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Storm Dave hits road and rail travel but conditions easing

BBC Breaking NewsBBC

An amber wind warning has been issued for Saturday evening as Storm Dave is expected to bring "disruptive and potentially damaging winds" to parts of the UK.

The warning, covering northern England, north-west Wales and southern Scotland, will begin at 19:00 BST and is due to expire at 03:00 on Sunday.

The Met Office said injuries or danger to life could occur as a result of flying debris, with potential travel disruption and a "good chance" of power cuts.

A series of yellow wind and snow warnings are set to take effect on Saturday afternoon as the country braces for a blustery Easter weekend.

Gusts of 60-70mph are possible in some parts of the UK, with some coastal and exposed locations predicted to reach 80mph, the Met Office added.

People are being advised to stay indoors as much as possible, and check for loose items outside that need securing ahead of the warnings coming into effect.

RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said: "We recommend taking extra care on exposed, higher routes and being especially cautious when overtaking high‑sided vehicles, as the buffeting effect can catch some people out."

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

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.

Royals gather for Windsor Easter Sunday service

PA Media William and Kate walking with their three children looking down as they walk PA Media
It is the first time Catherine, Princess of Wales, has attended the service for several years

King Charles and Queen Camilla are attending an Easter Sunday church service in St. George's Chapel, Windsor.

They have been joined by other members of the Royal Family, including the Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales, who has not been at the traditional event for the past two years due to her cancer treatment.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are absent, after attending last year.

It is understood the princesses have made "alternative plans" for Easter.

PA Media Members of the Royal Family walking along on a road. Princess Anne, Princess Catherine, Prince William and their children are photographed PA Media
Princess Anne arrived with her brother Prince Edward, joining up with Prince William and Princess Catherine and their children
PA Media Anne walking with Edward and Tim Laurence PA Media
Princess Anne and her husband Sir Tim Laurence also joined the family in Windsor

Cheers were heard from onlookers as Prince William and Princess Catherine led their children into the chapel.

As they walked, Princess Charlotte waved to the crowds of people behind barriers watching on.

Princess Anne joined, accompanied by husband Sir Tim Laurence, as well as Prince Edward and his family.

The King and Queen arrived last and one onlooker was heard shouting "God bless the King".

The service is seen as a traditional family event as opposed to an official engagement.

The King did not issue an Easter message this year.

On Thursday, the King and Queen attended the traditional Maundy service at Denbighshire in Wales.

That event commemorates the Last Supper and the importance of humility and service to others.

The King presented gifts to 77 men and 77 women from the UK in recognition of outstanding Christian service and for helping people in their communities.

PA Media Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis walk and smile as Charlotte looks at her brother who looks aheadPA Media
Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were in good spirits ahead of the service

Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal title and remains under investigation having been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and has moved to Sandringham, Norfolk.

Mountbatten-Windsor and his family have been engulfed by the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, with continuing questions about links to the US sex offender.

The former prince has denied any wrongdoing from his connections with Epstein.

Meanwhile, it is the first time the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally has delivered an Easter sermon.

In it, she will say call for an end to "violence and destruction" in the Middle East.

Mullally will pray "with renewed urgency" for peace before a congregation at Canterbury Cathedral, as the US-Israel war against Iran enters its sixth week.

Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo: 'Our new reality show leaves nothing out'

Hulu Sophie Habboo and Jamie LaingHulu
The couple say "nothing is off limits" in their new documentary which follows their pregnancy and parenthood journey

From the moment Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo met on Made in Chelsea, their relationship has played out in the public eye with audiences following everything - the good, the bad and the downright ugly.

Their on-screen will-they-won't-they storyline evolved into the NearlyWeds podcast when they got engaged, later rebranding as NewlyWeds after their marriage.

Now, they are sharing their next chapter - pregnancy and parenthood - in a new three-part documentary.

Raising Chelsea follows the couple as they try for a baby, navigate the highs and lows of pregnancy and adjust to the early days of parenthood.

For many, the idea of filming and broadcasting such intimate moments, including the actual birth of their child, would be unthinkable.

But for Laing and Habboo, it was never really a question, and inviting cameras into such a personal chapter in their life felt to them like a continuation of what they had already built with their audience.

"People are used to following our journey, so documenting this and having an audience come with us felt really natural and fun," Habboo says.

Their commitment to creating authentic reality TV shaped how Raising Chelsea was filmed, and, rather than a traditional multi-camera set-up, "we only had one camera so it was very vlog style and there are lots of times I didn't know we were even filming" Habboo explains.

She adds that she quickly "forgot the cameras were there", which meant arguments would unfold as they normally would, only for Habboo to then "worry about it afterwards".

Hulu Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo with her hand on her stomach in a baby cloth's shopHulu
In the series, the couple attend medical appointments, have candid conversations about the anxieties of parenthood

Laing, who is also the founder of sweets brand Candy Kittens, says that approach was intentional because "if there were three cameras and a set-up, it feels forced".

"We wanted to capture everything and I wanted to make sure it was really real so you see everything," he says.

"Even when things happened that were intense we kept it in because we made a deal."

He tells the BBC that holding anything back defeats the point.

"There is nothing off limits - I don't like the idea of a filtered version of ourselves, it's not true, authentic or real," he reflects.

"Everyone has arguments, bad moments, good moments, feels up or down and capturing that is real life."

They wasted little time in sharing those moments as the documentary airs less than four months since their son, Ziggy, was born.

'I never get my way'

Their willingness to share didn't mean there weren't moments of hesitation about where, if anywhere, the line should be drawn.

At times, they draw that line in different places - Habboo is more instinctively protective of what should remain private while Laing is more comfortable letting even the most personal moments play out on screen.

"There are moments where it's a lot," Habboo admits. "You can even hear me in the show saying 'I'm not doing this' at certain points.

"If I had my way there would be things off limits but I never get my way."

Getty Images  Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo attend the ten years celebration of gourmet sweets by Candy Kittens at White Rabbit Dereham Place on July 29, 2022 in London, England. Getty Images
The pair started dating in 2019 and got married in 2023

When the pair started their podcast in 2021, the 31-year-old says she wanted "to put my best foot forward" so was keen that some things were edited out.

"I didn't want people to hear the nitty-gritties of our relationship."

But, she was rarely in the edit and "Jamie made sure every episode kept everything in, which was horrifying".

Habboo got used to that pretty quickly, and the "reaction from listeners was that they loved it and felt connected, like they weren't alone".

"So going into this, I thought we had to keep that authenticity," she continues.

"I'm happy we did it that way because I love reality TV, I'm the biggest fan, but I feel like today everything is so produced and constructed which is a shame for the viewer.

"There's not much authentic TV out there, so we wanted to create something real."

'People are so mean'

That level of exposure comes at a cost; being so open means inviting opinion and criticism, and Laing knows that "you have to have thick skin if you're going to do this".

It is something he says he has learned over time while Habboo "is still developing it".

Laing laughs as he recalls one nasty comment that stuck. "Sophie thought she'd read the Daily Mail one day and the first comment was: 'Why does she look like an Afghan hound?'"

"There are so many comments like that," Habboo says. "People asking what's wrong with my eyebrows. They're evil, they're so mean. I don't know what they're going to say when they see me pregnant."

Hulu Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo carrying a babyHulu
The couple gave birth to Ziggy in early December 2025

It is the willingness to show both joy and discomfort that underpins their documentary - Laing describes himself as "more anxious", while Habboo admits she is "worse on no sleep".

There is playful debate over who does more nappies. "I do," Laing insists, met with visible disbelief from Habboo.

Their differences continue in how they parent - Laing calling Habboo the stricter of the two - a claim that surprises her. "She has routine," he says. "I'd let him eat chocolate."

Yet beneath the teasing is a clear sense of partnership and they reflect on how they have grown together.

"I thought we were strong," Laing says. "But we've become even stronger."

"So there's no divorce yet, we're saving that for season two."

Raising Chelsea is available to watch on Disney+ now.

高市拟出访越南澳洲 小泉5月初拟访菲律宾协调护卫舰、防空导弹出口事宜 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

05/04/2026 - 12:10

综合消息显示,日本首相高市早苗正考虑在4月下旬至5月初的黄金周假期期间访问越南,与越南总理及其他官员举行会谈。她还在协调访问澳大利亚的事宜,并计划通过这一系列外交活动,加强合作,共同构建“自由开放的印度-太平洋”倡议。日本放送协会(NHK)报导称,高市希望在安全保障、经济等广泛领域加强合作,预计将根据中东局势的最新发展来决定是否成行。

这将是自前首相石破茂于去年4月访问越南以来,高市上台后首次访问越南。鉴于中方在东中国海和南中国海日益增强的海上存在,日本希望扩大在安全和经济等广泛领域的合作。

访澳期间,鉴于双方已选定以日本海上自卫队“最上”级护卫舰为基础的联合研发项目,为澳大利亚引进新型护卫舰,高市还计划加强与澳方的安全合作。此外,鉴于今年是日本倡导“自由开放的印度-太平洋”倡议十周年,日方也在考虑在高市此次访问期间宣布一项新的外交方针。

此外,据共同社援引消息来源报导,日本防卫大臣小泉进次郎正安排于5月初访问菲律宾。预计他将与菲律宾国防部长特奥多罗举行会谈,就日本海上自卫队二手护卫舰的出口问题展开实质性磋商。

高市政府计划最早于4月修订《防卫装备转移三原则》及其运用指南,原则上允许出口包括致命武器在内的成品。高市政府希望在放宽相关规定后,加快就史上首次护卫舰出口展开政府间谈判。多方消息来源在周日透露了这一消息。

报导指,此次涉及的是阿武隈级护卫舰。菲律宾已将加强海军力量列为优先事项,以应对中方在南中国海的胁迫行为。菲律宾海军官员已表示有意获得3艘该级护卫舰。

根据现行《三原则》的运用指南,具有杀伤能力的武器出口受到限制,护卫舰也属于此类。若能实现对《三原则》的修订,相关限制将不复存在。

报导提到,菲律宾军方也在考虑引进日本自卫队的03式中程防空导弹(Chu-SAM)。小泉在与特奥多罗的会晤中,计划确认在防卫部门就装备合作进行高级别磋商的框架下,推进旨在实现护卫舰及导弹出口的协调工作。

What we know so far about rescue of US airman in Iran

Watch: What we know so far about the search for missing US airman in Iran

A search is underway for a missing crew member after a US F-15E fighter jet flying over southern Iran was shot down on Friday, US media has reported.

A pilot who was on board was reportedly rescued by US forces, but the search for the second crew member, a weapons system officer, is ongoing, reports say.

Seperately, a US A-10 Warthog aircraft that was part of the search and rescue mission for the downed jet was also shot and damaged, however its pilot was safely rescued, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News.

Iranian officials said the the warplane was shot down by its air defence system, according to state media. The US Central Command is yet to comment.

Where and when was the jet shot down?

Iranian state media first claimed on Friday that the country's forces shot down a US jet over its southern region.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt then said that US President Donald Trump had been briefed on the incident.

US Central Command has not confirmed the details surrounding the reported downing of the aircraft.

A search and rescue mission successfully recovered the pilot of the jet, but what happened to the jet's second crew member, a weapons systems officer, remains unknown, CBS News has reported.

The rescue operation included an A-10 Warthog plane that was hit over the Gulf, with its pilot ejecting before being rescued, according to CBS.

One helicopter carrying the rescued pilot from the F-15E jet was hit by small arms fire, injuring crew members on board - but it landed safely, CBS reports.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that nomadic tribes living in the country's mountains shot two Black Hawk helicopters that were part of the US rescue mission.

The BBC has requested comment from the US military regarding Iran's claim.

BBC Verify has confirmed a video from Friday showing what appears to be three armed individuals firing towards at least two Black Hawk helicopters.

Iran's top joint military command has credited new Iranian air defence systems with the downing of both US warplanes, according to Iran's state-affiliated IRNA news agency.

A map showing where US aircraft have been filmed in the search for a crew of a plane downed in Iran. It shows locations in the Khuzestan province and the Hohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.

What do we know about the jet's purpose?

US Air Force via Getty Images Two F-15E Strike Eagle jets soaring through a cloudy skyUS Air Force via Getty Images
A file photo of two F-15E Strike Eagle jets

The F-15E is a dual-role fighter jet designed for both air-to-ground and air-to-air missions. In Iran, they are most likely to have been involved in Defensive Counter Air roles to shoot down Iranian drones and cruise missiles.

In its air-to-ground strike role, the jet is a weapons platform capable of dropping laser and GPS guided precision munitions, as well as other bombs.

The aircraft has two crew: the pilot in the front who flies the jet and a weapons systems officer in the back seat. The weapons officer, known as a "Wizzo", has four screens in front of them and is responsible for selecting targets and making sure the weapons are properly programmed for the appropriate attack.

This two-crew system allows the workload to be divided up, particularly in a congested air environment where the pilot is trying to evade threats.

We do not know what specifically brought down this US jet, but if it was taken down by the Iranians then the most likely reason is a surface-to-air missile (SAM).

Infographic about the US F‑15E Strike Eagle fighter jet with a photo of the aircraft in flight and text explaining its features: designed for long‑range missions to attack ground targets and fight its way out; has a two‑person crew of a pilot and a weapon systems officer; uses terrain‑following radar to fly safely at very low altitudes. Notes that F‑15s have been in service since 1974, with the F‑15E introduced in 1988. States an approximate cost of $100m (£75m). Source: the US Air Force.

What is happening with the rescue effort?

The rescue of crew members of a downed jet is one of the most complex and time-sensitive operations - known as combat search and rescue (CSAR) missions - that the US military and its allies prepare for.

The elite air force units behind CSAR missions include some of the most highly trained and specialised members of the military.

"It's the most dangerous military mission that I know of," James Jeffrey, a military strategist and top US diplomat for the Middle East, told the BBC.

"These are Air Force special operations people who are trained almost to the level of Delta Force and Navy SEAL Team Six, but they also have medical capabilities," Jeffrey said. "They will not give up until they can find a pilot if they think there's any chance."

CSAR missions are often conducted by helicopters, which fly low over enemy territory, alongside other military aircraft that conduct strikes and patrol the area.

A former commander of a pararescue jumpers squadron told CBS News that a rescue operation like the reported one in Iran would involve at least 24 pararescue jumpers scouring the area in Black Hawk helicopters.

They added the team would be prepared to jump from planes if needed, and once on the ground their priority would be to contact the missing crew member.

The crew of the downed jet are also highly trained for such situations.

"Their number one priority is to stay alive and to avoid capture," Jennifer Kavanagh, a senior fellow and the director of military analysis at think tank Defense Priorities, told the BBC.

"And so they're trained to - assuming that they're physically capable, and not so injured that they can't move - to try to get away from the ejection site as quickly as possible, and to conceal themselves so that they are safe."

They're also trained on survival techniques so that they can go without food or water, or find resources from the local terrain, for as long as possible, Kavanagh said.

Iran is offering rewards of about £50,000 ($66,100) to citizens who help capture the missing airman, state media has reported.

AI videos fuel rhetoric as Orbán bids for four more years in Hungary

Fidesz/Hungary Girl at a window Fidesz/Hungary
The controversial AI-generated video depicts a girl waiting at a window for her father to return from war

Warning: This piece refers to scenes of violence from the start

When a video went viral appearing to show a Hungarian soldier's execution, its disturbing nature came as a shock to anyone who saw it.

Ahead of pivotal Hungarian elections on Sunday 12 April, the AI-generated, fake clip was posted on the social media accounts of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party in February.

It tells the story of a young girl at a window yearning for her father's return home from war, and then the video cuts to him - blindfolded, bound by the hands, and then shot by his captors.

The video targeted Orbán's election rival, Péter Magyar, who could unseat him after 16 years in office.

The Fidesz campaign has made unsubstantiated claims about the war in Ukraine and Magyar's intentions, at times using AI-generated videos like this, even though it makes clear the video is fake.

"The video is an AI video, but the war is really horrible," the video says. "Péter Magyar doesn't want you to see this video. He doesn't want you to see what an irreversible tragedy it is to join a war."

Fidesz alleges that Magyar, from the centre-right party Tisza, will bring Russia's war against Ukraine to its doorstep if elected, even using pension money to support Ukraine and imposing forced conscription.

Reuters A man holds a red, white and green Hungarian flagReuters
Péter Magyar's Tisza leads the election race, according to most opinion polls

Such narratives have been widely rejected by Magyar and by his party Tisza. In its manifesto, it pledges it will not send troops to Ukraine and does not plan to revive conscription.

We asked ruling party Fidesz whether it had made the AI execution video and why it had posted it on to its social media channels, but the party has not responded to our questions.

In an interview with a journalist posted to Facebook, Támas Menczer, who is communications director of the Fidesz-KNDP alliance, responded to a question about the AI video saying he believed "the greatest possible danger is that Hungarian people could die if Tisza wins, because Tisza supports the war, Tisza supports sending money".

However, he did not comment on the video being made with AI.

Magyar has condemned the video stating that Fidesz "crossed all limits", and called the video "heartless manipulation".

Zsófia Fülöp, a journalist at Hungary's only dedicated independent fact-checking website, Lakmusz, says while such narratives from the ruling party are not new, the use of generative AI is.

"It is omnipresent in this campaign, especially in the communication of the ruling party and its media and proxies. They've used it before but now it's massive."

The strategy does not appear to have had much of an impact on voters, with Magyar leading in most opinion polls.

NEM/Hungary A woman holds a red phone at a windowNEM/Hungary
Another AI-generated video depicts European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen

Social media posts by Fidesz's allies have parroted similar anti-Ukrainian narratives.

Last month the National Resistance Movement (NEM) - a pro-Fidesz political activist group - shared a video made using AI that depicts a phone call between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Péter Magyar discussing sending money to Ukraine.

It was viewed more than 3.7 million times.

"When the phone rings and a request comes, then he won't be able to say no," the accompanying caption read. NEM did not disclose the video had been made using AI.

Magyar called it out as fake, but the video had already been shared widely by pro-government media as well as Fidesz politicians, including the prime minister. In his post, Orbán stated that the video had been AI-generated but warned it could become a reality.

We asked NEM why they had posted the AI video and whether they had made it, but they did not comment.

"We're in a state of hallucination," says Éva Bognár, a researcher at the Central European University's Democracy Institute. "In a way the whole campaign is a disinformation campaign because it's all based on a complete false narrative that we're on the brink of war."

In another instance a few weeks ago, Hungary's anti-terrorism police arrested seven Ukrainian bank workers who were transiting through with $80m (£60m) worth of cash and 9kg (20lb) of gold in cash-transport vehicles to Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha accused the Hungarian government of taking the group hostage and stealing money.

Ukraine's state savings bank, Oschadbank, said they had a valid licence and that it was a routine journey between Austria and Ukraine.

But the Hungarian government alleged that money laundering was taking place and suggested it might be to "finance pro-Ukraine forces".

Although the Ukrainian bank workers have been released without charges, authorities are yet to return the money and gold.

On Facebook, pro-government outlets used AI images to report on the arrests. One pro-government outlet uploaded hyper-realistic images of the arrest, reporting the images as fact.

When compared with images and videos of the event posted on the Hungarian government's official Facebook page, they are wildly different. Inaccuracies can be seen in the uniforms of the officers as well as the clothes of the Ukrainian individuals.

Facebook's third party fact-checking service has labelled the post as "partly false".

Facebook Men kneel on the ground on the road Facebook
One pro-government outlet used AI-generated fake images of Ukrainians being arrested

Hungary had better relations with Ukraine in the past, and even backed Ukraine's bid to join the EU until late 2023, but relations deteriorated as Orbán maintained close ties to Russia's Vladimir Putin.

One survey by research institute Policy Solutions suggests the level of anti-Ukrainian feeling in Hungary is barely lower than anti-Russian sentiment, with 64% of Hungarians holding a negative opinion of Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, and 67% disliking Putin.

"One side holds all the cards," says researcher Éva Bognár. "Fidesz has infinite resources at its disposal: from public funds, state agencies and offices to a media conglomerate that operates as a propaganda machine, including the public service media."

Magyar is partly cutting through the fraught media landscape using social media.

Reuters A man speaks at a microphone in front of statuesReuters
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been in office for the past 16 years

According to 20k, a Hungarian election integrity watchdog tracking the social media activity of political actors during the election, Magyar's posts on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram receive twice the level of engagement of Orbán's.

Magyar posts a mixture of professional content and images portraying himself as a younger and more relatable leader, showing him partying, playing volleyball, flipping burgers at a restaurant, and enjoying water sports.

But the Tisza leader has also engaged in milder forms of misleading rhetoric, including inaccuracies about the number of Hungarian babies born outside of the country in an attempt to evoke a sense of missing national pride.

He has even played the ruling party at their own game, alleging that it is Fidesz, not Tisza, that wants to reintroduce compulsory military service.

Apart from it being briefly mentioned by two Fidesz politicians in 2016, we found no evidence that the party wants to revive compulsory military service.

Péter Krekó, who heads independent political research institute Political Capital, says Magyar has also been able to "exploit... strong public resentment" towards the government.

Much of that is being driven by people between the ages of 18 and 40.

A survey by the Median agency suggests that support for Tisza remains strongest amongst those under 40, while nearly half of people over 65 support Fidesz.

Despite this, Fidesz clings to its anti-Ukrainian narrative, in both traditional media and online, with posters showing Zelensky and Magyar together under the warning "They are dangerous!"

If Fidesz wins, we will see the same disinformation tactics being used beyond the election, says Krekó. But if it doesn't win, there will be a "more tumultuous relationship between the media and politicians".

ICE wanted to build a detention centre - this small farming town said no

Getty Images A view down a street in Social Circle, with small homes on one side and a white church spire in the distance. On one lawn is a sign that says ICE - crossed outGetty Images
A proposed detention centre would triple the population of Social Circle, Georgia

For months, two neighbours, Democrat Gareth Fenley and conservative John Miller, have been united in the same daily mission.

Each morning the two get into their cars and drive several miles down the farm-lined roads of their small Georgia town to an empty one-million square-foot gray warehouse.

On arrival, they search meticulously for signs of construction, breathing a sigh of relief each time the massive property appears untouched.

The sprawling industrial warehouse, which the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) bought in February, is part of a $38.3bn (£29bn) plan to open up dozens of immigration detention centres across the US.

Those plans have faced fierce opposition, not just in Democratic communities, but in conservative towns like Social Circle, which overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump in the last election - including his campaign promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.

"People have different reasons for aligning with the exact same message," Fenley said. "That message is: 'Detention centre, not welcome here.'"

Watch: Residents from both parties push back against detention center

Many who support the president's immigration policies are concerned the facility would starve the small town of critical resources by tripling its population, turning a place once known for its quaint Blue Willow Inn buffet restaurant into a prison town.

In March, those concerns led City Manager Eric Taylor to shut off the water in the warehouse, a move that made this one-stoplight town the unlikely face of resistance to the administration's plans.

"If you open up that water meter, it gives them full access to the entire supply of the whole city," Taylor told the BBC. "I can't let that happen without knowing what the ultimate impact is going to be."

Now those plans for a 10,000-person detention centre appear to be on hold.

The department also signalled that it is pausing plans to buy more warehouses like the one in Social Circle - though the fate of facilities it already has spent millions on remains unclear. DHS did not directly respond to a comment from the BBC about Social Circle's facility.

"As with any transition, we are reviewing agency policies and proposals," a statement from the department said.

DHS cancelled a scheduled meeting about the Social Circle warehouse because it was planning a "department review of processes" under new leadership, Taylor said.

Residents are cautiously optimistic.

"We're anxious to see what happens out of this review. They have already pulled the trigger on it. They have already bought the building, so there's going to be some effects no matter what's done or not done," Miller said.

"We're still whispering up the chain as much as we can to make sure that if they are indeed reviewing it, we can give input."

Reuters A blue and white mural depicts Social Circle's historic wellReuters

'We don't have the capacity'

In the centre of Social Circle is a replica of a well, a nod to the origins of the town, which was established in 1832. According to a plaque, a group of men sitting around a well enjoying "their usual drink" invited a passing stranger to join them. "This is surely a social circle," the stranger replied.

Nearly 200 years later, Social Circle's wells are at the heart of residents' fight against ICE. They say the town's water system - which serves 5,000 people - has had problems for decades, and the ICE facility would require much more than the fragile system could provide.

Taylor, the city manager, said the town has a permit to pull only one million gallons of water each day from the Alcovy River, south of the town, and during the summer, the town uses about 800,000 gallons at least. ICE has said the facility on its own will require one million gallons a day.

Taylor told the agency as soon as an application for water service was filed that he was not going to turn it on, he said.

"I told them at that time that there was a lock on the water meter, and it was there until we had a better understanding of what the impact was going to be on our water."

John Miller pets his golden-coloured horse while standing by a wooden fence in his field
John Miller's horse farm is across from the proposed detention centre

Miller, whose 50-acre grassy horse farm sits just across the road from the Social Circle warehouse, said officials had not done due diligence on selected locations.

"It's the same story over and over," he said. "Communities weren't informed. They weren't consulted."

"I understand the why, but I just don't understand how they're handling it."

Miller said federal officials have floated several solutions, including either digging a well on the warehouse property or trucking in a million gallons of water a day.

But the father of seven said drilling new wells could take away from the well he uses to nourish his horses, chickens, barn cats and dogs.

Bringing in gallons of water on Social Circle's two-lane roads poses problems too. "That's six or seven trucks every hour, 24 hours a day," Miller said.

DHS did not directly respond to a list of questions from the BBC inquiring about how it would address the water supply.

Taylor also worries about the town's old sewage systems, established in 1962 and in need of replacement for 20 years, he said.

"Where's the sewage supposed to go?" he asked. "We don't have the capacity to support a million gallons of sewer coming off that site."

A country-wide fight against ICE plans

Residents in Social Circle have been waging their battle against the ICE facility ever since they found out, in a Washington Post report last December, that the warehouse was one of 23 sites earmarked to become detention centres.

They quickly appealed to the government and their federal representatives, arguing they did not have resources for the facility - but ICE still purchased it in February for nearly $130m - more than four times its initial estimated worth.

Since then, Miller, Fenley and others have led the charge to slow the project, holding protests and meetings with hundreds of concerned residents. Georgia's Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock visited the facility, and his office participated in a briefing with ICE officials, but "many questions remain unanswered", a spokesperson said.

Other communities who have been tapped for similar projects also have fought back.

In Michigan last week, the state sued to block DHS from converting a warehouse into an ICE facility in Romulus, arguing it was too close to residential neighbourhoods and schools and posed a flooding risk. New Jersey and Maryland also sued to halt ICE projects, while residents in Merrimack, New Hampshire, successfully lobbied elected officials to stop a facility in town.

Gareth Fenley sits in a cafe wearing a blue cardigan over a red shirt
Gareth Fenley, a Democrat, says she is worried about the human-rights issues that a detention centre could bring to the town

For some Social Circle residents, their opposition is not only a question of resources, but of human rights.

Fenley said she and other Democrats in town were concerned about having people "warehoused in a place that was not built for human habitation".

She worries about reports of people being abused in detention centres. At least 13 immigrants died in ICE custody from January 2026 through early March, according to ICE, while civil rights groups have said immigrants are being subjected to unsafe conditions such as a lack of food, overcrowding and medical neglect.

Others raised alarms not only for those inside the facility, but the community around it.

"We have one high school, one zip code, one grocery store, one stoplight. And we are going to triple the size of our town," said Valerie Walthart, who works on a veterinary farm down the road from Miller. "We're going to be overwhelmed."

Walthart added that as a mother, she was concerned about safety, with a detention facility perched just a five-minute drive from the local elementary school.

"It's unnerving," Joy Coker, a mother of three in the area, said of the warehouse's location.

A two-part map showing the location of Social Circle, Georgia, in relation to Atlanta, and a satellite view of the area. The top map highlights Atlanta and the smaller town of Social Circle to its east. The lower satellite image shows Social Circle and marks a large warehouse site where the US government intends to build an ICE detention centre. Scale bars indicate distances on both maps.

'Georgia's greatest little detention centre'

Social Circle's Republican Representative Mike Collins also publicly opposed the ICE project.

"Although I am aligned with the mission of ICE to detain and deport the criminal illegal aliens who have flooded across our border due to Joe Biden's reckless policies, I agree with the community that Social Circle does not have the sufficient resources that this facility would require," he wrote.

Rick Cook, a resident of neighbouring Monroe, said he wasn't in favour of the facility, but believed the US had to clamp down on illegal immigration. He said he and others in his Social Circle church hoped to provide religious counseling to immigrants held in the facility.

"It's going to be what it's going to be, and we're going to try to find the ways to make the best with whatever happens," he said.

To Steven Williford, the owner of a cattle farm in Social Circle who voted for Trump, ICE is a "necessary evil". But he couldn't believe the news when he learned the detention centre was coming to his hometown.

"I just thought it was crazy to put something like that in this community, with no forethought, no prior authorisation, not even asking the community," he said.

"I'm all for doing what's best for the country, but is it best for this community?" he added. "That's the question."

Miller said he understood why some would be confused by the Republican town's reaction. He said detention facilities were necessary to detain people so they could be guaranteed due process.

"You can't say that it's something that's needed and then not be somewhat willing to allow a facility to be there," he said.

But, he said, realistically, no community wants such a facility tarnishing the reputation of their town.

"I miss the days we were known for the Blue Willow Inn," he said, referencing the famous buffet restaurant that closed during Covid, once visited by celebrities including actress Helen Mirren.

"Now," he said, "we're going to be known as Georgia's greatest little detention centre."

EPA A participant holds a rain-soaked sign saying "NO detention center in Social Circle" at a rally against the proposed US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centre.EPA

Some residents had been hoping that a change in federal leadership would put the warehouse plans on pause. Trump fired his Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem at the beginning of March, after backlash for the administration's immigration crackdown in Minneapolis earlier this year, when federal agents shot dead two US citizens.

The president nominated Senator Markwayne Mullin to take her place, which was followed by DHS signalling it may be rethinking its plans.

In its statement to the BBC, DHS referenced remarks from Mullin's confirmation hearing:

"We got to protect the homeland and we're going to do that, but obviously we want to work with community leaders," he said in March. "We want to be good partners."

Joy Coker looks directly at the camera, wearing a white hooded sweatshirt with her hair down and blowing in the wind
Some residents are worried about the safety of having 10,000 detainees move into their town

Social Circle's facility was originally slated to open in April, but work appears to have stalled. The agency has yet to award a contract for the warehouse or begin the massive construction needed to convert the bare warehouse into a sprawling court facility, complete with holding areas, gyms and recreational spaces, court facilities, cafeterias and even a gun range.

Residents have been thrilled about the potential pause, including Walthart, who said the decision gives locals "a little time to breathe, since we wake up nearly every day wondering if today will be the day the trucks start rolling in".

"We can enjoy our small town life," she said, "for at least a little while longer, we hope."

日本第二艘油轮通过霍尔木兹海峡 伊朗革命卫队前司令称日本可能实现通航 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

05/04/2026 - 11:51

受中东局势恶化的影响,在霍尔木兹海峡以西的波斯湾内,曾有45艘与日本相关的船舶受阻。而继商船三井的液化天然气(LNG)船4月3日首次通过霍尔木兹海峡后,又有第二艘与日本相关的船舶驶出湾外,而伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队前司令侯赛因·卡纳尼·马加迪姆在接受采访时表示,日本通过谈判有可能实现通航。

据日本国土交通省介绍,通过霍尔木兹海峡的是由商船三井在印度的关联公司持有的一艘运输液化石油气(LPG)的油轮。截至4日,该船已穿过霍尔木兹海峡,目前正驶往印度。同时,已确认船员和船舶均安全无恙。

商船三井表示,通过海峡的船只为其印度关联公司持有、悬挂印度国旗的液化石油气(LPG)船“格林桑维(GREENSANVI)”。该船此前停泊在距离霍尔木兹海峡约100公里的波斯湾内。目前已“驶离被认为危险的海域”,正前往印度。

截至3日,商船三井一艘装载液化天然气(LNG)的油轮已首次通过霍尔木兹海峡,此次为第二艘通过的与日本相关船舶。据日本政府方面人士表示:两艘船的直接目的地皆不是日本。

而据朝日电视台新闻 4月5日报道:关于持续被伊朗事实上封锁的霍尔木兹海峡,伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队前司令侯赛因·卡纳尼·马加迪姆在接受采访时表示,日本通过谈判也有可能实现通航。他说: “目前伊朗议会正在讨论,计划与阿曼合作,以安全保障为目的征收通航费用。”曾担任革命卫队司令的侯赛因还指出,“友好国家可以就通过霍尔木兹海峡进行谈判”。他还透露,对于冻结伊朗资产的国家,解除冻结将成为条件之一。

此外,这位伊朗前司令(现为革命卫队顾问)在3月15日接受朝日电视台采访时曾表示,如果驻日美军基地参与对伊朗的攻击,日本有可能成为打击目标,日本船舶也将无法安全通过霍尔木兹海峡。

蒋中正逝世51周年 台湾公民团体推动中正纪念堂转型彻底去蒋化 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

05/04/2026 - 12:13

台湾民团5 日在中正纪念堂举办「台湾不需要独裁者纪念堂」活动,推动中正纪念堂转型。民团表示,蒋中正是全球公认的独裁者之一,如今仍在台北市中心接受众人膜拜,这是台湾民主最大的荒谬。

推动白色恐怖记忆日的台湾公民团体「519行动组合」于5 日在中正纪念堂举办第三年的「台湾不需要独裁者纪念堂」活动,积极推动中正纪念堂转型等民主诉求。现场可以看到许多台湾228政治受难者家属,手举着于白色恐怖时期逝世家属的照片一同站台。

519行动组合决策委员、辜宽敏基金会副董事长林宜正在3月31日的行前记者会表示,蒋中正是全球公认的独裁者之一,他把威权统治带到台湾,白色恐怖对台湾无数家庭造成伤害,这样的人却被供奉在台湾首都台北市中心接受众人膜拜,这是台湾民主最大的荒谬。

民进党立法委员沈伯洋指出,除了诉求不要独裁者纪念堂之外,他觉得更重要的是,「中正庙」除了到底是否应该存在,应该再思考怎么转型、怎么去改造这个空间,让下一代能够在此学习整个国家的记忆。

民进党立委张雅琳表示,她认为这不是一个建筑的问题,而是一个价值的问题「台湾到底需不需要纪念一个威权统治的人?」她同时表示自已在立法院中提出民主园区的转型方案提案,后续也将继续关注转型正义议题。

台湾基进党发声明表示,台湾民主转型与解殖独立,需要彻底去蒋化,这是台湾基进矢志不渝的主张。台湾人不需要感念独裁者。

5日这天同时也是蒋中正过世满51 周年,根据民视报导,1975年4月5日台湾仍处于全球最长,达38年的戒严时期中点,当时蒋中正以二战最高统帅之姿病逝,社会上演了一场宛如帝王驾崩的世纪丧礼,反映了当时极权统治的巅峰。

台湾废除死刑联盟表示,但如今纪念他的中正纪念堂等各种威权象征仍然存在台湾社会,对于刚民主化30 年的台湾要巩固、深化与发展民主是重大阻碍。

德语媒体:徒有虚名的美国“亚太战略”

null 媒体看中国
2026-03-31T13:59:35.254Z
德语媒体:徒有虚名的美国“亚太战略”

(德国之声中文网)《新苏黎世报》发表评论称,“重返亚洲”的口号发出十五年之后,美国再次在中东卷入战争,而对伊朗的军事行动直接影响到了美国在亚太地区的军事部署,设在韩国和日本的美军装备和士兵正在被调往中东。这篇题为《乱了阵脚的超级大国》的评论写道:

“美国海军和空军消耗精准制导武器的速度简直令人震惊。早在战争爆发之前,专家们就曾发出警告称,这类非常精准、但造价也极其昂贵的武器,其库存数量并不足以应对同中国的一场高强度冲突。美国军事战略家形容中国是一个‘几乎势均力敌’的对手,而一旦同中国交手,这类精准武器显然要比对付实力较弱的伊朗更能排上用场。

但问题在于:每一枚用于打击伊朗的‘战斧’巡航导弹,都会在未来无法投入到对抗中国的战斗。每一枚在中东发射的‘爱国者’导弹,也将无法再去拦截中国的导弹。美国的军火库是面向全球的,而补充库存则需要大量时间。毕竟美国军火工业生产精准武器的能力也是有限的。俄罗斯发动侵乌战争四年以来,对武器的需求快速飙升,订单早已排起了长队。就连中立国瑞士对此都有切身体会,该国订购的爱国者导弹,交付时间已被推迟多次。

一旦美国的军火库出现空虚,‘重返亚洲’战略中唯一一个迄今收效良好的支柱就将发生动摇:即针对中国的军事威慑。奥巴马认为,安全是保障亚太地区繁荣与和平的基础。此外,他认为另外两个支柱也同安全密切相关:经济融合以及对志同道合的民主国家的支持。但是,在上述两个方面,过去十五年当中,美国也并没有很好地兑现承诺。

中国是亚洲大多数国家最重要的贸易伙伴。除了和中国保持密切的经济合作,他们并没有其他的选择。即便是美国最密切的盟友,在此问题上也无法置身度外。同时中国的经济实力也成了该国扩展影响或施加压力的工具。2016年,韩国允许美国部署萨德导弹防御系统,以及2020年,澳大利亚要求对新冠病毒起源展开调查后,上述两国都切身感受到了来自北京的强劲压力。”

《新苏黎世报》的评论指出,美国再次卷入中东地区的战争,令美国的亚太盟友深感忧虑,一方面,霍尔木兹海峡航运受阻,使上述国家的经济受到严重冲击,另一方面,美军从亚太撤走大量导弹防御系统和海军力量,也令韩国、日本、菲律宾和澳大利亚等国感到针对中国的军事威慑力有所减弱:

新苏黎世报:美军撤走导弹防御系统和海军力量,令日韩等国感到降低了对中国的军事威慑。

“当然,这一切并不意味着北京会立即对台湾等目标发动攻势。毕竟,人民解放军并没有做好相应的准备,中国军队持续不断的清洗运动就足以说明这一点。但是,伊朗战争已经使盟友对华盛顿的信赖大打折扣,他们担心,关键时刻他们恐怕还是只能自救。上述国家只有两个选择:要么和中国委曲求全,要么大幅投资国防建设。在日本和韩国,要求本国拥有核武器以获得最高威慑力的呼声已经越来越高。

2011年,奥巴马意识到了亚太地区的巨大潜力,以及日益崛起的中国对美国霸主地位构成的挑战,直到今天,分歧严重的华盛顿仍对此拥有高度共识。但是,在美国政府的日常运作中,这一点却时常被忘到脑后。频繁发生的危机总是让施政重点发生变化。继乌克兰、加沙和委内瑞拉之后,伊朗又成了重中之重。”

从“剽窃大国”到“专利大国”的华丽转身

《科隆城市报》报道称,一看到“中国制造”就联想到“假冒伪劣”的时代已经基本成为过去。现如今,中国正在快速从“创意窃取大国”演变成“发明创新大国”。1980年,中国提出的国际专利申请只有44项,而到了2022年,申请个案已达165万件,几乎占全球专利申请总量的一半。

“在习近平的领导下,过去几年来,中国政府不仅扩大了对知识产权的保护力度,而且还为知识产权建起了坚强壁垒。德国化学工业协会(VCI)的专利法专家库斯库提斯(Marcel Kouskoutis)表示,很多人也许还不知道,‘专利不仅是保护发明创造的工具,而且它还是一种为自己划定势力范围的工具。即便是一种较弱的专利也能达到这样的目的。中国人在这方面就做的非常聪明。’

中国人在专利领域的快速推进,在前不久发布的十五五规划中也得到了充分体现。该规划制定的目标中包括,在2030年前,每万人当中高质量发明创造的数量将从目前的16个提升到至少22个。对于拥有14亿人口的中国来说,这将使该国能够在人工智能、数码设施以及无人机等领域不断将竞争对手抛在后面,并同时成为上述领域的最大受益者:谁要想获得中国制造的技术,就必须为专利支付费用。

中国已经成立了多个专门处理专利保护事宜的法庭,中国国内的侵犯专利事件也同样会受到严厉处置。来自各大商会的信息显示,在侵权诉讼中,相关企业获得成功的案例已经越来越多。毕竟,作为世界第二大经济体,中国既希望减少对外部的技术依赖,但同时也希望能够继续吸引外来投资和合作。而法律保障则是一个重要的前提。

德国企业对中国的发展趋势并非无动于衷。中国在可再生能源,尤其是太阳能技术领域的专利数量大幅增高之后,德国的相关专利申请也曾一度增多。但是,在德国,人们对知识产权的价值认知还远远赶不上中国的发展。”

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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© 2026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



特朗普称第二名机组人员获救 对伊最后通牒即将到期

德正
2026-04-05T09:23:15.010Z
特朗普表示,被伊朗击落的F-15战机的第二名机组人员已获救,该战机飞行员已于此前获救

(德国之声中文网)美国总统特朗普表示,在伊朗上空被击落的美军战机的第二名机组人员已获救并处于安全状态。

“我们已经找到他了,”特朗普在其社交平台Truth Social上用大写字母写道。

特朗普表示,这名士兵“并非孤立无援”。美军一直“全天候”监控这名飞行员的位置,并对救援行动进行了周密准备。有专家指出,如果伊朗方面先行找到该机组人员,可能会将其作为谈判筹码。

特朗普将此次行动称为美国军事史上“最大胆的搜救行动之一”。并称获救士兵受了伤,但“会没事的”。据报道,数十架战斗机参与了行动,现场发生交火。根据多家媒体此前报道,该战机飞行员已于此前获救。

伊朗称击落美以两国飞行器

据阿拉伯半岛电视台报道,一名美国官员表示,在夜间展开的救援行动中,现场发生了“激烈交火”。

与伊朗革命卫队关系密切的塔斯尼姆通讯社(Tasnim News Agency)称,在失踪人员所在区域发生了空袭。特朗普形容局势紧张,称这名士兵曾被“敌人追捕”,对方每小时都在逼近。

伊朗革命卫队则表示,在美军实施救援期间,一架美军C-130运输机在伊斯法罕省南部被击落。不过,这一说法尚无法得到独立核实。

据塔斯尼姆通讯社报道,伊朗中央军事指挥部“哈塔姆·安比亚”的发言人表示,被击落的飞行器还包括两架“黑鹰”直升机。

此外伊朗军方还称,在同一省份击落了一架以色列无人机。

特朗普对伊最后通牒即将到期

与此同时,特朗普进一步加大对德黑兰的施压力度。他提到自己设定的一项最后通牒将在48小时内到期,并警告称,如果未能达成协议,伊朗将面临“地狱般的后果”。

“时间正在流逝,”他此前曾写道:“再过48小时,地狱将降临在他们头上。”

3月26日,特朗普曾延长一项原本即将到期的最后通牒。特朗普称,应伊朗政府请求,将摧毁能源设施的期限延长10天,至2026年4月6日。

伊朗强烈回应

伊朗方面作出强烈回应。伊朗武装部队司令阿里·阿卜杜拉希·阿里亚巴迪(Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi)在国家电视台上称特朗普“好战且具侵略性”,并指责其在遭遇挫败后表现出“无能为力、反复无常、易怒且愚蠢”。

他同时威胁将发动“毁灭性且持续不断的攻击”,并呼应特朗普的措辞称:“这句话的简单含义是,对你们来说,地狱之门将被打开。”

美国和以色列与伊朗之间的军事对抗仍在持续升级。自2月28日联合空袭以来,德黑兰通过导弹和无人机袭击以色列,以及多个海湾国家和美国在该地区的设施进行回应。

特朗普近期在全国讲话中一方面暗示冲突可能很快结束,另一方面又宣布将发动“极其强硬”的进一步打击,甚至称要将伊朗轰炸回“石器时代”

DW中文有Instagram!欢迎搜寻dw.chinese,看更多深入浅出的图文与影音报道。

© 2026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。

鸡蛋bot|沈阳和平区疑似发生一起当街伤人案,嫌疑人已被警方控制

4月4日,辽宁省沈阳市疑似发生一起当街伤人事件,现场视频显示有多名路人倒地。据悉,嫌疑人已被警方控制,案件详情有待当地官方通报。

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CDT 档案卡
标题:沈阳和平区疑似发生一起当街伤人案,嫌疑人已被警方控制
作者:鸡蛋bot
发表日期:2026.4.5
来源:微信公众号“鸡蛋bot”
主题归类:无差别袭击案
CDS收藏:公民馆
版权说明:该作品版权归原作者所有。中国数字时代仅对原作进行存档,以对抗中国的网络审查。详细版权说明

网传信息显示,事发地位于沈阳市和平区同泽南街与南五马路交叉口附近。疑似当地居民称,嫌疑人砍伤了多名路人。网传视频显示,在同泽南街某商铺门口有多人倒地等待救治。

4月5日,笔者致电事发地附近多家商铺了解情况。店家称,其对伤人事件不知情,今日仍有警察在现场走访、巡逻。

笔者另从一知情人士处获悉,事发后,嫌疑人即被警方控制。

截至发稿,沈阳当地仍未对上述事件发布相关官方通报。

Uber and Trial Lawyers Spar Over New Yorkers’ Auto Insurance Premiums

A powerful lawyers’ association is opposing a bill that would cap damages, but the ride-share company has spent millions lobbying state lawmakers to lower rates, some of the highest in the country.

© John Muggenborg for The New York Times

The ride-share company Uber has become a deep-pocketed foe of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, a trade group that has long wielded influence in state politics.

What we know so far about rescue of US airman in Iran

Watch: What we know so far about the search for missing US airman in Iran

A search is underway for a missing crew member after a US F-15E fighter jet flying over southern Iran was shot down on Friday, US media has reported.

A pilot who was on board was reportedly rescued by US forces, but the search for the second crew member, a weapons system officer, is ongoing, reports say.

Seperately, a US A-10 Warthog aircraft that was part of the search and rescue mission for the downed jet was also shot and damaged, however its pilot was safely rescued, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News.

Iranian officials said the the warplane was shot down by its air defence system, according to state media. The US Central Command is yet to comment.

Where and when was the jet shot down?

Iranian state media first claimed on Friday that the country's forces shot down a US jet over its southern region.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt then said that US President Donald Trump had been briefed on the incident.

US Central Command has not confirmed the details surrounding the reported downing of the aircraft.

A search and rescue mission successfully recovered the pilot of the jet, but what happened to the jet's second crew member, a weapons systems officer, remains unknown, CBS News has reported.

The rescue operation included an A-10 Warthog plane that was hit over the Gulf, with its pilot ejecting before being rescued, according to CBS.

One helicopter carrying the rescued pilot from the F-15E jet was hit by small arms fire, injuring crew members on board - but it landed safely, CBS reports.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that nomadic tribes living in the country's mountains shot two Black Hawk helicopters that were part of the US rescue mission.

The BBC has requested comment from the US military regarding Iran's claim.

BBC Verify has confirmed a video from Friday showing what appears to be three armed individuals firing towards at least two Black Hawk helicopters.

Iran's top joint military command has credited new Iranian air defence systems with the downing of both US warplanes, according to Iran's state-affiliated IRNA news agency.

A map showing where US aircraft have been filmed in the search for a crew of a plane downed in Iran. It shows locations in the Khuzestan province and the Hohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.

What do we know about the jet's purpose?

US Air Force via Getty Images Two F-15E Strike Eagle jets soaring through a cloudy skyUS Air Force via Getty Images
A file photo of two F-15E Strike Eagle jets

The F-15E is a dual-role fighter jet designed for both air-to-ground and air-to-air missions. In Iran, they are most likely to have been involved in Defensive Counter Air roles to shoot down Iranian drones and cruise missiles.

In its air-to-ground strike role, the jet is a weapons platform capable of dropping laser and GPS guided precision munitions, as well as other bombs.

The aircraft has two crew: the pilot in the front who flies the jet and a weapons systems officer in the back seat. The weapons officer, known as a "Wizzo", has four screens in front of them and is responsible for selecting targets and making sure the weapons are properly programmed for the appropriate attack.

This two-crew system allows the workload to be divided up, particularly in a congested air environment where the pilot is trying to evade threats.

We do not know what specifically brought down this US jet, but if it was taken down by the Iranians then the most likely reason is a surface-to-air missile (SAM).

Infographic about the US F‑15E Strike Eagle fighter jet with a photo of the aircraft in flight and text explaining its features: designed for long‑range missions to attack ground targets and fight its way out; has a two‑person crew of a pilot and a weapon systems officer; uses terrain‑following radar to fly safely at very low altitudes. Notes that F‑15s have been in service since 1974, with the F‑15E introduced in 1988. States an approximate cost of $100m (£75m). Source: the US Air Force.

What is happening with the rescue effort?

The rescue of crew members of a downed jet is one of the most complex and time-sensitive operations - known as combat search and rescue (CSAR) missions - that the US military and its allies prepare for.

The elite air force units behind CSAR missions include some of the most highly trained and specialised members of the military.

"It's the most dangerous military mission that I know of," James Jeffrey, a military strategist and top US diplomat for the Middle East, told the BBC.

"These are Air Force special operations people who are trained almost to the level of Delta Force and Navy SEAL Team Six, but they also have medical capabilities," Jeffrey said. "They will not give up until they can find a pilot if they think there's any chance."

CSAR missions are often conducted by helicopters, which fly low over enemy territory, alongside other military aircraft that conduct strikes and patrol the area.

A former commander of a pararescue jumpers squadron told CBS News that a rescue operation like the reported one in Iran would involve at least 24 pararescue jumpers scouring the area in Black Hawk helicopters.

They added the team would be prepared to jump from planes if needed, and once on the ground their priority would be to contact the missing crew member.

The crew of the downed jet are also highly trained for such situations.

"Their number one priority is to stay alive and to avoid capture," Jennifer Kavanagh, a senior fellow and the director of military analysis at think tank Defense Priorities, told the BBC.

"And so they're trained to - assuming that they're physically capable, and not so injured that they can't move - to try to get away from the ejection site as quickly as possible, and to conceal themselves so that they are safe."

They're also trained on survival techniques so that they can go without food or water, or find resources from the local terrain, for as long as possible, Kavanagh said.

Iran is offering rewards of about £50,000 ($66,100) to citizens who help capture the missing airman, state media has reported.

Keir Starmer 'concerned' over Kanye West UK festival dates

Getty Images Headshot of West who wears a silver chain and sunglasses. There is a man behind him who is blurred Getty Images

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said it is "deeply concerning" that Kanye West is set to headline Wireless Festival in London this summer.

West, now known as Ye, has drawn widespread criticism for antisemitic comments he has made in recent years, for which he issued an apology in January.

The American rapper, 48, was announced as the headliner for all three days of the rap and R&B festival in north London earlier this week.

In response Sir Keir said, in comments first reported by the Sun on Sunday, that West has been booked "despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism".

"Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears," Sir Keir said.

"Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe."

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said on Thursday that the government should ban West from entering the UK, arguing "we need to get tougher on antisemitism" and describing West's planned appearance as "extremely serious".

Last year West was blocked from entering Australia after releasing a song titled "Heil Hitler", glorifying the Nazi leader.

He also declared himself a Nazi earlier in the year, retracting an earlier apology he issued over antisemitic comments, and sold T-shirts featuring a swastika on his clothing website.

In November 2025, West held a meeting with Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto where he reportedly apologised for his past antisemitic comments.

In January, West took out a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal, apologising for his antisemitic behaviour.

"I am not a Nazi or an antisemite," he wrote. He said bipolar disorder means when "you're manic, you don't think you're sick" and that he "lost touch with reality".

"I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state," he added.

West's X account was banned multiple times in 2022 due to posts that violated the platform's rules.

It came after he posted a series of offensive tweets, including an image appearing to show a symbol combining a swastika and the Star of David and saying he would go "death con 3 On Jewish people".

In the same year, he drew criticism after wearing a "white lives matter" T-shirt during Paris fashion week.

His actions saw clothing brand Adidas part ways with the rapper, which said at the time it does "not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech".

He has not performed in the UK since 2015 when he headlined Glastonbury.

Three songs from his latest album Bully, released in March, are in the UK's top 100 singles chart.

Wireless has described the event, running from 10-12 July, as a "three night journey through his most iconic records".

Earlier this week, the leader of the largest body representing Jews in the UK, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, told BBC Newsnight that West should be blocked from entering the country.

A spokesperson for London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said: "We are clear that the past comments and actions of this artist are offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London's values. This was a decision taken by the festival organisers and not one that City Hall is involved in."

Wireless organisers Festival Republic have been approached for comment.

Jamie Lang and Sophie Habboo: 'Our new reality show leaves nothing out'

Hulu Sophie Habboo and Jamie LaingHulu
The couple say "nothing is off limits" in their new documentary which follows their pregnancy and parenthood journey

From the moment Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo met on Made in Chelsea, their relationship has played out in the public eye with audiences following everything - the good, the bad and the downright ugly.

Their on-screen will-they-won't-they storyline evolved into the NearlyWeds podcast when they got engaged, later rebranding as NewlyWeds after their marriage.

Now, they are sharing their next chapter - pregnancy and parenthood - in a new three-part documentary.

Raising Chelsea follows the couple as they try for a baby, navigate the highs and lows of pregnancy and adjust to the early days of parenthood.

For many, the idea of filming and broadcasting such intimate moments, including the actual birth of their child, would be unthinkable.

But for Laing and Habboo, it was never really a question, and inviting cameras into such a personal chapter in their life felt to them like a continuation of what they had already built with their audience.

"People are used to following our journey, so documenting this and having an audience come with us felt really natural and fun," Habboo says.

Their commitment to creating authentic reality TV shaped how Raising Chelsea was filmed, and, rather than a traditional multi-camera set-up, "we only had one camera so it was very vlog style and there are lots of times I didn't know we were even filming" Habboo explains.

She adds that she quickly "forgot the cameras were there", which meant arguments would unfold as they normally would, only for Habboo to then "worry about it afterwards".

Hulu Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo with her hand on her stomach in a baby cloth's shopHulu
In the series, the couple attend medical appointments, have candid conversations about the anxieties of parenthood

Laing, who is also the founder of sweets brand Candy Kittens, says that approach was intentional because "if there were three cameras and a set-up, it feels forced".

"We wanted to capture everything and I wanted to make sure it was really real so you see everything," he says.

"Even when things happened that were intense we kept it in because we made a deal."

He tells the BBC that holding anything back defeats the point.

"There is nothing off limits - I don't like the idea of a filtered version of ourselves, it's not true, authentic or real," he reflects.

"Everyone has arguments, bad moments, good moments, feels up or down and capturing that is real life."

They wasted little time in sharing those moments as the documentary airs less than four months since their son, Ziggy, was born.

'I never get my way'

Their willingness to share didn't mean there weren't moments of hesitation about where, if anywhere, the line should be drawn.

At times, they draw that line in different places - Habboo is more instinctively protective of what should remain private while Laing is more comfortable letting even the most personal moments play out on screen.

"There are moments where it's a lot," Habboo admits. "You can even hear me in the show saying 'I'm not doing this' at certain points.

"If I had my way there would be things off limits but I never get my way."

Getty Images  Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo attend the ten years celebration of gourmet sweets by Candy Kittens at White Rabbit Dereham Place on July 29, 2022 in London, England. Getty Images
The pair started dating in 2019 and got married in 2023

When the pair started their podcast in 2021, the 31-year-old says she wanted "to put my best foot forward" so was keen that some things were edited out.

"I didn't want people to hear the nitty-gritties of our relationship."

But, she was rarely in the edit and "Jamie made sure every episode kept everything in, which was horrifying".

Habboo got used to that pretty quickly, and the "reaction from listeners was that they loved it and felt connected, like they weren't alone".

"So going into this, I thought we had to keep that authenticity," she continues.

"I'm happy we did it that way because I love reality TV, I'm the biggest fan, but I feel like today everything is so produced and constructed which is a shame for the viewer.

"There's not much authentic TV out there, so we wanted to create something real."

'People are so mean'

That level of exposure comes at a cost; being so open means inviting opinion and criticism, and Laing knows that "you have to have thick skin if you're going to do this".

It is something he says he has learned over time while Habboo "is still developing it".

Laing laughs as he recalls one nasty comment that stuck. "Sophie thought she'd read the Daily Mail one day and the first comment was: 'Why does she look like an Afghan hound?'"

"There are so many comments like that," Habboo says. "People asking what's wrong with my eyebrows. They're evil, they're so mean. I don't know what they're going to say when they see me pregnant."

Hulu Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo carrying a babyHulu
The couple gave birth to Ziggy in early December 2025

It is the willingness to show both joy and discomfort that underpins their documentary - Laing describes himself as "more anxious", while Habboo admits she is "worse on no sleep".

There is playful debate over who does more nappies. "I do," Laing insists, met with visible disbelief from Habboo.

Their differences continue in how they parent - Laing calling Habboo the stricter of the two - a claim that surprises her. "She has routine," he says. "I'd let him eat chocolate."

Yet beneath the teasing is a clear sense of partnership and they reflect on how they have grown together.

"I thought we were strong," Laing says. "But we've become even stronger."

"So there's no divorce yet, we're saving that for season two."

Raising Chelsea is available to watch on Disney+ now.

一款开放式耳机,怎么做到「降噪」的?|韶音 OpenFit Pro 体验

自苹果将 iPhone 7 砍掉耳机孔,并推出 AirPods,从此真无线蓝牙耳机(TWS)这个品类火了十年,整个行业开始分化出了几条不一样的路线。

首先比较传统的「类 AirPods」形态:入耳式的降噪耳机,半入耳式的非降噪耳机,最近几年还开始有全新的「半入耳式」降噪耳机。

▲ 主动降噪版本的 AirPods 4,图源:PCMag

与此同时,和这些产品截然不同的开放式耳机,例如华为「耳夹」耳机 FreeClip,以及 Nothing Ear Open,又掀起了新的热潮。

▲ 华为 FreeClip 耳机

于是,我们看到今天的 TWS 市场,表面上是开放、半开放和入耳式降噪的多点开花,但底层其实只有一个变量在起作用:对「噪音」的处理方式。

耳机越开放,就越难减少噪音;越能有效减少噪音,它就越趋向封闭。

这是一条几乎被默认成立的关系,也是过去十年里,大多数产品选择站队的分界线。

但韶音最新的 OpenFit Pro,明明是一副非常标准的开放式耳机,却开始试图「减少噪音」,这些曾经的分明边界,终于要被打破。

滤噪,而非降噪

严格意义上,OpenFit Pro 并没有标榜自己是「降噪」耳机,它不能提供 AirPods 4 那种等级的主动降噪,更多是一种「滤噪」。

中文语境可能很难理解两者的区别。「降噪」在英文中是「Noise Cancelation」,直译就是「噪音取消」,强调一种对噪音的全面消除;而「滤噪」可以翻译为「Noise Filer」,只过滤一部分的噪声。

作为耳挂式的开放式耳机,OpenFit Pro 的发声单元悬挂在耳道外部,声音以类似「气传导」的方式送入耳内,这样的物理结构意味着它不仅先天没有耳塞的「被动降噪」能力,还更容易让外部声音进入耳内,只能通过产生反向声波来主动降低低频。

老实说,第一次戴上 OpenFit Pro 的感觉有点新奇,不是平时那种戴上 AirPods 后「世界安静下来」的感觉,同事的动静,自己敲击键盘的声音,都还是清晰可听。

当我把耳机摘下,我才发现办公室其实挺「吵」的,抽风机的低沉底噪瞬间灌入了我的耳膜,并且上面提到的那些声响,都更加清晰。

我平时在办公室中使用的,是一副半入耳式的有线耳机,对比之下,能明显感觉到 开启「滤噪」的 OpenFit Pro 能多削去一层环境噪声。

比较惊喜的场景是车水马龙的马路,OpenFit Pro 的滤噪效果会有更明显感知,会觉得大马路安静了不少。

但与此同时,无论是车辆靠近,还是身后电动车的鸣笛、自行车的铃声,都依然清晰可辨,在降低噪声的同时,也保留了必要的安全感。

不过在地铁这种噪声更大和持续的场景,OpenFit Pro 就显得比较捉襟见肘,无法削弱地铁开动时持续的轰鸣声

同样,作为一款开放式耳机,OpenFit Pro 也需要保证佩戴也能进行的日常交流。开启「滤噪」后,佩戴 OpenFit Pro 与人面对面交谈几乎不会受到影响,被过滤掉的更多是一旁路人的闲谈声。

可以发现,即使有了「滤噪」,OpenFit Pro 的适用场景,依旧没有突破办公室、健身房、大马路等等开放式耳的领域,只是它能做得更好。

「减少噪音」的解法,不止一种

对一副降噪耳机,我们的期待相当简单,无非就是降更多的噪,然后再多一点,最好就是耳机一戴,外面的世界就按下静音键。

但韶音 OpenFit Pro 有主动降噪的技术,却完全不想成为这种产品,而是从源头上,就给出了「降噪耳机」的一种全新可能性。

人类与噪音的斗争历史由来已久,进入工业时代之后,各种大机器持续不断的轰鸣声,让人们萌生了研究了「主动降噪」的想法——不仅依靠耳塞、耳罩以物理形式隔绝噪音,而是通过技术「消除噪音」。

1936 年,一位名为 Paul Lueg 的德国物理学家获得了一项专利,描述了一种利用和噪声同频但反相的声波,对噪声进行抵消的方法,这也是基本所有耳机「主动降噪」功能的原理。

▲ 正反声波相互抵消

1978 年,Bose 公司的创始人 Amar Bose 博士在一次从欧洲飞回波士顿的航班上,戴上了航空公司提供的耳机,但当他想要听音乐时,耳朵只能听到飞机引擎的巨大轰鸣,调高耳机音量后,过大的音乐和引擎声混合起来,成为另一种噪声。

▲ Amar Bose

这种糟糕的体验引发了 Bose 博士的思考,能不能运用一种技术,消除噪声,他直接在飞机上开始了数学计算。后来,他将这些想法带到了 Bose 公司的工程部门。

后来,Bose 打造出了主动降噪耳机,很快也在航空领域中得到实际验证,能够很好保护飞行员的听力,于是在军事和商业飞行领域得到大规模应用。

直到 2000 年,Bose 推出了第一款消费级主动降噪耳机 Bose QuietComfort,在一些航班上提供给旅客,大量的用户给出了积极的评价,认为降噪耳机可以隔绝飞机噪音,让他们更放松,并且使得在飞机上看电影、听音乐,或者只是享受一个更私密的个人时间,都成为了可能。

▲ QuietComfort

这 20 年来,大量的音频品牌都推出了自己的主动式降噪耳机产品,并且形态也从头戴式,简化到后来的入耳式,甚至是半入耳式,佩戴舒适度不断提升,但「降噪」依然是绝对的重点,我们对这些产品的期待,还是期待戴上的那一刻,它将整个外部的声音世界,完全隔绝在外。

OpenFit Pro 就是在这种司空见惯上,提出了一个可能:为什么消除噪声,就一定是为了「隔绝」呢?降噪耳机的思路,难道只可以有一种吗?

「减少噪音」是刚需,但「隔绝噪音」不是

正如其名,「开放式耳机」主打的是「开放」,在聆听数字内容的同时,外部世界也没有被排除开来,是一种「既要又要」的模式。

但这不意味着,所有的外部声音都是需要接收的——空调机抽风机的嗡嗡,跑步机的哐啷哐啷,旁人的叽叽喳喳,以及马路上各种复杂的动静,都没有任何信息量,属于绝对的噪音。

问题已经不是「为什么开放式耳机要做降噪」,噪音作为一种毫无作用的污染,明明应该是「所有耳机都应该具备降噪」才对。

AirPods 的「自适应」和「对话感知」功能,其实就是想在保留用户对外界感知的同时,智能化消除没有意义的噪音。

而往开放式耳机上加入降噪,就是另一种思路,虽然降噪效果不如 AirPods,但能尽可能保证用户能及时、清晰接收到外界的声音。

不能消除高频,也不能消除大噪声,本身是 OpenFit Pro 物理结构决定的天然缺陷,但对于开放式耳机的使用场景和人群来说,这些本来就不是需要抹除的声音。

就算日后真的有开放式耳机,能做到接近 AirPods Pro 的降噪能力,其实它已经和 OpenFit Pro 不是一个物种。

开放式滤噪耳机的另一个价值,还在于让降噪这件事,提供了一个「佩戴」上的选择。

爱范儿的一位摄像师阿杰,无法佩戴任何入耳或半入耳式耳机,头戴式耳机的重量和闷感又难以长时间佩戴,韶音 OpenFit Pro 就是他一直在等待的那款耳机。

像阿杰这样的用户,我身边不算少数,他们可能因为耳廓过小,或者耳道敏感,长期以来都难以佩戴市面上的降噪 TWS 产品,以前他们的选择都多少有所妥协,一款能过滤部分噪音的开放式耳机,是他们当下最好的选择。

封闭式耳机主动降噪沉浸感虽然很强,但高耳压带来的不适感,也让很多人无法长时间佩戴这些耳机,只能选择关闭降噪或换用其他负担更低的耳机,开放式滤噪耳机也能很好解决这种矛盾。

开启主动降噪后,韶音 OpenFit Pro 虽然也会因为发射反相声波,为耳朵带来一些特殊的感觉,但它更多只作用在耳骨上,而不是和入耳式耳机一样,让耳膜直接承压,大部分人习惯之后几乎没有异感。

OpenFit Pro 并不是「降噪」和「开放」的结合体,一个能解决所有场景的完美方案,它的本质依旧是一个开放式耳机,只是它更加细化,剔除了那些用户没必要接收的「底噪」。

如果从 Bose QuietComfort 算起,降噪耳机也已经发展了 26 年的时间,但至今仍然没到终点,所有产品的迭代,都会标注降噪能力比上一代降噪提升了多少。

把耳机的主动降噪推向极致,是一条需要不断叠加技术的单行道,它没错,但世界并不只需要一种答案。

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