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【年终专题】“演习进逼,拿下台湾”……2025年度敏感词

上篇内容:“这些年来,一股力量在拖拽所有人向下坠落”……2025年度“404文章”

CDT编者按:2025年即将过去,中国数字时代为读者整理了年终专题,包括年度每日一语、年度404文章、年度敏感词、年度报告汇、年度人物等。

本文是年终专题第3篇,下一篇是“年度视频”。


2025年,中文互联网上的敏感词几乎每天都在新增。它们有的来自习近平的“新皮肤”,有的来自被逼到绝境的讨薪工人,有的来自为被霸凌的女孩挺身而出的人们,也有的来自试图重新点亮疫情三年记忆的努力……但把这些碎片串起来会发现:真正被审查机器盯上的从来不是这些敏感词本身,而是它们背后的抗争者与抗争行动——以及它们能否被看见、被共情,进而在社会内部生成一种与官方叙事相抵牾的“错误的集体记忆”。

在这场围绕集体记忆展开的拉扯中,敏感词更像是每一次交锋留下的火星:它们不是凭空出现,而是从具体的人与事里迸出——从一个人决定不再沉默、从一群人选择站到一起。官方拥有强大的审查机器和舆论动员能力,但民间的抵抗也充满韧性:有人用最日常的幽默,给禁语换一件新衣;有人只是坚持把话说完整、把证据留住;有人只是拒绝接受“到此为止”,哪怕代价是被删帖、封号、消失在搜索结果里……这些都承载着不服从的情绪与对权力的嘲讽——而这恰恰是审查最忌惮的部分。

CDT 档案卡
标题:【年终专题】舞台可以清空,表达不可退场……2025年度敏感词
作者:中国数字时代
发表日期:2025.12.18
主题归类:敏感词库
CDS收藏:真理馆
版权说明:该作品版权归原作者所有。中国数字时代仅对原作进行存档,以对抗中国的网络审查。详细版权说明

而更重要的韧性则体现在行动层面:当“说”不足以承受现实,人们就转向“做”。导演娄烨顶着巨大压力拍出《一部未完成的电影》,把疫情三年的经验、情绪与创伤重新放回影像之中;江油事件里,许多素不相识的人走到一起,为一个女孩、为一对几乎无法发声的父母讨要公道;屏山纵火案中,“八百哥”之所以迅速成为符号,也正因为它触碰了劳工群体长期压抑的愤怒与无力感——哪怕这种共情随后被迅速压制。还有一些抗争带着强烈的审美与姿态:滨崎步的演唱会被“不可抗力”终结后,她在空无一人的体育馆完成表演,把缺席与空椅子变成一种反向的见证——仿佛在说,舞台可以清空,但表达不可退场。

这些看似互不相干的案例,最终指向同一种人的特性:他们并非总是组织化的、清晰的抗争者,更多时候只是被现实逼到边缘、仍不愿完全退场的普通人。他们用智慧与勇气对抗遗忘,用彼此的在场抵抗孤立;他们也在一次次删帖与封禁之后学会重新聚合、重新叙述、重新寻找出口。敏感词在这里不再只是“禁区标记”,它更像是他们抗争留下的路标——证明有人曾经说过、做过、站出来过。

也正因为如此,删、限、封、控、定向、污染、打散、抓人……这些手段才会层出不穷:它们并不是为了“打败”某个敏感词,而是为了截断一种更难被驯服的力量——公共记忆如何生成、共情如何汇聚、声援如何扩散,以及行动如何被想象与复制。换句话说,审查真正要压下去的,是“我们在场”的可能性。但就像滨崎步在空无一人的场馆里完成表演那样——“不可抗力”虽然强大到可以随时清场,却无法让人们的表达退场。

习近平的新皮肤:i in ing、she dripping、shejumping、skipping、羽哥、长生不老、150岁、习近逼、新加坡等

每一年,“习近平”这个中国最大的敏感词都会派生出一批新的“皮肤”,今年也不例外。网民继续发挥创意,在不断试探与绕行中,制造出一套又一套新的指代方式。

与名字直接相关的“皮肤”里,有网民取“xi jin ping”三个字的韵母,发明了“i in ing”的写法;又因为这三个字母组合呈现递增顺序,该“皮肤”还被称为“123”。也有人干脆采用英文发音的谐音梗,延展出“she dripping”“shejumping”“skipping”等一串新说法。拆字派则用“羽哥”代指习近平——因为“羽”由两个“习”字组成。

更具传播力的一类“皮肤”,来自一段在公开场合被捕捉到的私下对话。习近平与俄罗斯总统普京在出席北京举办的庆祝“二战”结束80周年阅兵活动期间,被麦克风捕捉到私下讨论器官移植作为延年益寿的手段。习近平对普京说:“过去人们活不过70岁,现在70岁还算孩子,”普京回应称“随随着生物技术取得进展,人类器官会不断移植,甚至越活越年轻,甚至会长生不老。”习近平应和说:“有预测呢,本世纪呢,可能可以活到150岁。”这一片段广为流传,尽管捕捉到该新闻片段的路透社随后撤下了相关影片,但“长生不老”和“150岁”仍迅速被网民吸收进指代体系,成为习的新“皮肤”。

而在更日常的舆论场里,“皮肤”也常常诞生于一次意外的“回旋镖”。4月初,中国军方针对台海局势发布名为《进逼》的演习海报,央视新闻等官媒账号转发助推。意想不到的是,这一极具威慑力的宣传攻势却在评论区遭遇反噬:有网民留言“演习进逼,拿下台湾”,本意是附和官方民族主义情绪,却迅速导致账号被封禁。网民随后测试与分析发现,问题出在“演习进逼”四个字中,后三个字与最高领导人的名字构成谐音“习近逼”。于是,一个原本用于宣传威慑的词组,反倒在审查机制的触发与验证中,被“反向命名”为新的敏感指代。

除此之外,还有人用“XJP”三个字母打头的最常见汉字来代指习近平,例如“新加坡”。从韵母到谐音,从拆字到缩写,这些不断更新的“皮肤”一再证明:在敏感词的围栏之内,语言的变形与迂回从未停止——而审查本身也常常在无意间,参与并加速了这种“发明”。

滨崎步/滨崎步上海演唱会/空椅子演唱会/一个人的演唱会

审查方式:不按官方口径谈论该事件的相关文章被删除、相关公众号/社交媒体账户遭封禁

2025年11月,日本首相高市早苗在国会答辩中表示,若台湾遭到武力攻击或封锁,日本可能将其认定为“生存危机事态”,并在必要时依据安保法制行使集体自卫权。该表态被视为日本长期对台政策“战略模糊”的一次实质性突破。随即,中方启动强硬的“战狼外交”模式,指责日方“公然干涉中国内政”,并开始实施多项反制措施,甚至包括限制中国游客赴日、停止熊猫租借、限制水产进口、禁止艺人演出等。

在这一背景下,多位日本艺人在华演出遭到取消,甚至出现中途被中断的情况。其中最受关注的,便是日本女歌手滨崎步原订于11月29日在上海举办的演唱会:中国官方在演出前夕以“不可抗力”为由取消了当日活动。

来源:滨崎步 Instagram

但在11月29日当天,有自称是滨崎步上海演唱会摄像团队的工作人员偷拍视频并上传至抖音,标题为“滨崎步在现场录制一个人的演唱会”,并面对镜头鞠躬致歉。次日,滨崎步也在个人Instagram发文写道,尽管现场有1万4000个空位,她却深深感受到了来自世界各地粉丝的爱意,“这是我经历过最难忘的演出之一”。她同时表示由衷感谢200名中国和日本的工作人员、乐队成员和舞者,正是他们让这一舞台得以实现。该贴文标注地点为上海,并附上多张照片,包括她在舞台上表演的画面——在“不可抗力”宣布终结之后,滨崎步用一种近乎反向的方式完成了表演:舞台被清空,但表达并未退场。

12月1日,上述工作人员又表示自己在彩排时偷拍视频上传,发布了相关的“不实讯息”,并对其行径予以道歉;包括《澎湃新闻》《第一财经》等多家官方媒体转载了该道歉声明。此后,凡是不按照官方口径谈论此次滨崎步演唱会事件的文章都被删除,甚至公众号与社交媒体账户也遭到封禁。

徐勤先/徐勤先受审/徐勤先庭审/徐勤先抗命

审查方式:屏蔽搜索结果

11月25日,一段长达6小时、此前从未公开的徐勤先少将在军事法庭受审的完整庭审影像首次在网上曝光。该影像包含大量此前被列为国家机密的军方行动细节。画面显示,时任第38军军长的徐勤先在庭审中明确表示“学生与民众混杂、无法区分目标”、“执行这样的任务可能立功,也可能成为历史罪人。”,坚持主张以政治方式解决危机,并拒绝在调兵命令上签字——在那场被写入官方叙事的“平息风波”背后,一个军人的拒绝,重新被影像带回到公众视野。

中国数字时代将该录像完整版(时长6小时3分44秒)予以收藏,并整理成文字稿全文发布。1989年5月17日,徐勤先被上级要求率领第三十八集团军进入北京执行戒严令、镇压六四民主运动,但他拒绝执行调兵令。此后,他因“违抗戒严命令”被捕,次年被军事法院判处五年有期徒刑;刑满出狱后仍长期受到当局严密监视和控制,直至2021年1月在石家庄辞世,享年86岁。

徐勤先受审片段截图

关于徐勤先当年的立场与表述,公开报道亦留下多处记录。纽约时报2014年引述采访过徐勤先的学者的描述称,他曾表示抗议活动属于政治问题,应通过谈判解决,不应动用武力;他还曾告诉历史学者杨继绳,“自己宁杀头,不做历史罪人”。徐勤先2011年接受香港苹果日报采访谈及当年决定时则表示:“已经过去的事,就无所谓后悔了。已经做了嘛!要不然就不要做,做了就没什么后悔的。”这些零散而长期被边缘化的记录,如今与庭审影像相互印证,也让徐勤先的“不做历史罪人”不再只是传闻中的一句话,而成为可被反复辨认的历史片段。

与这段影像在墙外引发关注形成对照的是,徐勤先及其受审视频在中国大陆平台的搜索结果均无法展示。某种意义上,这种“不可见”恰好说明了它的敏感所在:被屏蔽的不仅是一段庭审录像,更是一种与官方叙事不相容的历史记忆。

江油霸凌事件/江油事件/江油抗议/江油示威

审查方式:屏蔽部分搜索结果,突出展现官方立场一致的言论;删除多篇文章、多条视频;限制讨论

7月22日,四川江油14岁女生赖某某在一处废弃楼房内遭多人围殴约4小时,施暴者轮番掌掴、踢踹并用水管殴打,还强迫其脱衣。赖某某求饶称“我爸爸会报警的”,却被嘲讽“又不是没进去过!20分钟就出来了”。施暴过程被偷拍视频上传网络,引爆舆论;网传其母亲为聋哑人士,受害者此前也曾多次遭同一批人欺凌。家属在事发当晚即报警并维权,但直至8月2日施暴者才被传唤到案——这一迟滞成为后续怒火不断累积的起点。

8月3日,多段维权视频流出:受害者父母跪在领导面前求公道,对方拿着喇叭站得笔挺、视若无睹;另一段画面中,疑似聋哑的母亲在维权现场因无法自由表达而竭力悲吼,最终情绪激动到晕倒。舆论压力之下,@江油公安于8月4日发布通报称“全部涉案人员均已到案”,并将赖某某鉴定为轻微伤;三名施暴者分别为15岁、14岁、13岁,两名年满14岁的被治安处罚并送专门学校矫治,其余仅批评教育。这一处理结果并未平息争议,反而引发更多不满与追问。

同日中午,江油市政府召开新闻发布会,数百市民到场质问,现场爆发“下去!下去!”的喊声。随后更多市民聚集市政府门口抗议,当地迅速调集警力维稳并抓走部分抗议者,街头对峙升级,出现强力清场与殴打画面;有人倒地后仍被“连续6棍”抽打,亦有人拍到军用信号干扰车上街。次日多条要道交通管制,城市呈戒严状态,直至6日大规模抗议被压制。

这场事件之所以突破“校园霸凌”的常规框架,演变为群体性风波,关键在于它触碰了太多人的共同经验:弱者如何在制度面前求告无门,正义如何在拖延与表态之间被稀释,公共愤怒又如何在“维稳逻辑”下被迅速导向沉默。8月4日至5日微博相关热搜很快被撤下,“#江油霸凌#”“#江油警察打人#”等话题遭封禁,其他相关讨论也明显开启评论审查。

许多素未谋面的普通人,愿意为了一个孩子、为了两位几乎无法发声的父母站出来——在当下的中国社会,这样的集体挺身而出已极为罕见。有人称赞他们是“四川多义人”,也有人不断追问:一桩校园霸凌为何会发酵成群体性事件?并将其指向一种“刚性治理”的日常化逻辑——禁言删帖、抓人,以及动辄以暴力维稳收场。

一部未完成的电影

审查方式:屏蔽搜索结果

《一部未完成的电影》(An Unfinished Film)是导演娄烨于2024年上映的作品,由娄烨与马英力共同编剧,采用介于剧情与纪录之间的“伪纪录/纪录剧情(docufiction)”形式。影片以2020年1月武汉新冠疫情暴发与封城为背景,从“补拍一部停拍多年的旧片”切入:一支剧组回到武汉试图把未竟的拍摄继续下去,却在拍摄过程中被突如其来的封控打断——人员被迫隔离,交流退回手机与屏幕,工作与生活在封闭空间里被重新编排。与此同时,影片穿插疫情年代的网络影像与碎片化记录,在虚构叙事与现实素材之间不断切换,从而把“封城的日常”与“影像如何被保存、被删改、被遗忘”并置为同一个问题。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKmiGMEEIs4

2024年5月16日,该片在第77届戛纳电影节“特别展映”(Special Screenings)单元完成全球首映,随即在中文互联网上引发讨论。2025年,该片资源开始在互联网流传,许多看过影片的观众给出高度评价,将其视为一次对疫情三年记忆的强力召回。讨论集中在影片如何重现封控经验、情绪与创伤,也集中在娄烨表达上的锋利与克制——他并不把“封城”处理成抽象的时代背景,而是通过影像与人的细节,把那段经验重新拉回可感、可触、可回忆的现实层面。

但也正因为影片对疫情时期经验与公共记忆的呈现方式,它不可能在中国大陆获得“龙标”并进入院线放映,墙内围绕影片的讨论也很快遭到封杀。5月18日,豆瓣相关条目下的短评被全部删除,随后在中国大陆平台对该片的搜索与相关内容呈现普遍受限。《一部未完成的电影》所触及的,恰恰是当局更不愿被重新讲述、被重新看见的“疫情记忆”——当公众试图把那三年的经验重新说出来、重新记住,审查真正想要压下去的,是“我们仍然记得”的可能性。

八百哥/800哥/八爷/八哥

审查方式:屏蔽搜索结果、删除相关内容

5月20日,四川宜宾屏山县的四川锦裕纺织有限公司发生火情。媒体引述目击者称,大火从中午烧到晚上,现场浓烟滚滚,烟雾腾起数十米高。随后有网民称,起火与一名员工讨薪争执有关:该员工被拖欠一个月工资,理论时发生争吵,继而持刀伤人,并用汽油点燃车间布料。

屏山县公安局在5月22日凌晨发布通报证实:27岁的文姓男子于当日上午前往纺织厂车间点火引发火情,后被现场处置民警控制。与此同时,该男子“因被克扣、拖欠工资800元而纵火”的说法在各大社媒平台广泛流传,迅速成为舆论焦点。

人称“八百哥”的27岁的文姓男子被警方逮捕

在这股情绪推动下,文姓男子被大量网民冠以“800哥”“八爷”“八哥”等称号,甚至被称作“人民英雄”,被解读为底层工人长期受压迫剥削、维权困难背景下的“爆发”。有人宣称“800哥点燃了打工人的怒火”“燃烧自己,照亮他人”,认为这场大火“给全国工厂的老板上了一课”,还有人提出为其家属捐款、筹资请律师等。

面对同情违法者的汹涌舆情,屏山警方于5月23日晚再发第二份通报,称网传“纺织厂克扣、拖欠800元工资”不属实,并呼吁网民勿信谣传谣。随后,“800哥/八百哥”等对纵火者的“英雄式”称呼在中国社媒遭到屏蔽与审查,相关词汇被限制传播,一个迅速成形的民间符号就此被掐断。而官方想要压下去的也不仅仅是一个称呼,更是它背后那股随时可能被点燃的集体情绪。

重庆反共标语、三里屯反共标语

审查方式:屏蔽搜索结果、删除相关内容

2025年,中国出现两起与北京“四通桥事件”相似、在公共场合以“悬挂/投影”方式公开展示反共标语的行动。相关影像与讨论在社交媒体上遭遇严格审查,许多关键词与传播路径被迅速收紧,信息传播被迫转向墙外渠道。

其中一起发生在重庆。8月29日晚约22时,有人利用投影机在重庆大学城熙街附近一栋大楼外墙投射多条反共标语,持续近50分钟,内容包括“打倒红色法西斯,推翻共产党暴政”“没有共产党才有新中国,自由不是恩赐要去夺回”“起来吧不愿做奴隶的人们,起来反抗夺回自己的权利”“不要谎言要真相,不要奴役要自由,暴政共产党下台”等。事后信息显示,投影在被警方关闭后,相关话题在中国国内视频平台上被限制搜索。

重庆大学城的反共标语

行动者戚洪随后接受《不明白播客》访问,披露了更多细节:他称自己早在8月10日入住酒店,用约10天时间测试投影,先投射一些“无伤大雅”的口号,并在8月29日从英国远端提前启动投影机定时。他原计划在9月3日阅兵当天发动,并等大学生返校后再播放以扩大影响,但因担心公寓空置太久容易出事,最终决定提前行动。准备、测试、定时、远程启动——这些看似冷静的技术步骤,恰恰凸显了行动者的另一种“韧性”:在高压环境下仍试图把表达做成一项可以执行的“工程”。

北京三里屯的反共标语

另一起发生在北京三里屯。10月25日,中共四中全会结束不久,三里屯出现两条横幅,内容直指“共产党的本质是:反人性反人类的邪教……”,并呼吁“开放党禁,自由组党,自由竞争,自由选择,建立:自由,人性,法治的新中国”。相关照片还显示,一名黑衣人手持喊话器对路人讲话,但有关人士目前下落不明。事件曝光后,微博上多组关键词组合(如“三里屯+开放党禁/抗议/勇士”等)出现审查与屏蔽,部分相关词组在百度系平台也遭到封锁。

黎智英/黎智英庭审/黎智英国安案

审查方式:屏蔽部分搜索结果,仅展现与官方立场一致的言论,限制讨论

全球瞩目的香港《国安法》指标性案件——《苹果日报》创办人黎智英被控危害国家安全案,于2025年12月15日在香港西九龙法院大楼内的高等法院作出裁决:现年78岁的黎智英被判两项“串谋勾结外部势力危害国家安全”及一项“串谋刊印煽动刊物”罪名成立。案件将另择日进入求情与判刑阶段,媒体报道指相关听证安排在2026年1月进行;上述国安罪名最高可判终身监禁。

法官在裁决理由中指出,2019年反修例运动后,黎智英透过《苹果日报》及其海外联系推动对外游说,并请求国际社会以人权等理由对中国与香港官员实施制裁等行动,已触犯《国安法》所列“串谋勾结外部势力”相关罪行;而控方亦指其与《苹果日报》高层等人合谋,呼吁外国采取制裁或其他敌对行动。

宣判之后,官方表态迅速铺开并形成合唱。北京方面,外交部发言人郭嘉昆对定罪结果表示欢迎,称香港特区司法机关“合情合理合法,不容置喙”,并指责批评香港司法的“个别国家”是在“公然诋毁抹黑”。香港方面,行政长官李家超及多名港府部门首长、纪律部队亦在判决后相继发文支持裁决,将案件置于“维护国家安全”“依法惩治”的框架中反复强调。密集的背书与同步的用语,几乎在第一时间为社会预设了“应当如何理解此案”的标准答案。

与庭内宣判几乎同步发生的,是舆论场的“定向呈现”。在中国大陆社交媒体上虽然仍能检索到“黎智英”相关内容,但能看到的基本都是官方媒体与官方表态,对其“反中乱港”的批判与对裁决的支持声量占据主导,其他角度的讨论空间明显受限。信息并未被彻底抹去,而是被导向单一叙事:允许你看见,但只允许你以一种方式看见。

而港府高官的“排山倒海式”表态与话语统一,也折射出香港官场文化加速内地化的趋势:在重大政治案件面前,表达不再是多元立场的呈现,而是迅速归队、齐声站台的政治仪式。而在这套仪式背后,真正被重新定义的是香港的政治生态。

UK names Christian Turner as US ambassador, replacing Peter Mandelson

FCDO A headshot of Christian TurnerFCDO

The UK has named Christian Turner as its new ambassador to the US, Downing Street has confirmed.

Turner has spent a nearly 30-year career working across Whitehall and the Foreign Office.

He will now become the man tasked by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with building links to the Trump administration.

The previous ambassador Peter Mandelson was sacked by Starmer after evidence, including emails and photos emerged, showing his continued association with the paedophile Jeffery Epstein.

Lord Mandelson has repeatedly said he regrets his relationship with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking offences.

Turner said he was "honoured" to be nominated for the role.

"At a pivotal time for the transatlantic relationship, I look forward to working with President Trump's administration, and leaders in Congress, business and society to strengthen that bond in the years ahead," he added.

In a statement released by the Foreign Office, Starmer said: "The United Kingdom and United States have a very special relationship, and Christian's extensive experience as an outstanding diplomat will support this uniquely close bond and ensure it continues to flourish."

Turner's previous roles include political director at the Foreign Office, and British High Commissioner to Pakistan. He also previously worked in 10 Downing Street as Private Secretary to the Prime Minister.

Before entering government, he worked in television documentaries.

Zelensky gives stark warning as EU leaders decide on Russia's frozen assets

Ukrinform/NurPhoto Two men - one in a three-piece suit in grey, the other in black stand in front of colourful flagsUkrinform/NurPhoto
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever is yet to be convinced that the money held in Belgium should be loaned to Ukraine (file pic)

European Union leaders begin two days of talks in Brussels with a momentous decision to be taken on whether to loan tens of billions of euros in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine to fund its military and economic needs.

Most of Russia's €210bn (£185bn; $245bn) worth of assets in the EU are held by Belgium-based organisation Euroclear, and so far Belgium and some other members of the bloc have said they are opposed to using the cash.

Without a boost in funding, Ukraine's finances are set to run dry in a matter of months.

One European government official described being "cautiously optimistic, not overly optimistic" that a deal would be agreed. Russia has warned the EU against using its money.

It has filed a lawsuit against Euroclear in a Moscow court in a bid to get its money back.

The Brussels summit comes at a pivotal moment.

US President Donald Trump has said a deal to end the war - which began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 - is "closer now than we have been ever".

Although Russia has not responded to the latest peace proposals, the Kremlin has stressed that plans for a European-led multinational force for Ukraine supported by the US would not be acceptable.

President Vladimir Putin made his feelings towards Europe clear on Wednesday, when he said the continent was in a state of "total degradation" and "European piglets" - a derogatory description of Ukraine's European allies - were hoping to profit from Russia's collapse.

Alexander KAZAKOV/POOL/AFP A man with a glass stands on the right of two men in uniformAlexander KAZAKOV/POOL/AFP
Those in favour of loaning Ukraine the money believe it will help deter Putin from continuing the war

The European Commission - the EU's executive arm - has proposed loaning Kyiv about €90bn (£79bn) over the next two years - out of the €210bn of Russian assets sitting in Europe.

That is about two-thirds of the €137bn that Kyiv is thought to need to get through 2026 and 2027.

Until now the EU has handed Ukraine the interest generated by the cash but not the cash itself.

"This is a crunch time for Ukraine to keep fighting for the next year," a Finnish government official told the BBC. "There are of course peace negotiations but this gives Ukraine leverage to say 'we're not desperate and we have the funds to continue fighting'."

Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen says it will also ramp up the cost of war for Russia.

Russia's frozen assets are not the only option on the table for EU leaders. Another idea, backed by Belgium, is based on the EU borrowing the money on the international markets.

However, that would require a unanimous vote and Hungary's Viktor Orban has made it clear he will not allow any more EU money to help Ukraine.

For Ukraine, the hours ahead are significant and President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend the EU summit.

Ahead of the Brussels meeting, EU leaders were keen to stress the momentous nature of the decision.

"We know the urgency. It is acute. We all feel it. We all see it," von der Leyen told the European Parliament.

EPA European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a debate on 'Preparation of the European Council meeting of 18-19 DecemberEPA
Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament that two choices were on the table for EU leaders

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has played a leading role in pushing for the Russian assets to be used, telling the Bundestag on the eve of the summit it was about sending a "clear signal" to Moscow that continuing the war was pointless.

EU officials are confident they have a sound legal basis to use the frozen Russian assets, but so far Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever remains unconvinced.

His Defence Minister Theo Francken warned ahead of the talks that it would be a big mistake to loan the Euroclear cash.

Hungary is seen as the biggest opponent of the move and, ahead of the summit, Prime Minister Orban and his entourage even suggested that the frozen assets plan had been removed from the summit agenda. A European Commission official stressed that was not the case and it would be a matter for the 27 member states at the summit.

Slovakia's Robert Fico has also opposed using the Russian assets, if it means the money being used to procure weapons rather than for reconstruction needs.

When the pivotal vote does finally take place, it will require a majority of about two-thirds of member states to go through. Whatever happens, European Council President António Costa has promised not to go over the heads of the Belgians.

"We're not going to vote against Belgium," he told Belgian public broadcaster RTBF. "We'll continue to work very intensively with the Belgian government because we don't want to approve something that might not be acceptable for Belgium."

Belgium will also be aware that ratings agency Fitch has placed Euroclear on a negative watch, partly because of "low" legal risks to its balance sheet from the European Commission's plans to use the Russian assets. Euroclear's chief executive has also warned against the plan.

"There are many hiccups and obstacles of course still on the way. We have to find a way to respond to Belgium's worries," the Finnish official added. "We are on the same side as Belgium. We will find a solution together to make sure all the risks are checked as much as they can be checked."

However, Belgium is not the only country to have doubts, and a majority is not guaranteed.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has told Italian MPs she will endorse the deal "if the legal basis is solid".

"If the legal basis for this initiative were not solid, we would be handing Russia its first real victory since the beginning of this conflict."

Malta, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic are also said to be unconvinced by the controversial proposals.

If the deal is passed and the Russian assets are given to Ukraine, the worst-case scenario for Belgium would be one in which a court would order it to hand the money back to Russia.

Some countries have said they would be prepared to provide billions of euros in financial guarantees, but Belgium will want to see the numbers add up.

At any rate, Commission officials are confident that the only way for Russia to get it back would be by paying reparations to Ukraine - at which point Ukraine would hand its "reparations loan" back to the EU.

Will pre-Christmas interest rate cut be enough to boost UK economy next year?

Bank of England governor 'encouraged' by falling inflation

The future of the economy can sometimes be seen in minor gestures of a Bank of England governor, such as the arch of his eyebrows. So what to make of Andrew Bailey sporting a rather exuberant festive tie full of Christmas trees at the moment he delivered his so-called "Santa cut"?

It probably means nothing. Just maybe it is a sign that the timing and messaging behind this cut is designed to pump life into a "subdued" economy.

It was a narrow decision, with the governor as the swing voter after he said the UK had "passed the peak of inflation", and the target of 2% now in sight in April rather than early 2027.

Mr Bailey was at pains to say the direction of travel next year remained cuts, but that decisions would now be a closer call.

"We're going to come back to target sooner than we thought. So that's encouraging. All of this is very encouraging, and for me certainly, you know, it was a strong basis to cut today," he said.

"Looking forwards, I do think we'll continue to have something of a gradual downward path... the calls do get closer."

There has been a debate on the Monetary Policy Committee about what a normal level of interest would be, with some members seeing that as low as 3%. Markets interpreted the deliberations of the committee as meaning just two further cuts next year.

Much is up in the air, however, about what the committee said was a "lacklustre" economy, that they forecast is not growing in the current quarter.

The uncertainty around the Budget has now lifted, but businesses told the Bank there had been no rebound yet. The Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch, said that the cuts showed the economy was on "life support" and rate cuts were "CPR".

Governor Bailey said the Budget measures aimed at containing inflation had helped the Bank's decision to lower interest rates.

"It's part of the reason I can be more confident inflation is going to come down sooner," he said.

The governor has also identified an unusually high rate of savings as holding back the economy, driven by a lack of consumer confidence among older savers in particular. Rate cuts mechanically lower the incentive to save, and help spending.

He said he didn't want to be "judgemental" about how much people save, but that it was true "how confident and cautious" people feel about the global and local economy does affect savings.

More economic policy stability, lower inflation and lower interest rates should help the economy gain some new momentum in the new year. It certainly needs it.

But it might take a lot more for the much-needed jolt of confidence and festive spirit to spread across the economy.

Children hurt in Manchester Arena bombing to get £20m in payouts

PA Media Armed police officers at the scene of the Manchester Arena attack in May 2017PA Media
A public inquiry into the bombing found chances to stop the attack had been missed

Almost £20m is to be paid out to children injured in the Manchester Arena bombing, a judge has ruled.

Amounts ranging from £11.4m to £2,770 were agreed at a hearing at the Manchester Civil Courts of Justice for 16 people, who were all aged under 16 at the time of the attack.

Some suffered "catastrophic" and life changing injuries while others suffered severe psychological damage after suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a homemade bomb after a concert at the venue on 22 May 2017, the court heard.

The damages will be paid by venue manager SMG Europe Holdings, Showsec International Ltd, who provided crowd management, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and British Transport Police (BTP).

Twenty two people died and hundreds more were injured in the blast after an Ariana Grande concert.

A public inquiry into the bombing, led by Sir John Saunders, later found that chances to stop the attack had been missed along with "serious shortcomings" in security and individual failings.

Judge Nigel Bird approved the 16 claims, agreed between their lawyers and the defendants, as they all involved children or those without mental capacity. A court order bans identifying any of the 16 or their families.

It is understood following the hearing, claims by another 352 people, all adults deemed to have capacity, including the families of the 22 who lost loved ones, will now be agreed between lawyers for the defendants and the claimants.

As those agreements have been made out-of-court, no details of any public money to be paid out by the public bodies - BTP and GMP - will be made public.

Each of the four organisations has apologised to the bereaved families and to the survivors, lawyers for the claimants said, and have acknowledged their failures.

PA Media Martin Hibbert sits speaking. A microphone with a fluffy cover is in the foreground. People in suits stand behind him.PA Media
Survivor Martin Hibbert has been a prominent advocate for the victims of the attack

Judge Bird told the hearing: "Each of these cases has a common link, that is injuries and loss suffered, arising out of a single and unimaginable act of terrorism committed on the evening of May 22 2017 at the end of a concert attended by very many young people and their families.

"Twenty-two innocent lives were lost and and the lives of countless others impacted.

"The love and care a parent gives to an injured child is beyond monetary value."

The judge paid tribute to the "courage, dedication and fortitude" of the families involved in each case.

He added: "Each, through their quiet determination, has brought about promises of change in the hope that in the future, other families need not go through what they have been through."

After the hearing, a joint statement was issued from the legal teams at Hudgell Solicitors, Slater & Gordon and Broudie Jackson Canter, the three lead firms representing the claimants.

Family handouts A photograph of each victim who was killed in the Manchester Arena bombing has been included in a collage. All the photographs have been released by their families. In the bottom left-hand corner is a picture of the tributes including flowers and balloons that were left in the city centre shortly after the attack.Family handouts
Twenty-two people were killed in the 2017 bombing

The statement said: "This is not a day of celebration. It is a moment to acknowledge the mistakes that were made and the unimaginable suffering our clients have endured over the past eight-and-a-half years.

"Their strength and resilience have been extraordinary, and without that, we would not have reached this settlement.

"We now expect all parties to honour their commitment to do what they can to prevent those same mistakes from happening again.

"It has been a privilege to work on behalf of our courageous clients. We wish them only peace and strength as they look to the future."

Family handout Black and white image of Martyn Hett with black hair and stubble wearing a black long sleeve top.Family handout
Martyn's Law is named after Martyn Hett, who was among 22 people killed

Martyn's Law, named in memory of victim Martyn Hett, 29, has since been brought in to better protect public place from terror attacks - stipulating a range of extra safety measures large venues must undertake.

The public inquiry found a series of "missed opportunities" to spot and stop Abedi.

It heard he should have been identified as a threat and action taken sooner after he was reported as suspicious by a member of the public, who was "fobbed off".

The arena area also had a CCTV "blind spot", patrols of the area by security staff were not adequate and BTP officers took a two-hour lunch break to get a kebab before the attack.

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

UK to ban deepfake AI 'nudification' apps

Getty Images A close-up of a woman's hands clasping a smartphone in front of her.Getty Images

The UK government says it will ban so-called "nudification" apps as part of efforts to tackle misogyny online.

New laws - announced on Thursday as part of a wider strategy to halve violence against women and girls - will make it illegal to create and supply AI tools letting users edit images to seemingly remove someone's clothing.

The new offences would build on existing rules around sexually explicit deepfakes and intimate image abuse, the government said.

"Women and girls deserve to be safe online as well as offline," said Technology Secretary Liz Kendall.

"We will not stand by while technology is weaponised to abuse, humiliate and exploit them through the creation of non-consensual sexually explicit deepfakes."

Creating deepfake explicit images of someone without their consent is already a criminal offence under the Online Safety Act.

Ms Kendall said the new offence - which makes it illegal to create or distribute nudifying apps - would mean "those who profit from them or enable their use will feel the full force of the law".

Nudification or "de-clothing" apps use generative AI to realistically make it look like a person has been stripped of their clothing in an image or video.

Experts have issued warnings about the rise of such apps and the potential for fake nude imagery to inflict serious harm on victims - particularly when used to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

In April, the Children's Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza called for a total ban on nudification apps.

"The act of making such an image is rightly illegal – the technology enabling it should also be," she said in a report.

The government said on Thursday it would "join forces with tech companies" to develop methods to combat intimate image abuse.

This would include continuing its work with UK safety tech firm SafeToNet, it said.

The UK company developed AI software it claimed could identify and block sexual content, as well as block cameras when they detect sexual content is being captured.

Such tech builds on existing filters implemented by platforms such as Meta to detect and flag potential nudity in imagery, often with the aim of stopping children taking or sharing intimate images of themselves.

'No reason to exist'

Plans to ban nudifying apps come after previous calls from child protection charities for the government to crack down on the tech.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) - whose Report Remove helpline allows under-18s to confidentially report explicit images of themselves online - said 19% of confirmed reporters had said some or all of their imagery had been manipulated.

Its chief executive Kerry Smith welcomed the measures.

"We are also glad to see concrete steps to ban these so-called nudification apps which have no reason to exist as a product," she said.

"Apps like this put real children at even greater risk of harm, and we see the imagery produced being harvested in some of the darkest corners of the internet."

However while children's charity the NSPCC welcomed the news, its director of strategy Dr Maria Neophytou said it was "disappointed" to not see similar "ambition" to introduce mandatory device-level protections.

The charity is among organisations calling on the government to make tech firms find easier ways to identify and prevent spread of CSAM on their services, such as in private messages.

The government said on Thursday it would make it "impossible" for children to take, share or view a nude image on their phones.

It is also seeking to outlaw AI tools designed to create or distribute CSAM.

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Kennedy Center to be renamed Trump-Kennedy Center, White House says

BBC 'Breaking' graphicBBC

The board of the Kennedy Center has voted to rename the performing arts centre the Trump-Kennedy Center, according to the White House.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on social media the board's vote was unanimous and due to "the unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building".

Leavitt also congratulated President John F. Kennedy and said "this will be a truly great team long into the future! The building will no doubt attain new levels of success and grandeur".

The move would be highly controversial, particularly in Washington DC where the centre has been an iconic landmark since constructed and named for Kennedy.

Shorty after taking office, President Donald Trump fired all the centre's board members, and replaced them with allies, who then voted to make Trump chairman of the board.

The president secured about $257 million in congressional funding to pay for major renovations and other costs at the venue.

The idea for a national performing arts centre began in the 1950s and when Kennedy, the 35th president, was assassinated in 1963, the venue was named in his honour.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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Fact-checking White House plaques targeting former US presidents

Getty Images Four portraits, Trump on the left, followed by Biden (depicted by an autopen), a second Trump one and then Obama. Underneath each portrait, the plaque can be seenGetty Images

New plaques have appeared under the portraits of former US presidents at the White House.

Unlike Donald Trump's previous statements about his predecessors, which have been delivered through speeches, interviews and social media posts, these plaques - installed outside the West Wing - represent a more permanent attempt to shape the long-term view of past presidents.

The text includes a series of claims and criticisms about past leaders, including Donald Trump's immediate predecessors Joe Biden and Barack Obama.

The descriptions also underscore Trump's willingness to get involved in details especially when it comes to how he and his political opponents are portrayed.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the plaques "are eloquently written descriptions of each president and the legacy they left behind".

BBC Verify has taken a closer look at some of the claims on the so-called "Presidential Walk of Fame".

Biden plaque: Won after 'most corrupt' election ever seen

Every former president has a portrait or photo except for Biden. The 46th US President is instead represented by a photo of an autopen - a reference to Trump's claim that Biden's staff used an automated signature machine to sign off decisions without his knowledge.

The plaque underneath claims Biden took office in January 2021 "as a result of the most corrupt election ever seen in the US".

BBC Verify has looked at previous claims of fraud by Trump and his supporters but there has been no evidence to support allegations of widespread voter fraud or corruption.

We investigated claims of "unexplained" surges in Democrat votes, voting machines that flipped votes from Trump to Biden, and even that thousands of "dead" people had voted in Michigan - none were true.

Getty Images A line of portraits of former US presidents outside the West Wing of the White House Getty Images
The portraits and plaques are displayed outside the West Wing

Biden plaque: 21 million people poured into the US

The plaque also claims that Biden "let 21 million people from all over the World pour into the US".

The plaque does not say how these people allegedly entered the country under Biden, but Trump has used variations of the 21 million figure several times when talking about the previous administration's record on the US border.

In a presidential address on Wednesday night, Trump said that under Biden "our border was open, and because of this, our country was being invaded by an army of 25 million people" and earlier this year he claimed Biden allowed 21 million "illegal aliens to invade our country".

The number of migrant crossings at the US border did reach record highs under Biden but not to the level Trump - who has never provided a source for these claims - states.

US border officials record "encounters" with migrants - these include people who attempted to cross illegally and people who tried to enter legally but did not meet entry rules.

Biden was elected at the end of 2020 and during his four years in office there were about 10 million encounters of migrants at the border, with about eight million of those happening at the US southwestern border with Mexico.

These figures do not include people who may have crossed the border undetected.

Last year the US Department of Homeland Security estimated there were 11 million illegal migrants living in the US as of January 2022, with the majority arriving before 2010.

Getty Images Joe Biden with Donald TrumpGetty Images
The plaque was very critical of President Biden's achievements in office

Biden plaque: Highest inflation ever recorded

Biden's economic record also came under attack, with the plaque claiming his policies: "caused the highest inflation ever recorded".

It is correct that inflation - the increase in the cost of living over time - rose significantly during Biden's first two years in office, peaking at 9.1% in June 2022 shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

However, it's not true inflation under Biden was the highest ever on record. This occurred in 1920, when inflation reached 23.7%. It was also higher at points in the 1970s and 80s.

Trump plaque: Inflation 'defeated'

As well as former presidents, Trump also added a plaque for his current term.

It includes some bold claims about his record in office since January. For example, it claims Trump has delivered on "defeating inflation".

While inflation is down from the 9.1% peak under Biden in 2022 - a time when many countries around the world experienced high inflation following the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine - it has not been "defeated" altogether.

Inflation was still at 2.7% year-on-year in November 2025, according to the latest official figures. That's down from 3% in September, when the last inflation update was published.

Average grocery prices in the US rose by 1.9% since the time of the election in November 2024.

Reuters A close up of the text on Trump's plaque. It includes the phrase "he delivered, ending eight wars in his first eight, securing the Border, deporting gang members and migrant criminals, making our Cities safe, helping our Farmers, defeating inflation..."Reuters
Among his achievements, Trump's plaque claims the president defeated inflation and ended eight wars.

Trump plaque: 'Ended eight wars'

Listing Trump's achievements, the plaque also claims Trump ended "eight wars in his first eight months".

However, some of the conflicts lasted just days and the level of influence Trump played in ending them is disputed.

At least one of the "wars" simply wasn't a war. Egypt and Ethiopia have had some diplomatic tensions, particularly around a dam on the Nile, but there has in no sense been a war between them.

India's defence ministry has also previously rejected Trump's claim of ending its conflict with Pakistan, saying the country had not responded to pressure from anyone.

It is true that Trump has successfully helped broker some peace agreements for some long-standing conflicts, such as between Armenia and Azerbaijan. But it is also unclear whether some of the peace agreements will last, given fighting has broken out on the Thailand-Cambodia border and between Rwanda and the DRC again since.

Other presidential plaques

The plaques do not attack Democrats alone. Former Republican president George W Bush, for example, is criticised over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, whereas former Democrat president Jimmy Carter is praised for some of his achievements.

Neither former presidents Biden or Obama have commented on the installation of their plaques.

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