信号,那就是无论急诊室等待时间多么长、医院的流程多么复杂,暴力都是绝对不可接受,也决不能够容忍的。”。

加斯指出,在对医护人员的攻击案件中,量刑时应当与对消防员、急救人员及其他救援人员的袭击同等对待。联邦医师协会主席莱因哈特(Klaus Reinhardt)也呼吁提高惩罚力度。此外,莱因哈特还呼吁建立全国范围内简单高效的报备系统,对暴力事件进行登记。“只有如此,才能让这类暴力案件的真实规模浮出水面,并采取有效对策。

医护人员须”学习防身术”

德国医院协会主席加斯表示,为了保护医护人员不受日益增多的言语和肢体暴力,医院和诊所正在不断加强安全措施,“其中包括聘请安保人员、开展化解冲突与防身培训,有时甚至会对医院建筑进行相应改造。”

加斯说,有些医院甚至采取了这样的安保方案:在急诊室的等候区,患者及其家属只能同训练有所的安保人员进行接触。

医院协会主席加斯:一些医院开始对医护人员进行化解冲突与防身技巧的培训。

对于那些所谓“高风险”班次,则尽量安排体格强壮的护理人员来值班。莱因哈特表示,各地医师协会正通过继续教育和冲突化解培训,帮助医生学会在不同场合下应对攻击性行为。

“医闹”暴力不断蔓延

有报道称,一些医师协会还专门设立了举报渠道,供受害者报告暴力侵害事件。加斯表示,对于医院加强安保措施的努力,政府应给予财政支持。他批评道:“截至目前,医院加强安保所产生费用都是自行承担的。”

德国医院研究所去年进行的一项调查显示,73%的受访医院表示其工作人员遭受暴力侵害的事件有不同程度的增加。其中约半数医院指出急诊室遭受暴力侵害的事件尤为突出,而侵害对象主要是护理人员。

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© 2025年德国之声版权声明:本文所有内容受到著作权法保护,如无德国之声特别授权,不得擅自使用。任何不当行为都将导致追偿,并受到刑事追究。

Trump Administration Poised to Ramp Up Deportations to Distant Countries

Eight men sent by the United States to South Sudan could presage a new approach to Trump-era deportations, even as critics say the practice could amount to “enforced disappearance.”

© Ivor Prickett for The New York Times

Downtown Juba, South Sudan, last year. Third-country deportations could accelerate under new internal guidance issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

伊朗:愿同国际原子能机构开展“有条件的合作”

德正
2025-07-13T10:00:09.991Z
伊朗外长:伊朗愿同国际原子能机构开展”有条件的合作“。

(德国之声中文网)七月初,伊朗通过立法叫停了同国际原子能机构的一切合作。现如今,德黑兰的立场显然已经有所松动。

伊朗外长阿拉格奇(Abbas Araghtschi)宣布,该国仍愿意同国际原子能机构开展合作,但必须通过伊朗国家安全委员会。他表示,今后国际原子能机构的所有请求都将由国家安全委员会逐一审议并处理。对伊朗核设施的任何核查也必须事先获得该委员会批准。阿拉格奇以安全因素作为理由,指出核设施内部存在放射性物质或弹药残留的风险,因此必须保证核查人员的安全。 

国际原子能机构工作人员已离开伊朗

本月初,伊朗总统佩泽希齐扬(Massud Peseschkian)签署了议会此前通过的一项法律,就此为伊朗同国际原子能机构的合作画上了句号。而此前大约一周,国际原子能机构工作人员已经悉数离开伊朗。

伊朗当时的解释是,在能够为本国核设施提供安全保障之前,将拒绝国际原子能机构的任何访问请求。此外,伊朗议会还要求国际原子能机构承认伊朗有权发展核计划,并谴责以色列和美国对伊朗核设施的袭击。

伊朗仍希望开展“有条件的外交斡旋”

对于未来关于伊朗核计划的谈判,阿拉格奇重申了其政府的条件:在与美国重启核谈判之前,必须获得不会再次发动袭击的保证;政府也不会同意任何禁止本国铀浓缩的协议。他表示,谈判须仅限于核计划,不得涉及防务问题,例如伊朗的导弹项目。

六月21日,美国出动B2战略轰炸机对伊朗核设施进行了轰炸。

以色列于6月13日对伊朗发动战争,袭击了伊朗境内包括核设施在内的多处目标。大约十天后,美国也参与了袭击行动,攻击了福尔多(Fordo)、纳坦兹(Natanz)以及伊斯法罕(Isfahan)等地的核设施和浓缩设施。目前尚不清楚这些袭击造成的损害有多严重。美国称这些设施已被“彻底摧毁”,而伊朗则否认上述设施遭到严重破坏。

以色列和美国称,他们之所以发动袭击,是因为伊朗已经“危险地接近”自主研发核武器的目标。伊朗领导层则一再强调,伊朗的核计划仅用于民用目的。

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© 2025年德国之声版权声明:本文所有内容受到著作权法保护,如无德国之声特别授权,不得擅自使用。任何不当行为都将导致追偿,并受到刑事追究。

Inside the Congolese mine vital to mobile phones, as rebels give BBC rare access

Hassan Lali / BBC Two miners with their backs to the camera bend over as they dig in a pit at Rubaya mine in eastern DR Congo. The one in the left wears a red tank top and his colleague on the right wears a yellow sports shirt with numbers printed on the back. In the background the metal spade of another miner can be seen.Hassan Lali / BBC
More than 10,000 people work at the Rubaya mine digging up coltan ore

M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo recently allowed the BBC to visit a huge mining site under their control which is vital to the production of the world's mobile phones - and over its vast expanse not one person was idle.

Thousands of miners dotted the landscape covered with pits and tunnels.

Some were deep underground digging up ore with shovels, others then hoisted sacks of the extracted rock containing coltan, which is used to make many electronic devices, on to their shoulders. They then took it to assembly points where others washed and filtered it with spades and by hand.

"We usually have more than 10,000 or more people working here daily," Patrice Musafiri, who has supervised the Rubaya mining site since the rebels took control of it in April last year, told the BBC.

It is tricky terrain to navigate - our team needed the aid of walking sticks, as well as Mr Musafiri's guidance, to stop us falling - yet for most of the men it is the only life they have known. It may be onerous and dangerous, but it allows them to make a small living.

"When we are deep in the mines, temperatures are very high - digging the mineral is also very hard... plus there can be other harmful gases," mineworker Peter Osiasi told the BBC.

"Sometimes cold air is pumped inside so that we can continue working," he said.

But the young man said he was grateful that since he began mining five years ago, he has been able to save a little money for a dowry and is now married with children.

"My life has really changed. Mining has really helped me."

The swathe of golden scarred earth they mine is found in the sprawling, lush Masisi Hills of North Kivu province - around 60km (37 miles) north-west of the city of Goma - and holds 15% of the world's coltan supply and half of the DR Congo's total deposits.

Little wonder that global investors have their eyes on this area.

It has provided immense wealth over the years to the various armed groups that have overseen it at different times, including the army.

Hassan Lali / BBC Overhead shot of mining activities at Rubaya mine where the terrain is hilly - slightly terraced. The bare earth is a light brown, some of it has a darker more orange shade. Many groups of miners can be seen from a distance cleaning ore. One corrugated metal shack can be seen. In the distance are green fields.Hassan Lali / BBC
The Rubaya mine supervisor said no armed men were allowed at the vast site

We arrived at the mine, which is around 10km outside Rubaya town, several days after a ceasefire deal was signed in Washington by DR Congo and Rwanda as part of the peace process aimed at ending three decades of instability in the region.

The roots of the insecurity in the east of DR Congo are notoriously complicated.

There is an ethnic dimension, with many rebel groups operating here - including an ethnic Hutu militia linked to the Rwandan genocide of 1994, which Kigali believes has Congolese backing.

In Washington both sides committed on 27 June to disarm and disengage their alleged proxies (despite denying having any).

The M23 was not party to the deal. Mainly led by ethnic Tutsis, it controls large parts of eastern DR Congo - and since January has taken control of Goma, the city of Bukavu and two airports. Rwanda has been accused by many — including the UN — of backing the M23. However, the authorities there deny sending military or financial aid.

The US's involvement in the process seems to hinge on getting access to DR Congo's mineral resources - though nothing has so far been specified.

"We're getting for the United States, a lot of the mineral rights from the [DR] Congo," said US President Donald Trump ahead of the signing.

Hassan Lali / BBC Muddy workers are seen on a slope at Rubaya mine in DR Congo. One in green wellingtons, black jeans and T-shirt looks at the camera, another in a similar outfit is seen from the back as he walks with a sack on his shoulders. A group of women are seen a little further down the slope near some big basins and jerry cans.Hassan Lali / BBC
Some women work at Rubaya mine site selling food and water to the miners

During our brief visit - we were allowed access for around 45 minutes - there was no hint that the chain of command was about to change.

The supervisor, appointed by the M23, was keen to explain how the set-up at Rubaya had been reorganised over the last year and how the rebel group had brought security to allow miners to work without fear - specifying that no armed men were allowed on the site.

"We have already solved so many issues," Mr Musafiri said.

"Presently we have a mining department that regulates and monitors safety issues and also resolves internal disputes within the mines. If a tunnel becomes dangerous, people are told to leave to avoid accidents.

"People from different groups come here to mine daily and others to buy the minerals and now we have a huge market in Goma where they can resell what they buy here."

Hassan Lali / BBC A group of five miners, wearing wellingtons, work at station cleaning the rocks brought up to the surface. They are standing next to a pool of orange, brown water used in the process. Behind them can be seen the Masisi Hill.Hassan Lali / BBC
The coltan ore must be washed ready for the buyers who trade it on - and eventually tantalum will be extracted from this for use in electronic devices

In December, a UN experts' report detailed how the M23 makes hundreds of thousands of dollars each month from taxing coltan, much of it was sent directly to Rwanda - allegations both the M23 and Kigali deny.

Surrounded by his colleagues wearing jeans, sweaters and wellington boots, all of whom buy permits to work at the site, Mr Osiasi agreed that conditions were better.

"Business is going on very well here because we have at least some semblance of peace, but the pay is very low. We are paid very little money," the miner said.

Trump's second term coincided with the M23's seizure of much of North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and the humiliating retreat of the Congolese army.

Political analyst Akramm Tumsifu says DR Congo decided to use its rich mineral reserves as a bargaining chip to get US assistance - for months it had sought military support.

With a tentative peace process under way, the Congolese authorities' great hope, he told the BBC, was that American firms would be in a position to make "massive investments" in its mining sector, which is currently dominated by Chinese companies.

US companies are reportedly already looking to cash in on the opportunity to invest in Rubaya's mining sector.

The Rubaya supervisor told us investment would be welcomed, but only initiatives aimed at boosting the local economy - with jobs, schools and hospitals - would be allowed.

"Any foreign investor can come here, as long as they come with development for our people and increase daily wages for the miners," Mr Musafiri said.

Despite the country's colossal natural endowments, most mining communities have little infrastructure, without even accessible roads to the mines where the wealth is scooped from the ground.

Mr Tumsifu reckons the presence of American investors could also act as a "caution against fighting or a resurgence of other armed groups".

But it is not yet clear how or with whom an investor would do business given the M23 is still very much in control in the east.

A parallel mediation effort led by Qatar - which involves direct talks between the armed groups and the Congolese government - may yield more clarity in the coming months.

The M23, which is part of the broader Congo River Alliance, said the Washington-backed deal had fallen short of addressing the causes of the long conflict. It maintains it took up arms to protect the rights of the minority Tutsi group in DR Congo.

While the belligerents try and hammer out their preferred pathways to peace, local people at the Rubaya mine, like elsewhere in eastern DR Congo, only hope for a definitive end to the fighting and bloodshed which has seen hundreds of thousands of people flee their homes.

"My appeal to fellow young men and our leaders is to keep and maintain peace in our area," said Mr Osiasi.

As he prepared to go back to hours of more digging, he added: "I also appeal to the owners of the mines to increase our pay because it's very little."

Additional reporting by the BBC's Robert Kiptoo and Hassan Lali

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