Reading view

There are new articles available, click to refresh the page.

特朗普是如何将自己置于伊朗困局无法脱身的

簡繁中文
紐約時報 出版語言
字體大小
新闻分析

特朗普是如何将自己置于伊朗困局无法脱身的

DAVID E. SANGER
Doug Mills/The New York Times
在这场他坚称将在两到三周内结束的战争已过去一个多月之际,特朗普总统把自己置于一个战略困局之中,找不到轻易的脱身之路。
与伊朗就结束冲突而进行的谈判,就其实质性程度而言,到目前为止基本没看到什么希望。特朗普在不同阶段描述的成功关键指标——阻止伊朗拥有制造核武器的燃料、帮助伊朗人民推翻一个广受民众唾弃的政府,以及重新开放霍尔木兹海峡——即便往好了说,也仍然遥不可及。
伊朗对痛苦的承受力似乎远高于特朗普的预期,尽管其军火库遭受重创,但仍保有对以色列实施导弹打击的能力。甚至在特朗普周三晚间谈及战争时,伊朗还发动了袭击。
那场在黄金时段播出的电视讲话原本意在安抚美国民众,让人相信战争代价只是暂时的,敌对行动将很快结束,经济生活也将恢复正常。但市场对他的反应是深深的怀疑。
广告
在这段19分钟的讲话之后数小时,油价飙升了8%,很大程度上是因为他并未提出任何方案来解决正在波及全球经济、如今几乎演变为霍尔木兹海峡油轮挟持危机的问题。他只是坚持称,海峡会在冲突结束后“自然开放”。
在这个阶段,特朗普似乎提出了一系列有时相互矛盾的出路,并面临着一个可能性:在他自己设定的两到三周窗口期结束时,局势可能不会有太大改变。而他承诺如果伊朗不同意他的条件——他在周三晚并未具体说明——就将伊朗打回“石器时代”,这将意味着战争的升级,而非逐步结束。
特朗普当然从来不会被自身的内在矛盾所困扰。他善于根据当下需要提出或抛弃各种论点,堪称此道高手。战争刚开始时,他曾呼吁伊朗民众起来推翻政府,但此后便不再提及这一方式——除了表示这可能导致伊朗抗议者遭到屠杀之外。
周三晚间,他称“政权更迭并非我们的目标”,尽管在2月28日美以发动最初打击后,他曾明确呼吁政权更迭。他如今又声称,“政权更迭已经发生,因为他们原有领导人已经死了”,仿佛人员更替就等同于政权更迭。(1989年霍梅尼去世、由另一位最高领袖接任时,几乎没有人认为这构成了治理结构的改变。)
在反复摇摆中,特朗普依靠的是他在纽约房地产界磨练出的那套手法——在那里,他经常能成功地创造出属于自己的现实。但战争不同。敌人同样拥有塑造环境的能力,而伊朗人显然觉得自己能耗到特朗普认输。尽管伊朗的盟友少得可怜——就连其最大的石油买家中国也与其保持距离——但伊朗领导人似乎正指望股市下跌和油价上涨来加速特朗普退出这场冲突。
因此,无论美军会如特朗普所预言的那样在两到三周内撤出,还是华盛顿会升级战事并深陷其中,以下这些挑战看起来都不太可能在短期内得到解决。
“很快,非常快”
上个月,美国空军的一架B-1轰炸机在英国某空军基地。
上个月,美国空军的一架B-1轰炸机在英国某空军基地。 Leon Neal/Getty Images
这是特朗普周三晚间用来形容“完成美国所有军事目标所需时间”的说法。就在当天早些时候,他还表示,大约“两周”,或者稍长一点时间后,他就会开始撤军。
暂且不论特朗普曾频繁批评前总统拜登为撤离阿富汗设定明确期限(称此类信息只会对敌人有利)这一事实。实际上,特朗普早前也曾为撤离阿富汗设定过自己的期限。而在伊朗问题上,特朗普的目标是让市场放心:正常状态以及海峡的开放指日可待。
广告
然而在其他时刻,他描述的军事任务却可能延长至数月甚至数年。他曾公开表示考虑“拿下”哈尔克岛——伊朗90%的出口原油都在那里装船。“我认为他们没有任何防御能力,”他告诉《金融时报》。“我们可以轻而易举地拿下它。”
然而,拿下是一回事,守住则是另一回事。该岛距离伊朗海岸仅25公里,向港口输送石油的管道很容易成为破坏行动的目标。
特朗普不仅需要让海峡开放,还需要保持其开放。在同一场讲话中,他一方面表示问题大致会自行解决,另一方面又对那些依赖该海峡运输石油的盟友说,他们应该“鼓起一点迟来的勇气”,去“把它夺过来并守住”。
但欧洲方面对他极为不满——因为他在发动这场引发经济与能源危机的冲突前没有征求他们的意见,也因为他发动了一场他们中许多人认为是非法的攻击。本周,欧洲国家将召开会议讨论下一步行动,但没有美国代表参加。“这不是我们的战争,我们不会被拖进去,”英国首相斯塔默周三表示。
特朗普几乎难以掩饰对这些言论的愤怒,甚至威胁要退出北约。不过,在周三白宫一场与复活节相关的活动上(该活动未对媒体开放,但被录像并被白宫误传到了YouTube上),特朗普似乎也承认,美国需要一些帮助。他还带着嘲讽地提及与法国总统马克龙的通话。
“我说,‘不,不,埃马纽埃尔,我不需要在赢得战争后再让你帮忙,’”特朗普回忆道。事实上,他的助手们也承认,任何海峡巡逻任务都可能持续数年。
“我不在乎那个”
1962年,肯尼迪总统与空军参谋长柯蒂斯·李梅上将在佛罗里达观看B-52轰炸机。
1962年,肯尼迪总统与空军参谋长柯蒂斯·李梅上将在佛罗里达观看B-52轰炸机。 Associated Press
就在几周前,特朗普还在社交媒体上重申他这场战争的首要目标:“绝不允许伊朗哪怕接近拥有核能力,”他写道,“并始终确保美国能够迅速而有力地应对这种情况。”
过去五位美国总统都不会反对这一目标,他们曾尝试过多种路径来实现它。在奥巴马和布什执政期间,美国曾对伊朗的核离心机进行过破坏。奥巴马谈判达成了一项广泛协议,让伊朗放弃了97%的铀库存。在特朗普的第一个任期内,他退出了该协议,对伊朗实施了严厉制裁,却也为伊朗积累如今接近武器级的浓缩铀库存铺平了道路。
广告
当战争于2月28日爆发时,特朗普给出的理由是:伊朗拥有纯度高达60%的浓缩铀库存是不可容忍的——即便这些库存存放在地下隧道中,而隧道的入口已在2025年6月美军的空袭中被掩埋在废墟之下。美国情报官员表示,目前没有证据表明伊朗人已经取回了那些核材料桶,尽管所有人都认为,伊朗人迟早会把它们挖出来。
因此,周三上午听到特朗普在接受路透社采访时表示他并不真正在乎这批库存,因为它“埋得太深了”,着实令人震惊。特朗普的言论尤其令人瞠目结舌之处在于,十多年来他一直在谈论必须阻止伊朗生产铀——伊朗可以储存铀并进一步浓缩成制造核武器所需的材料。这一直是他反复强调的论点:一个拥有核武器的伊朗将对美国乃至世界构成生存性威胁。
“我们会一直用卫星监视它,”总统说道。他在演讲中也重复了类似的说法。
今年2月卫星拍摄的伊朗伊斯法罕核设施的受损情况。
今年2月卫星拍摄的伊朗伊斯法罕核设施的受损情况。 Planet Labs, via Reuters
他的这番表态自然引发了一个疑问:他是否刻意夸大了伊朗核武器“迫在眉睫”的威胁——这让人联想到布什政府在2003年为入侵伊拉克所提出的理由。

免费下载 纽约时报中文网
iOS 和 Android App

点击下载iOS App 点击下载Android App
© 2026 The New York Times Company.

中国和伊朗找到反击特朗普的有效方式

简繁中文
纽约时报 出版语言
字体大小

中国和伊朗找到反击特朗普的有效方式

ANA SWANSON
特朗普总统声称,他的强硬国际政策只有好处,没有坏处。
特朗普总统声称,他的强硬国际政策只有好处,没有坏处。 Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times
特朗普总统在全球舞台上理直气壮地挥舞着美国的权力大棒,在经济与军事领域采取更为好战的强硬姿态,试图左右他国的行动。
从高额关税到对伊朗开战,特朗普声称,这种在国际上咄咄逼人的做派只有好处,没有坏处;而往届美国领导人不愿动用美国的实力,在他看来愚蠢至极。
但如今,这一策略的一个明显弊端正逐渐显现。尽管许多国家屈从于特朗普的要求,但部分国家已找到极具效力的全新反击方式。特朗普的强硬挑衅恰好给了它们检验自身对战略阻塞点控制权的机会,从而威胁美国与全球经济。
霍尔木兹海峡便是这样一处战略阻塞点。伊朗的经济总量占全球比重不足1%,却掌控着这条承载全球五分之一石油与天然气运输的航道。自2月底美以联合对伊朗发动袭击以来,这条航道已被封锁,燃料、化肥及其他商品的运输受阻,导致全球油价大幅飙升,在美国的农场主与制造商中引发普遍焦虑。
广告
另一轮报复性反制的实验始于一年前的一个周四。当天,特朗普走进白宫玫瑰园,宣布对多国加征关税,并将那一天称作“解放日”。尽管包括欧盟这样的强势经济体在内的多国政府都顺从了美国的要求,但中国是个明显的例外。北京随即推出稀土矿产与稀土磁体出口许可制度,这使中国对全球制造业体系拥有了无与伦比的控制力
汽车、半导体、战斗机等产品的制造商正是特朗普希望重振的美国制造业支柱,它们都高度依赖稀土,而全球绝大多数稀土都在中国加工。
尽管中国正在批准部分许可证并放行部分稀土出口,但许多制造商的供应仍然紧张。此外,中国已全面切断为美国军方供货企业的稀土供应,导致这些企业不得不竭力寻找其他供应商。特朗普将原计划访华行程推迟约六周、延至5月中旬,这一决定让部分企业高管忧心忡忡——他们原本寄望于特朗普与中国国家主席习近平的会晤能缓解当前的供应压力。
这些困境凸显出一个令特朗普难堪的事实:即便美国经济实力再强,它与全球经济千丝万缕的联系,仍可能让它陷入被动、难以招架。
《阻塞点:经济战时代的美国实力》(Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare)一书作者爱德华·菲什曼表示,全球各国都已看到,中国的矿业管控如何迫使特朗普去年在对华政策上做出让步。菲什曼称,自今年1月特朗普威胁接管格陵兰岛以来,就连欧洲官员也开始积极寻找美国贸易体系中的潜在阻塞点
“现在的教训是,应对美国经济胁迫的办法就是反击,”他说。“伊朗如今正在再次证明这一点。”
广告
中国早在特朗普连任前就开始设计稀土管控体系。而特朗普的这套策略其实并非首创:美国将供应链用作武器的历史由来已久——从利用对全球银行体系的控制权来制裁敌对国家,到试图阻止先进人工智能技术流向中国,手段不一而足。
但特朗普通过从关税到军事打击等手段,加剧了美国的对抗姿态。他奉行的核心原则之一就是美国必须更充分地利用自身实力。他声称,作为全球最大消费市场,美国可以强迫其他国家接受对自身不利的贸易条款;而凭借全球最强的军事力量,美国可以推翻从委内瑞拉到伊朗的各国政权。
多艘船只停泊在阿曼马斯喀特附近、霍尔木兹海峡附近的海域。该水道关闭导致石油、天然气、化肥及其他货物的运输受阻。
多艘船只停泊在阿曼马斯喀特附近、霍尔木兹海峡附近的海域。该水道关闭导致石油、天然气、化肥及其他货物的运输受阻。 Elke Scholiers/Getty Images
对于外界批评这些行动违背国际同盟、国际法或国际公约的声音,特朗普一概不屑一顾,他更愿意用纯粹的实力逻辑看待世界。而像中国这样能有效对抗他的国家,似乎也深谙这一原则,它们以同样具有经济破坏力的手段反击,迫使特朗普做出让步。
伊朗对霍尔木兹海峡的封锁能否说服特朗普叫停军事行动,仍有待观察。但目前的干扰似乎正推动他寻求更快结束这场战争。
在周三晚间的全国讲话中,特朗普表示,美国通过该海峡进口的石油“几乎为零”,而依赖这条航道的国家“必须主动站出来,保护他们这么迫切依赖的石油”。
“无论如何,等这场冲突结束,海峡自然会重新开放。”他补充道。
广告
讲话发布后,周四全球油价飙升、股市下跌
相比欧洲、亚洲与非洲等邻近经济体,美国受霍尔木兹海峡封锁引发的经济余波影响相对较小。但全球能源价格上涨、中东地区化肥、铝、氦气等产品供应收紧,仍在推高美国国内物价、放缓经济活动,给中期选举临近的共和党带来麻烦。燃油成本上涨正逐步传导至生鲜食品价格,国际航运费率也大幅攀升,进一步抬高美国进口商品成本。
独立研究机构Evercore ISI的分析师周三预测,受战争及伴随而来的能源冲击影响,美国今年经济增速将从2.8%降至2.2%,核心通胀率则将上升0.2个百分点。
“美国今年的经济表现将低于自身潜在增长水平,而非强劲的超预期增长。”他们在报告中写道。
为避免引发投资者恐慌、或激怒中国政府,美国制造商对中国稀土限制的影响大多保持低调。但多个行业对稀土出口管控与供应趋紧的局面深感担忧。
美国医疗设备制造商美敦力首席执行官杰夫·玛莎周一在华盛顿外交关系协会的活动上表示,中国的稀土管控,已对生产核磁共振、CT扫描仪造成影响,这类设备需用稀土实现成像功能;同时也影响了生产设备内部磁铁的公司。
广告
他称,该行业已与特朗普政府及中国政府沟通,争取稀土出口许可。
“我们发现,这需要耗费精力,扰乱了供应链,也分散了企业的注意力。但到目前为止,我们仍有办法逐步解决这些问题,”玛莎还说。
拜登政府时期的商务部长雷蒙多在同一场活动上表示,特朗普政府似乎对中国将矿产供应链用作武器的举动感到意外,但她说,她本人对此并不意外。
“这是中国牵制美国的一个巨大筹码。”她说。她还指出,美国还需警惕其他大量筹码。
例如,对于一个典型的人工智能数据中心而言,“大多数美国人如果知道我们对中国的依赖程度,都会感到震惊,”她还说。“中国对此心知肚明,也会竭尽全力维持这一优势。”

免费下载 纽约时报中文网
iOS 和 Android App

点击下载iOS App 点击下载Android App
© 2026 The New York Times Company.

Iran war could make beer and bottled water pricier for Indians

Getty Images A woman drinks from a bottle of packaged water on a hot day in India.Getty Images
Access to potable water remains a challenge in India, pushing people to drink bottled water

Indians are bracing for summer, with temperatures expected to cross 45C in some parts of the country. But the war with Iran is already putting India's $6bn bottled water industry under strain as manufacturers struggle to access crucial raw materials.

Last month, market leader Bisleri increased prices by 11%, making a box of 12 one-litre bottles costlier by 24 rupees ($0.26; £0.20). Brands like Bailley and Clear Premium Water have also increased their prices, Reuters news agency reported.

According to a study by Data for India, about 15% of urban households and 6% of rural households depend on bottled water for their drinking needs. Relying on bottled water is expensive, especially for people in rural areas. But access to clean water remains a challenge in many parts of India, especially in summer, due to reasons including water shortages, groundwater contamination and infrastructure gaps.

Brands and bottle manufacturers warn that a prolonged war will risk making a crucial commodity prohibitively expensive for many Indians. About 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, which is now almost completely blocked by Iran. The disruption in global shipping has sent global fuel prices soaring.

India, which relies heavily on oil and gas imports to meet domestic demand, is feeling the pressure.

Vijaysinh Dubbal, president of the Maharashtra Bottled Water Manufacturers Association, explains that the main reason bottled water - which is largely sold in plastic bottles - has become expensive is because of the surging costs of crude oil. The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil briefly hit $119 (£90) earlier this week, close to its highest since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran.

Crude oil is used to make Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) resin pellets - granules that are heated and passed through moulds to create PET preforms. These preforms, which look like plastic test tubes, are sold to brands and bottle manufacturers to be shaped into plastic bottles of the desired shape and size.

"The cost of preforms has increased from 115 rupees a kg to around 180 rupees per kg. There is also a shortage in the supply of preforms," Dubbal says, adding that about 20% of bottle manufacturing plants in Maharashtra state have temporarily shut operations.

Getty Images A father a daughter shop in the beverage aisle inside a supermarket in India.Getty Images
PET bottles are used extensively in the beverage industry

While some companies have increased prices, Dubbal says many brands and vendors have absorbed them so far, shielding consumers.

So, the price of a one-litre bottle of drinking water, which sells for about 20 rupees, or that of a five-litre one, which sells for about 60-70 rupees, has largely remained unchanged.

"But absorbing extra costs is not a sustainable practice for companies. If things get worse, customers are likely to face the heat," he says.

He adds that the strain on supply couldn't have come at a worse time, since there's a surge in demand for bottled water and non-alcoholic beverages during April and May - peak summer months in India.

Vaibhav Saraogi, director of Chemco Plastic Industries Pvt Ltd, one of India's largest suppliers of PET preforms, says that a surge in the prices of preforms will impact the entire packaging industry and not just bottled water.

The size of India's PET packaging market was $1.5bn in 2024 and is expected to reach $2.2bn by 2033. Apart from bottled water and beverages, PET packaging is also used extensively in industries like beauty, pharmaceuticals and even in restaurants and food delivery as customers seek out convenience and affordability.

Makers of glass bottles too are bearing the brunt of the war.

Last month, the Brewers Association of India - which represents major global brewers like Heineken and Carlsberg - told Reuters news agency that glass bottle prices have surged around 20%, and that it has asked its member companies to approach states for a 12-15% increase in beer prices (alcohol prices are regulated by different states differently in India).

The Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies has also written to states to increase prices, the agency reported.

Getty Images Workers supervise a gas-run furnace inside a glass factory in India.Getty Images
Glass manufacturers use massive gas-run furnaces to make and shape molten glass

Vithob Shet, CEO of Vitrum Glass, a leading manufacturer and marketer of amber glass bottles - tinted bottles largely used by pharma companies and breweries - says that the price rise is a result of the fluctuating supply of natural gas.

Natural gas is used by glass manufacturers to run their furnaces, which melt sand, soda ash, limestone and recycled glass into molten glass blobs which are then shaped into bottles.

But India has tightened its natural gas regulations since the war began, prioritising supply for domestic use and some commercial industries.

Shet says that supply of natural gas has been cut by 20%, making it difficult for glass manufacturers to run their furnaces.

Some, like Vitrum Glass, are using oil to make up for the shortage, but the high cost of crude is spiking production costs.

India's government has stressed that the country's energy supplies are stable, but several commercial eateries across the country have shut since the war began due to a shortage of cooking gas. The energy supply crunch has also impacted India's ceramics and fertiliser industries, while the aviation industry is reportedly reeling under sky-rocketing jet fuel prices.

"The situation is serious," Shet says. "Things like water and medicines are essential commodities and even a slight decline in supply can have major consequences," he adds.

Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook.

Hegseth asks US Army's top general to step down

Getty Images Army Chief of Staff Randy George wearing a military uniform during an event at the White HouseGetty Images

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff Randy George to step down from his post, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement on social media that George "will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army effective immediately".

The Army chief normally serves a four-year term. George, a career military officer who graduated from the West Point military academy, was nominated for the role in 2023 by former President Joe Biden.

The latest shakeup comes after Trump said in an address to the nation that the US-Israel war with Iran is expected to conclude "very shortly".

George served as an infantry officer in the first Gulf War and in recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was not immediately clear why he was being asked to leave.

"We are grateful for his service, but it was time for a leadership change in the Army," an unnamed senior defence official told CBS.

Pentagon spokesperson Parnell said: "The Department of War is grateful for General George's decades of service to our nation. We wish him well in his retirement."

He will be replaced by Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen Christopher LaNeve who will become the acting army chief of staff, according to US media.

Parnell said LaNeve is "a battle-tested leader with decades of operational experience and is completely trusted by Secretary Hegseth to carry out the vision of this administration without fault".

The US Military Academy at West Point posted photos on Wednesday of George meeting with troops, saying he "shared experience-driven guidance with cadets preparing to lead".

Since entering the Pentagon, Hegseth has fired more than a dozen senior military officers, including the Chief of Naval Operations and the Air Force's Vice Chief of Staff.

Marmalade to be re-branded in post-Brexit food deal

Getty Images Jars of marmalade with Seville oranges in the backgroundGetty Images
British marmalade is traditionally made with bitter Seville oranges

Marmalade has long been a quintessential British condiment, with some recipes handed down between multiple generations.

But jars of the fruity spread could look a little different on shop shelves under the UK government's planned EU food deal, it has emerged.

The breakfast favourite will have to be sold as "citrus marmalade" if the agreement goes ahead, when Britain will readopt new EU food regulations in a bid to boost trade and reduce red tape for British exporters.

The name change is required because Brussels is relaxing its labelling rules, widening the legal definition of marmalade across Europe for the first time.

Decades-old European regulations incorporated into UK law before Brexit mean only preserves made from citrus fruits can be sold as "marmalade" in shops, with other kinds of fruit spread named "jam" or equivalent terms in other languages.

It is a product of British lobbying in the 1970s for a special commercial status for marmalade cut from bitter Seville oranges, a concoction that has become strongly associated with Britain around the world thanks to Paddington Bear.

But the naming rule laid a linguistic minefield that has been a source of friction with food regulators around Europe ever since.

In 2004, the EU agreed to relax the rule for producers selling fruity wares at farmers' markets in Austria and Germany.

It has continued to flummox consumers in countries such as Spain and Italy, where "mermelada" and "marmellata" respectively are commonly used for spreads made from other kinds of fruit, such as plums and figs.

A German MEP who had been pushing for a change after Brexit told the BBC in 2017 that the naming rules were "contrary to German linguistic tradition".

Now Brussels has updated its rules after the UK's departure, allowing all EU countries to permit non-citrus spreads to be marketed as "marmalade" from June.

A German MEP told the BBC in 2017 why 'marmalade' is confusing for Germans

However, in line with international norms, citrus-based conserves will need to be distinguished as a separate type of product, and will have to be sold using the new legal name "citrus marmalade".

The new name was already set to take effect in Northern Ireland this summer, under the 2023 Windsor framework deal that sees the province align with EU food laws automatically.

But the UK government has now revealed the updated marmalade decree is among 76 updated EU food-related laws that will apply in England, Wales and Scotland too if its wider food deal is agreed.

A timescale for the rule change in Britain is also yet to be confirmed, and it is unclear whether the updated rules will need to be in force before or after mid-2027, when Labour ministers hope the wider agreement will come into effect.

However, it is not clear whether regulators will allow products with names like "strawberry marmalade" to be sold in British supermarkets. This is not currently planned in Northern Ireland, under the legislation delivering the changes.

A previous assessment by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), responsible for labelling rules in England, found such a rule change "could be confusing for UK consumers".

The department declined to specify whether it planned to relax labelling rules in this way, but told the BBC it was in touch with businesses affected by the new rules and would consider alignment "where it makes sense to do so".

Not my jam

The extent to which consumers will notice a difference on shop shelves is not exactly clear. The new rules say product descriptions containing the name of a citrus fruit, such as "lemon marmalade", will be allowed as an alternative.

One manufacturer told the BBC they had already changed the name of one product to comply with the new rules, whilst another said all their labels would have to be altered as a result.

But it remains to be seen whether the long arm of jam law will change the perception of marmalade in the British imagination.

Dalemain Mansion in Cumbria, which has hosted the World Marmalade Awards since 2005, said it plans to keep its competition reserved to citrus-based spreads, irrespective of whether the naming rules are relaxed in the UK.

Beatrice McCosh, director of the awards, said the competition aimed to set the bar for "rock solid British standard marmalade, the type which has been eaten for centuries from Elizabeth I to James Bond".

Thin, red banner promoting the Politics Essential newsletter with text saying, “Top political analysis in your inbox every day”. There is also an image of the Houses of Parliament.

Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond.

Police offered support to tackle rising threats against MPs

PA Media File photo dated 19/03/22 of the Elizabeth Tower, part of the Palace of Westminster, is seen between two Metropolitan Police officers in Parliament Square, London.PA Media

Police forces are being offered specialist support from a new national democracy protection unit to deal with the rising level of threats and abuse facing MPs.

Police chief Chris Balmer has been tasked with leading the new initiative to help forces investigate and tackle "anti-democratic crimes".

Reports of crimes against MPs have more than doubled since 2019, reaching almost 1,000 last year, with the spike driven by allegations of harassment, criminal damage, and threats to kill.

MPs told the BBC that death threats had become commonplace and many are not reported to police.

Last month, Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: "The volume, breadth and tempo of threats against elected representatives is unprecedented."

He announced Balmer as the national police lead for defending democracy and said he had written to the senior officer to emphasise "the importance of keeping pace with the evolving threat that abuse poses".

In his role, Balmer will co-ordinate intelligence on threats to politicians, advise police forces on the categorisation of anti-democratic crimes, and provide specialist support to officers investigating alleged offenders.

MPs reported 4,064 crimes to the Metropolitan Police's Parliamentary Liaison Team between 2019 and 2025, according to data released to the BBC.

The figures, which were first reported by the Times, show the number of alleged offences against MPs have increased year-on-year, with 976 recorded in 2025, compared to 364 in 2019.

The most numerous recorded offences were related to malicious communications (2,066 in total across the six-year period), followed by harassment, and criminal damage to a building.

There were 50 death threats reported in 2025, up from 31 the previous year.

The number of reported offences related to physical violence fluctuated but was comparatively low.

The number of alleged assaults peaked at 14 in 2024, a general election year, and went down to three in 2025.

The data did not show how many of the alleged offences led to prosecutions and convictions.

Impact on family

Security measures to protect MPs have been expanded since the murders of Jo Cox in 2016 and Sir David Amess in 2021.

Launched in 2016, Operation Bridger is a national police programme that has offered MPs access to extra security in their homes and constituency offices.

In the 2017/18, £4.2m was spent on security for MPs, a 60% increase on the previous year. While security costs have fluctuated in the years since, they have remained high compared to pre-2016 levels.

But MPs have urged the police and the UK government to go further to protect them.

Labour MP Sam Rushworth had to boost security at his home - including installing panic buttons and cameras - after he received repeated death threats from an obsessed constituent.

Starting in 2024, Benjamin Clarke bombarded Rushworth with abuse online before threatening to burn the Bishop Auckland MP's house down with the Labour politician inside.

Clarke was jailed for one and a half years in May last year and died in prison a few months later.

Rushworth said it had a big impact on his family.

"My wife asked me if we could move," Rushworth said. "My kids asked me if I could change job."

He said a combination of politicians "spouting fake news", the mainstream media and social media was "driving a level of hatred towards Labour MPs in particular that I have never in my life seen before".

Getty Images Natalie Fleet Labour MP visits a coffee morning with local female business owners to celebrate International Womens Day in her constituency on March 6, 2026 in Bolsover, England.Getty Images
Labour MP Natalie Fleet said she regularly received death threats

Another Labour MP, Natalie Fleet, said she was sent death threats on a daily basis.

She said her family did not want her to become an MP because they knew it was likely she would face a torrent of abuse and threats.

One such threat came in a social media post that appeared to call for the Bolsover MP to "be shot".

It was shared by the deputy leader of Lancashire County Council, Simon Evans, who later apologised for re-posting the message and said "did not notice" the offensive text.

The post was raised during Prime Minister's Questions, and following this, Fleet said she "had to get in touch with the police because the death threats increased in volume and they became more graphic".

"I've never had as much contact with the police as I have in this job," Fleet said.

"You've got to spend time giving witness statements and making sure that you're safe, and all you want to do is be out there with your constituents."

'Not idle threats'

The Democracy Protection Portfolio led by Balmer will sit within the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), which brings together leaders from forces across the UK.

The unit was launched in response to an inquiry into the security of MPs, candidates and elections.

The inquiry carried out a survey which found 96% of MPs had personally experienced one or more incidents of threatening behaviour or communication.

Balmer told the BBC there was "clearly a spread of both online and offline targeting".

He said: "We know, unfortunately, that female candidates and candidates from ethnic minorities within the UK are also disproportionately targeted. So that is an area of concern."

He said he was particularly worried about the "volume" of abuse and threats targeted at those groups.

"But it's not lost on me that these are not idle threats," Balmer said.

"Tragically, we have had two cases in recent memory where those threats have been carried out."

Crisis staff found 'unforgivable scene' at convicted undertaker's funeral home

PA Media Two police officers wearing yellow jackets and black helmets stand outside a white bricked building. A crime scene investigation police van is parked underneath a black sign that reads Legacy Independent Funeral DirectorsPA Media
Humberside Police removed 35 bodies and a quantity of ashes from Legacy Independent Funeral Directors on Hessle Road in March 2024

Warning: This article contains details some people may find distressing

An "unforgivable scene of entirely human making".

That is how Kevin Curreri, managing director of Kenyon Emergency Services, described the scene that met crisis staff sent to Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull.

Undertaker Robert Bush hoarded dozens of bodies and half a tonne of human ashes.

It emerged he also gave families the wrong ashes while their loved ones' bodies were left at his site for months.

Linsey Smith/BBC Kevin Curreri stands in an industrial warehouse wearing a blue suit. Behind him are lights and a table.Linsey Smith/BBC
Kevin Curreri says his team tried to offer a small measure of comfort to affected families

Bush was the only individual charged in relation to events at the funeral home.

Humberside Police removed 35 bodies and the ashes of 167 people from Legacy's parlour in Hessle Road following a "concern for care of the deceased" in March 2024.

The BBC has discovered Bush also kept more than 1,000 items, including love letters, baby clothes and treasured possessions belonging to the dead and their families.

PA Media A man wearing a grey cap and black face covering, grey suit and lilac tie is walking out of Hull Crown Court and is flanked by people, including police officers who are standing in front of him.PA Media
Robert Bush was told by a judge at Hull Crown Court he will go to jail when he is sentenced on 27 July

Curreri's team is typically brought in by governments in the wake of natural disasters, plane crashes and terrorism incidents, but this time the six-strong team found itself deployed to Hull, tasked with helping reunite affected families with sentimental items collected by Bush.

Curreri, a former police officer, said Bush's "intentional negligence" was "pretty difficult to comprehend".

He described how possessions had been either "thrown" into corners or bagged with rubbish, rather than being placed in the coffins of loved ones ahead of burials or cremations.

"It was like a hoarder's house with garbage bags everywhere... a mess," added Curreri.

Despite having previously worked on major incidents, including the Grenfell Tower fire and the Manchester Arena bombing, both in 2017, and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Curreri admitted his team was shocked by what they encountered in Hull.

Despite "dealing with death all the time", some staff asked not to work on the Legacy project after the discovery of baby clothes and other items "that reminded them of their own families".

According to Curreri, human remains and personal possessions had been treated "so disrespectfully" that it showed "a pretty significant breach of trust".

He added: "We see a lot and it was something that stood out as pretty horrific."

Linsey Smith/ BBC A man wearing a white suit, blue gloves and a facemask holds up a black camera.Linsey Smith/ BBC
One of the experts involved in photographing hundreds of items, including love letters and clothing, recovered from Legacy Independent Funeral Directors

Curreri's company was appointed by Hull City Council in April 2024 following the removal of the bodies and ashes, when the scene had been released by police.

He said his team transported the items to its headquarters in Reading, Berkshire, where they were cleaned and photographed.

Each item appeared in a catalogue "so that families could go through and identify the items that they wanted to claim", he said.

The team "worked against the clock" to return possessions to victims' families before they held second funerals, said Curreri.

Items included flags that were meant to have been draped on coffins, sports shirts intended to be a loved one's final outfit and wedding photographs.

Families were elated when they were reunited with items, enabling them to finally fulfill deceased relatives' final wishes, said Curreri.

The team helped victims' families "gain control, restore dignity and respect", he said.

Despite exhaustive attempts to return items to families, the BBC understands some objects recovered from the funeral parlour remain unclaimed.

Curreri said: "The volume of the items far exceeds what I would expect to be produced by… 35 bodies that were discovered and the ashes."

The unclaimed items will be held until further instructions are received from Hull City Council.

Linsey Smith/BBC Brown cardboard boxes are stacked on to metal shelves in a warehouse in Reading, Berkshire.Linsey Smith/BBC
Items recovered from the parlour were catalogued and stored before being returned to families

Emma Hardy, MP for Hull West and Haltemprice, said the scenes described by the crisis team were "unforgivable" and added further weight to calls for regulation of the funeral industry.

At present, there are no laws or regulations governing undertakers.

"If we don't regulate the funeral industry, if we don't look seriously at it, then there is nothing to stop this happening again," said Hardy.

In November 2024, the government confirmed it was reviewing the funeral industry after the family of one Legacy victim visited Westminster to campaign.

On Thursday, a judge at the city's crown court told Bush to expect jail after he admitted 30 charges of denying a lawful burial and one charge of stealing charity collection money.

Last October, he admitted 36 fraud charges, including one of selling fake funeral policies to 172 people.

He was granted conditional bail by the court and will be sentenced for all 67 charges on 27 July.

中美开启新一轮太空竞赛:谁能抢占登月先机?

简繁中文
纽约时报 出版语言
字体大小

中美开启新一轮太空竞赛:谁能抢占登月先机?

SELAM GEBREKIDAN, JOY DONG
中国“嫦娥六号”月球探测器的模型。
中国“嫦娥六号”月球探测器的模型。 Tingshu Wang/Reuters
在实现人类登月半个多世纪后,美国再次卷入了一场太空竞赛,而这一次的对手,是中国。
NASA于周三将航天员送入绕月轨道,这是迈向更宏伟目标的一个里程碑。中美两国都计划在月球南极附近建立前哨基地,希望开采那里的冰冻水、氢与氦资源;双方均规划建造核反应堆,为月球基地供能,并从那里发射深空探测任务。
这是一片全新的前沿领域,谁先抵达,谁就将在规则制定中拥有更大的话语权。
NASA的计划名为“阿尔忒弥斯”,屡屡遭遇阻碍。美国计划在2028年前重返月球,比中国的既定目标早两年,但就连NASA自己也承认,这场竞赛它未必能赢。
广告
“他们很可能提前完成计划,”NASA局长贾里德·艾萨克曼上周表示。“而过往的记录告诉我们,我们大概率会延期。”
中国正以一种独特而强大的专注力推进着自己的登月愿景。与美国的竞争对手相比,中国的探月工程拥有多项独特优势。
专家表示,中国的核心优势在于集中的管控机制,这让它能够为项目制定数十年的长期规划和资金投入。中国的机器人航天探测任务已经抵达了美国从未涉足的区域。
中国是全球唯一一个在月球背面(即永远背向地球的一面)实现软着陆并完成采样返回的国家。今年夏天,中国第七次月球机器人探测任务“嫦娥七号”将奔赴月球南极开展探测。
另一个对中国有利的因素是,中国现阶段的核心目标更为务实。中国航天员计划率先在登陆难度相对较低的月球近侧着陆,1969年尼尔·阿姆斯特朗正是在这里,迈出了“对个人来说是一小步,对全人类来说是巨大的一步”。
美国航天员的目标则是月球南极。
近期的项目调整有望加快阿尔忒弥斯计划的推进节奏。艾萨克曼表示,新方案包含更多发射任务,用于测试组件、增强信心、降低风险。在实现航天员重返月球后,NASA计划每半年执行一次发射任务,并在月球上维持存在。
广告
“这一次,我们的目标不是插上国旗、留下脚印,”艾萨克曼说。“这一次,我们的目标是长久驻留。”
中国正通过两个可能合二为一的项目追求类似目标:分别是军方主导的载人航天任务,以及民用领域的机器人任务。
这两大项目所使用的核心组件,主要由中国航天科技集团有限公司研制生产。这家企业兼具工业与军事专长,意味着两大项目共享关键技术。
NASA则更依赖私营商业航天供应商。
参与中国探月任务的香港大学月球地质学家钱煜奇表示,由于中国首次载人登月任务在一定程度上重走阿波罗任务多年前走过的路,科研人员拥有更大的实验自由度。他表示,无论阿尔忒弥斯计划进展如何,中国的探月工程都将按照数年前定下的节奏稳步推进。
“中方其实没有任何压力,”钱煜奇在采访中表示。“我们更自由地开展这项工作。”
广告
“我不认为中国把这件事当成一场竞赛,”他还说。
以下是我们所了解的关于中国载人登月任务的详细信息,以及其组件与NASA对应装备的对比。
运载火箭
中国计划使用政府研制的火箭“长征十号”执行载人登月任务。火箭高度约相当于30层楼,其底部(即芯一级)配备七台发动机。
在前期测试中,中国科研人员完成了火箭发动机的地面系留点火试验。今年2月,科研人员完成七台发动机中的五台联合点火试验,将火箭芯一级发射至约合105公里的高度。
最终箭体在海上溅落,被科研人员成功回收。
广告
中国的火箭技术整体落后于美国,这一差距也拖慢了它在近地轨道与SpaceX的星链卫星网络竞争的步伐。目前,中国尚无一款可重复使用火箭能对标SpaceX的猎鹰九号火箭。
长征十号的部分组件未来有望实现可重复使用,但这一点对登月任务的影响相对有限因为登月任务的发射频次,远低于近地轨道卫星发射任务。
美国的运载火箭是太空发射系统(SLS),相较于初代送人类登月的火箭,实现了显著的改进。这款火箭动力强劲、系统复杂,由NASA与多家承包商制造的组件整合而成。
这款火箭的实际发射次数并不多,但在周三,它搭载航天员执行了首次载人任务发射,在澄澈的蓝天下直冲云霄。这是NASA的一次重大胜利,而按照阿尔忒弥斯计划的新方案,后续更频繁的发射将有助于解决剩余的技术问题。。
“发射控制室里,火箭研发团队的所有人都在热烈庆祝,”NASA副局长阿米特·克沙特里亚在发射成功后表示。
“火箭团队现在可以出去放松一下了,”他说。
广告
飞船
中国正在研发新一代飞船“梦舟”,最多可搭载七名航天员,设计兼顾月球探测任务与距地约450公里的中国空间站往返任务。
该飞船将把航天员送入环月轨道,抵达预定轨道后与登月着陆器完成交会对接,再由着陆器将航天员送至月球表面。中国计划通过两次发射完成一次完整的载人登月任务,部分原因在于目前尚无足够大的运载火箭。
今年晚些时候,中国将测试梦舟飞船与中国空间站的交会对接能力。类似的在轨交会对接技术已在机器人探月任务中完成验证。
今年2月,梦舟飞船完成了最新一次测试,验证了发射前数分钟内的中止任务能力。据官方媒体报道,在火箭在最大压力条件下,飞船成功与火箭分离。
美国的猎户座飞船于2014年完成首次测试,研发进度更为领先。在周三的阿尔忒弥斯二号任务中,猎户座飞船搭载四名航天员升空,NASA将在本次任务中,全面测试飞船的生命支持系统与环境控制系统。
登月着陆器
任何看过阿波罗11号任务影像的人都会对那款着陆器印象深刻——它是一项科学奇迹,外观却像用金箔与轻薄金属板材拼凑而成的简易装置。
中国的登月着陆器名为“揽月”,融合了数十年的技术改进。
根据任务设计,航天员在环月轨道进入着陆器后,着陆器将带着他们降落到月球表面。在月面停留期间,着陆器将作为航天员的临时居所、数据处理中心与能源供给站。
航天员完成月面任务准备返回时,着陆器将从月面起飞,在环月轨道与载人飞船完成交会对接。
去年8月,中国测试了一台原型机,在模拟月球陨石坑与崎岖地形的试验场完成了导航。
美国目前尚无可用的登月着陆器,部分原因是其规划的任务复杂度极高。SpaceX正在研发其星舰着陆器,计划于今年4月开展新一轮测试;蓝色起源公司也在研发另一款着陆器。
NASA计划在明年执行阿尔忒弥斯三号任务,在更接近地球的环境中测试着陆器的运行情况。NASA官员洛里·格雷兹表示,哪款着陆器率先就绪,就优先选用哪一款。
舱外航天服
中国航天员执行太空行走活动时将身着名为“望宇”的新一代舱外航天服。
望宇航天服是中国空间站现役舱外航天服的轻量化改进版本,配备防眩光面窗,头盔两侧各搭载一台摄像机,胸前设有操作控制台。
一名官方人员对官媒表示,航天服的设计借鉴了中国传统铠甲的元素,让航天员看起来“更硬朗刚毅”。这款航天服预计将于今年开展更多测试
美国将对现役航天服进行全面升级,提升服装的灵活度,为航天员提供更强的防护,抵御月球的恶劣环境。NASA已签约采购的新款航天服,可支持航天员在舱外连续活动最长八小时。

免费下载 纽约时报中文网
iOS 和 Android App

点击下载iOS App 点击下载Android App
© 2026 The New York Times Company.

俄罗斯宣布,正在准备向古巴派出第二艘油轮 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

03/04/2026 - 01:16

俄罗斯能源部长周四表示,在本周二首艘油轮抵达遭美国封锁的古巴之后,俄罗斯正在准备向古巴派出第二艘油轮。

周二,载有73万桶原油的俄罗斯油轮“阿纳托利·科洛德金号”停靠在距离哈瓦那约100公里的马坦萨斯港,为古巴送来今年1月份以来的首批石油。

俄罗斯能源部长周四表示,俄罗斯正在准备向古巴派出第二艘油轮。

正在俄罗斯进行工作访问的古巴副总理佩雷斯-奥利瓦周三表示,哈瓦那与莫斯科已就“稳定燃料供应”展开讨论,并探讨了能源领域的合作可能。

古巴副总理在圣彼得堡与俄罗斯官员和企业代表会面后对媒体表示说:“我们在谈判中取得了进展,包括扩大俄罗斯企业在古巴石油勘探和生产中的参与,以及推进可再生能源发电项目。”

“打倒封锁”

多年来,古巴一直深陷经济和能源危机。今年自年初以来,美国又事实上对古巴实施了石油封锁,在委内瑞拉总统马杜罗被美国抓捕后,来自委内瑞拉的原油供应中断了,再加上美国威胁制裁任何向古巴供油的国家,使古巴的能源形势更加严峻。

周四,数百名古巴民众骑着自行车和电动摩托车,在哈瓦那美国大使馆前举行示威,挥舞着古巴国旗,高喊“打倒封锁”的口号,要求美国结束对古巴实施的封锁。

古巴总统迪亚斯-卡内尔在示威活动开始时对这场由共青团组织的“反帝青年游行”表示赞赏。

在俄罗斯的第一艘油轮抵达古巴之前,美国总统特朗普曾表示,这样的运送“不会产生任何影响”。他说:“古巴已经完了……无论是否收到石油,这都无关紧要。”

How Jesus Altered the World’s Conscience

It might sound obvious now, but helping your neighbor wasn’t always seen as a moral imperative. The New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman explains how Jesus’ teachings shape the way we all view our role in society today.

'I haven't slept for days': Iranians describe mounting desperation after a month of war

EPA Smoke rises after an airstrike in central Tehran, Iran (1 April 2026)EPA

Warning: this article contains details which some readers may find distressing.

Until that moment the war was something happening in other parts of Tehran.

It had not touched the lives of "Setareh" and her colleagues. Then she heard an ominous noise and vibrations reached into the office.

She called out to her workmates: "I think it's a bomb." They left their desks and climbed the stairs to the roof of the building.

"We saw smoke rising into the sky, but we didn't know what place had been targeted," she recalls.

"After that, everyone working in the company panicked. People were shouting and screaming and running away. For one to two hours the situation stayed like that complete chaos." That same day her boss shut the business and laid off his staff.

Despite strict state censorship, the BBC has been able to use trusted sources on the ground to obtain testimony from a range of Iranians in different parts of the country.

We cannot give Setareh's real name or say what kind of work she does - no detail that might possibly identify her to the regime's secret police. But we can say that she is a young woman from Tehran who loved going to work, where she could meet her friends, share stories of their lives and, of course, there was the guarantee of weekly wages.

Now the nightly bombing has stolen her ability to sleep naturally. She lies awake worrying about the present, and the future.

"I can honestly say I haven't slept for several nights and days in a row. I try to relax by taking very strong painkillers so I can sleep. The anxiety is so intense that it has affected my body. When I think about the future and imagine those conditions, I truly don't know what to do."

By "those conditions" she means economic hardship and her fear of future street fighting between the regime and its enemies. The war has cost Setareh her job and she is running out of money.

Millions of Iranians are in a similar position. Even before the war, the economy was in deep crisis, with food prices rising by 60% in the previous year. Setareh describes mounting desperation as people run out of resources to survive.

"We cannot afford even basic food. What's in our pockets does not match market prices... Iran has also been under sanctions for years, and the problems created by the Islamic Republic means that during this time we couldn't build any savings, at least enough to survive now or depend on something. To put it simply, the people I thought might have money to lend also don't have anything."

Economic hardship spurred the huge nationwide protests of late 2025 and early 2026, and Setareh believes it will happen again.

"I don't know how this massive wave of unemployment will be handled. There is no support system and the government will do nothing for all these unemployed people. I believe the real war will start if this war ends without any outcome." The outcome she wants is the end of the regime.

We received information from sources on the ground in six different cities. These were conversations with individuals from a cross-section of society - shopkeepers, taxi drivers, public sector workers and others.

All described growing economic pressure and most spoke of their hope that the war might bring about the fall of the government.

EPA Iranians shop in a bazaar in Tehran, Iran (24 March 2026)EPA
The prices of basic foodstuffs were rising steeply for Iranians even before the war began

"Tina" is a nurse in a hospital outside Tehran and is worried about shortages of medicine.

"The shortage is not yet widespread, but it is starting," she says.

"The most important issue is that this war must not reach hospitals. If the conflict continues and infrastructure is targeted and medicines cannot be imported, then we will face very serious problems."

She is haunted by the images of war that she's witnessed in recent weeks. In the aftermath of bombings, bodies arrived at the hospital "that were not recognisable... some had no hands, some had no legs - it was horrifying".

A recurring memory is the pregnant young woman caught in an air strike early in the war.

"Because of bombardment in her area - her home was close to a military centre - their house was damaged. When they brought her to the hospital, neither the mother nor the foetus was alive.

"Both had died. She had been just two months away from giving birth but sadly neither she nor her baby survived. It was a very terrible situation."

It is an image made more poignant by stories from Tina's childhood. Her mother was pregnant with her during the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s and told her of having to flee to bomb shelters as Iraqi missiles struck their city. Nearly a million people - Iranians and Iraqis, military and civilian - are estimated to have died in the conflict, with Iran suffering the greatest number of casualties.

The war's legacy made Tina want to work as a nurse.

"Hearing those stories always made me stop and think, to imagine myself in those circumstances and place myself in her situation. Now, I find myself in the same kind of situation my mother once faced. I cannot believe how quickly history repeats itself."

AFP A member of the Iranian security forces stands guard next to a banner honouring the assassinated Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, Iran (31 March 2026)AFP
Security forces continue to be deployed on the streets of central Tehran

Any public show of dissent in Iran is extremely dangerous. The regime has deployed its internal security forces and loyal supporters to patrol the streets. There are arrests, torture and executions. Iranians have no doubt about the danger they face if they speak out.

During January's anti-government demonstrations, the regime killed thousands of its own citizens and "Behnam" - a former political prisoner - believes it would easily do the same again.

He keeps a supply of antibiotics and painkillers in his flat in case there is renewed street violence. He is still in hiding after being shot during the last protests. Holding up an X-ray of his torso, Behnam shows the metal fragments that remain lodged in his body.

"They ambushed us in one of the alleys - the alley leading to the square. They fired bullets and tear gas," he says.

"Once you see how easily your life can be threatened - that a simple incident or a twist of fate can mean death or survival - after that, your life no longer holds the same value for you. And that experience makes you care less about yourself."

As a child, he listened to his parents' accounts of regime violence. Fear was the defining factor in their lives. There were stories of family members having fingernails pulled out by the Revolutionary Guards. He heard about the humiliation and agony of a male relative who had heavy weights tied to his testicles during torture.

"We all grew up knowing someone talented in our family - a cousin, an uncle, an aunt - whose future was destroyed just because another relative had been involved in banned political activity," he says.

"I will not heal until the day we are free and in a free world [can] look back on the suffering we endured in an unfree world, and in the end laugh at it. I am certain that day will come."

One month into the war, with US President Donald Trump threatening to bomb Iran "back to the stone ages" and regime repression tightening, the time of laughter seems very far away.

Additional reporting by Alice Doyard

Judge dismisses most of Blake Lively's claims in Justin Baldoni harassment suit

AFP via Getty Images Blake Lively and Justin BaldoniAFP via Getty Images
Lively and Baldoni both attended a hearing in person in February at New York federal court

A federal judge has dismissed most of the claims in a sexual harassment lawsuit actress Blake Lively filed against her co-star Justin Baldoni.

In a 152-page opinion released on Thursday, Judge Lewis Liman threw out 10 of 13 claims in Lively's case, including allegations of harassment and defamation.

The pair, who starred in the 2024 film It Ends with Us, have been locked in a legal battle since Lively sued Baldoni in 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and waging a smear campaign against her, which Baldoni denies.

The judge left in place three claims against Baldoni, involving retaliation and aiding and abetting in retaliation, leaving those accusations for a trial in New York in May.

A judge last year dismissed Baldoni's $400m (£295m) counter-lawsuit against Lively which alleged civil extortion, defamation and invasion of privacy.

The case stems from interactions between Baldoni and Lively on the set of It Ends With Us, an adaption of a best-selling Colleen Hoover novel, which features Lively as the main character, Lily Bloom, a young woman who grew up witnessing domestic abuse and finds herself in the same position years later.

Lively filed a suit against Baldoni's Wayfarer Studios in December 2024, alleging Baldoni sexually harassed her on set and retaliated against her for bringing those complaints, among other allegations.

Lively's legal team have accused Baldoni and his film studio Wayfarer of leading a "multi-tiered plan" to wreck her reputation, which included social media manipulation and using friendly journalists to further certain narratives. She shared details of the allegations in a New York Times article published before her lawsuit.

Baldoni's legal team have said the allegations against him are "categorically false" and argued they hired a crisis public relations manager because Lively had threatened to derail the film unless her demands were met.

Baldoni brought defamation suits against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, their publicist, claiming they were aiming to ruin his career and reputation with the allegations, as well as the New York Times.

He alleged that Lively "stole the film" from him and his production company Wayfarer by threatening not to promote it, and that she and others perpetuated a false narrative that Baldoni sexually assaulted her and launched a smear campaign against her.

But in June, Judge Lewis Liman dismissed Baldoni's suit, saying his team had "not adequately alleged that Lively's threats were wrongful extortion rather than legally permissible hard bargaining or renegotiation of working conditions".

The legal battle between the two has lasted over a year, and the pair are due to go on trial on 18 May over the remaining claims in Lively's suit.

The BBC has contacted lawyers for Baldoni and Lively for comment.

Hegseth Fires Army Chief Amid Battle With Its Leaders

Senior Army officers reacted with anger and frustration to news of Gen. Randy George’s dismissal, characterizing it as the latest blow to the service.

© Nick Hagen for The New York Times

Gen. Randy George is expected to be replaced by Gen. Christopher LaNeve, who previously served as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s senior military assistant in the Pentagon.

伊朗把阿联酋、巴林和以色列作为袭击目标; 伊朗革命卫队聚集在街头,表明他们仍然掌权 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

03/04/2026 - 00:44

周四,伊朗威胁要对美国和以色列发动“毁灭性”袭击,并向特拉维夫发射导弹。

周四晚间,以色列军方发出伊朗导弹袭击的警报, 之后又说,另一枚导弹从也门发射过来。在黎巴嫩,伊朗支持的武装组织真主党说,他们的武装人员周四向以色列北部发射了无人机和火箭弹。

法新社说,以色列防空部队立即投入战斗。法新社驻耶路撒冷记者听到了新的爆炸声。法新社记者在德黑兰报道称,发生了一系列巨大的爆炸,震动响彻全城。爆炸目标尚不清楚。

伊朗尽管遭到轰炸,德黑兰梅拉特公园仍聚集了许多家庭,庆祝波斯新年诺鲁孜节后的第十三天。

一位30岁的居民告诉法新社记者,伊朗革命卫队在德黑兰市内增设了检查站。他说,伊朗革命卫队聚集在街头,是为了向人们表明他们仍然掌权,一切都不会改变。



特朗普: 伊朗最高的桥梁已被摧毁, 要将伊朗炸回“石器时代” - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

03/04/2026 - 00:37

说这话之前的几个小时,特朗普威胁要将伊朗炸回“石器时代”。

伊朗法尔斯通讯社报道,仍在建设中的B1大桥被认为是中东最高的桥梁,桥墩高达136米。伊朗国家电视台说,美以联军对卡拉季B1发动了两次空袭。

与此同时,伊朗两家最大的钢铁厂因美以联军的多轮空袭而被迫停产。

特朗普周三发表首次黄金时段全国讲话中声称美国和以色列于2月28日发动的对伊朗战争即将结束。但同时他表示:“在接下来的两到三个星期内,我们将把他们带回石器时代,那是他们应该待的地方”。



当特朗普提到对伊朗地面行动的可能性时,美国陆军参谋长乔治将军被要求辞职 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

03/04/2026 - 00:49

CBS援引消息人士的话说,赫格塞斯希望找到一位能够贯彻他和特朗普对陆军规划的人选。

法新社说,特朗普主导了一场针对美国高级军官的清洗,其中包括参谋长联席会议主席查尔斯·“CQ”·布朗将军,他在2025年2月被无故解雇。

其他被解职的高级军官包括海军和海岸警卫队司令、国家安全局局长、空军副参谋长、一名被派往北约的海军上将以及三名高级军事律师。

空军参谋长在四年任期仅两年后便宣布退休,同样未作任何解释;美国南方司令部司令也在任职一年后退休。

美国国防部长赫格塞斯坚称,总统特朗普只是在挑选他想要的领导人,但美国民主党议员对传统上保持中立的美国军队可能被政治化表示担忧。

马克龙 :特朗普调侃婚姻 “既不高级,也没水准”; 武力开通霍尔木兹海峡不切实际 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

03/04/2026 - 00:34

马克龙说:有些人主张通过军事行动武力解放霍尔木兹海峡,美国有时也持这种立场。但这从来都不是我们所选择的方案,我们认为这种做法不切实际。

马克龙表示,通过军事行动武力解放霍尔木兹海峡耗时过长,并使过境者面临“沿海威胁”,尤其是来自伊朗革命卫队的威胁,而他们拥有大量资源和弹道导弹。 只能与伊朗合作。马克龙首先呼吁停火,同时重返谈判桌。

海湾合作委员会秘书长布达维周四呼吁联合国安理会授权使用武力保护霍尔木兹海峡。美国支持的第五版草案文本已于周四分发给各成员国,这份草案强调任何武力行动都将是“防御性的”。然而,这项决议在安理会15个成员国中引发了分歧。

法国总统马克龙表示,通过军事行动“解放霍尔木兹海峡”是不现实的。

中国驻联合国大使傅聪表示:武力无法带来和平。政治解决才是根本的解决之道。授权成员国使用武力,就等于认可非法和滥用武力,这必将导致局势进一步升级,并造成严重后果。

俄罗斯是伊朗的长期盟友,表示不会支持这种未能解决冲突根源的片面措施。法国,中国和俄罗斯,各自都有否决权。

Judge dismisses most of Blake Lively's claims in harassment lawsuit against Baldoni

AFP via Getty Images Blake Lively and Justin BaldoniAFP via Getty Images
Lively and Baldoni both attended a hearing in person in February at New York federal court

A federal judge has dismissed most of the claims in a sexual harassment lawsuit actress Blake Lively filed against her co-star Justin Baldoni.

In a 152-page opinion released on Thursday, Judge Lewis Liman threw out 10 of 13 claims in Lively's case, including allegations of harassment and defamation.

The pair, who starred in the 2024 film It Ends with Us, have been locked in a legal battle since Lively sued Baldoni in 2024, accusing him of sexual harassment and waging a smear campaign against her, which Baldoni denies.

The judge left in place three claims against Baldoni, involving retaliation and aiding and abetting in retaliation, leaving those accusations for a trial in New York in May.

A judge last year dismissed Baldoni's $400m (£295m) counter-lawsuit against Lively which alleged civil extortion, defamation and invasion of privacy.

The case stems from interactions between Baldoni and Lively on the set of It Ends With Us, an adaption of a best-selling Colleen Hoover novel, which features Lively as the main character, Lily Bloom, a young woman who grew up witnessing domestic abuse and finds herself in the same position years later.

Lively filed a suit against Baldoni's Wayfarer Studios in December 2024, alleging Baldoni sexually harassed her on set and retaliated against her for bringing those complaints, among other allegations.

Lively's legal team have accused Baldoni and his film studio Wayfarer of leading a "multi-tiered plan" to wreck her reputation, which included social media manipulation and using friendly journalists to further certain narratives. She shared details of the allegations in a New York Times article published before her lawsuit.

Baldoni's legal team have said the allegations against him are "categorically false" and argued they hired a crisis public relations manager because Lively had threatened to derail the film unless her demands were met.

Baldoni brought defamation suits against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, their publicist, claiming they were aiming to ruin his career and reputation with the allegations, as well as the New York Times.

He alleged that Lively "stole the film" from him and his production company Wayfarer by threatening not to promote it, and that she and others perpetuated a false narrative that Baldoni sexually assaulted her and launched a smear campaign against her.

But in June, Judge Lewis Liman dismissed Baldoni's suit, saying his team had "not adequately alleged that Lively's threats were wrongful extortion rather than legally permissible hard bargaining or renegotiation of working conditions".

The legal battle between the two has lasted over a year, and the pair are due to go on trial on 18 May over the remaining claims in Lively's suit.

The BBC has contacted lawyers for Baldoni and Lively for comment.

Johnson Wavers on Ending the Shutdown, Reflecting His Weak Hold on Power

The House speaker first panned, then endorsed, then punted on, then pitched and now is delaying a bill to reopen the Homeland Security Department, showing his vulnerability in the face of party rifts.

© Eric Lee for The New York Times

Speaker Mike Johnson has defined his role as a tool to further President Trump’s power and cheerlead his agenda, and in turn relied on the president to help him corral Republicans on tough votes.

特朗普如何才能把伊朗炸回“石器时代” - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

03/04/2026 - 00:04

美国总统特朗普周三的“庄严讲话”,概括起来就是,一切都按计划进行,然而该计划自2月28日以来一直在不断变动。

特朗普在讲话中宣告美国取得了“胜利”,然而这场看不到明显出路的战争,其制造的巨大危机正在威胁着全球的经济。特朗普称:“我们拥有所有的筹码,他们手上没有一张可打的牌。”美国“很快就会”终结战争,“很快”。“庄严讲话”开始前几小时,美国总统宣布正在与伊朗进行“严肃”的谈判,但在讲话中他没有多提与德黑兰不知有无的外交接触,相反,他发誓要在“未来两到三周”大规模轰炸伊朗,把伊朗“打回石器时代。”

几周来特朗普常常挂在嘴边的一句话:伊朗战争不过是一个“小插曲”。然而汽油价格正在不断地上涨?白宫发言人利维特断言,那只是“短期波动”。事实上,美国因为一场构思拙劣、且缺乏正当理由的紧急行动,已沦为制造全球混乱的推手。

曾担任拜登政府伊朗问题特使、现任耶鲁大学杰克逊全球事务学院教授的罗伯特·马利指出,“你要说美国遭遇了战略性失败,首先得有战略才行,” “当初是要推翻伊朗政权,还是希望更务实的势力上台?事实并非如此。是想把伊朗削弱到投降的地步吗?事实并非如此。我们以为德黑兰无法打击我们的基地和盟友?但他们做到了 ! 凭借远逊于对手的实力,伊朗成功地发动了一场不对称战争,我称之为几乎史无前例的‘国际规模的游击战’,并将全球经济作为人质。”

尽管战争的影响预计要到4月中旬——即海上现有原油储备耗尽之时才会真正显现,但美国汽油价格已大幅上涨。霍尔木兹海峡航运几乎瘫痪,也门胡塞武装可能封锁红海巴布-曼德布海峡,然而这本应早已预料到的局面竟让美国政府措手不及,他们正试图将责任推给该地区国家、欧洲国家,以及韩国、日本和中国。

由于特朗普的目标不断变化,人们已不知什么才算做胜利。推翻德黑兰政权曾是白宫的誓言,随后又被抛弃。然而特朗普周三在白宫的一次会议上宣称政权更迭已经发生,甚至称“这是意外之喜”。特朗普声称“新政权的总统”佩泽什基安已要求停火,但遭到后者的否认。德黑兰虽被削弱却仍然意志坚定,虽失去了最高领袖新的继承人却更加激进,他们扬言只有美以保证不会再次侵略伊朗并向德黑兰缴纳战争赔款后才可以考虑美国的“停战请求”。

同日,特朗普又变了,他在一次午餐会上吹嘘:“我们完全可以直接夺走他们的石油”,媒体上各种猜测甚嚣尘上,美国似乎正在考虑发动地面行动:夺取哈尔克岛、回收埋藏在伊斯法罕核设施地下的高浓缩铀……

目前谁也不清楚这场战争将持续多久,结局如何?但这场战争对美国的声望、对其对任何专业意见都嗤之以鼻的政府的公信力,以及华盛顿与其盟友的关系都造成了严重的打击。白宫将定点清除视为家常便饭,对国际法的嘲讽和蔑视,这些都严重破坏了美国的声誉。

而且,随着战争延伸,美国军事领域的弱点正在显现出来。五角大楼似乎并未从乌克兰四年战争中吸取教训,特别是俄乌双方对无人机的决定性运用,俄罗斯正是借助伊朗的“沙赫德”无人机发展出了自己的无人机武器库。3月27日,美军驻沙特苏尔坦空军基地的一架尖端预警机被摧毁,表明伊朗有能力锁定美军部署的关键地点。

武器储备的问题也随之浮现。中国和俄罗斯正兴奋地观察着美军如何消耗最珍贵的弹药。曾任职于兰德公司智库、现任彭博社军事问题分析师的贝卡·瓦瑟认为,如果冲突长期持续,“防空拦截弹和先进弹药将逐渐耗尽”。“美国库存面临的压力以及补给需求,将大幅减少可提供给盟友和伙伴的物资”。

据华盛顿邮报报道,要补充大量消耗的“联合防区外空对地导弹”或“战斧”巡航导弹需要数年时间。此外,据贝卡·瓦瑟称,空中加油机以及空中预警与指挥系统等情报与监视能力所遭受的破坏,已对“史诗之怒”行动的开展产生了重大影响。他认为:“空中加油机数量的减少可能限制美军的空中行动,而雷达被摧毁则可能使防空拦截变得更加困难”。

特朗普一边自鸣得意,一边在寻找替罪羊,这只能加剧华盛顿的孤立。欧洲多国不仅因拒绝参与确保霍尔木兹海峡安全而遭到抨击,还因拒绝美军使用其基地向以色列运送弹药而受到指责。特朗普威胁要退出北约,鲁比奥国务卿在福克斯新闻频道上宣布,一旦战争结束,将“重新审视”与北约国家的关系。

海湾国家也遭到特朗普的不公正对待。3月底在佛罗里达州举行的一个经济论坛上,特朗普嘲讽沙特王储萨勒曼:“他没想到会亲我的屁股”。特朗普更倾向于将海湾国家视为印钞机,但过去一年中海湾国家承诺给美国的那些令人瞩目的投资,可能会因战争化为泡影。

特朗普在演讲临近尾声时列举了美国从第一次世界大战到越战再到伊拉克战争的军事介入的长度。这些军事行动持续的时间以数年为单位计算,他并且将“史诗愤怒”称之为对美国儿童未来的“真正投资”,令人震惊。

❌