The Guardian - 12.08.2026.pdf

警察高层呼吁伯纳姆阻止哈珀警员杀手提前出狱

工会担心计划可能导致其他罪犯被误释放

彼得·沃克 拉吉夫·赛亚尔 卡罗琳·戴维斯

安迪·伯纳姆面临来自警察高层前所未有的集体呼吁，要求阻止安德鲁·哈珀警员的杀手提前获释。工会警告称，其紧急计划旨在增加监狱空间，但可能导致混乱或罪犯被误释放。

一封由英国50名警察领导人签署的信函，包括英格兰和威尔士的所有18名警察局长，呼吁首相竭尽全力阻止杀手从旨在释放监狱空间的计划中获益。信中表示，“警界普遍存在强烈情绪，认为此事不应发生”。

伯纳姆早前表示，他认识到“公众对哈珀杀手提前释放的深切担忧”，并宣布修改提前释放计划，意在通过释放新监狱空间，排除被判最严重罪行的囚犯。

在昨晚发布的信函中，包括大都会警察局局长马克·罗利爵士、大曼彻斯特警察局长斯蒂芬·沃森和英国国家打击犯罪局局长格雷姆·比格尔在内的领导人表示：“当国家要求民众代表公众冲向危险时，他们应当相信，当最坏的情况发生时，司法系统会支持他们。安德鲁·哈珀警员的案件还引发了一个更广泛的问题。

“当某人因极其严重的罪行被判刑时，如果后续的释放安排变更导致罪犯比原先预期提前大幅获释，受害者、丧亲家庭和公众能对该判决有多大信心？”

他们表示，这一问题“远不止警界”，并补充道“全国各地的家庭现在面临痛苦，得知罪犯可能比判决时所理解的更早获释”。信中还写道：“警员和工作人员理解法律必须按现行规定执行。但当他们冒着生命危险保护他人时，这传递了什么信息，关于他们的服务和牺牲被赋予的价值。”

此前，工会曾警告伯纳姆的计划，即阻止哈珀警员的杀手杰西·科尔和阿尔伯特

![图片：GETTY IMAGES](

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塔利班重掌政权五年来，对阿富汗的控制日益严密。在此，12名女性和女孩冒着巨大风险，向世界记录她们的生活。特别报道 第18至21页

蒂斯就《卫报》报道其财务问题发出法律威胁

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并表示：“自由新闻的核心在于，记者可以使用来自消息来源的经过核实的信息，而无需被迫透露消息来源的身份。这一做法暴露了对新闻业这一原则重要性的理解失败。”

工党前议员、反腐败活动人士玛格丽特·霍奇勋爵表示：“个人似乎滥用法律来压制调查性新闻、扼杀公众批评，这是绝对不可接受的。因此，我们亟需改革法律，阻止富人利用财富来扼杀合法的监督。”

“审查索引”（Index on Censorship）首席执行官杰米玛·斯坦菲尔德补充道：“这看起来像是试图迫使记者打破黄金法则：必须保护消息来源。

“《卫报》的报道符合公众利益。此类新闻报道的消息来源是神圣不可侵犯的。如果事实有误，可以提出质疑，但不应追查消息来源。

“这似乎是一种旨在不仅压制记者，还要压制与记者交谈的人的策略。这是一种卑劣的手段，我们都应对此感到担忧。”

新闻媒体协会首席执行官西奥·班伯表示：

英国新建输电塔附近住户每年可获250英镑电费减免

吉莉安·安布罗斯

英国政府计划推进逾40个电网升级项目，居住在新建输电塔附近的家庭每年将获得250英镑的电费减免。

政府承诺，居住在距新建电网基础设施500米以内的数十万户家庭，在未来10年内每年可节省高达1英镑的电费，以此作为“承载关键基础设施”的回报，助力英国摆脱化石燃料。

自20世纪60年代以来规模最大的电网升级行动将意味着——

“保护记者消息来源的坚实屏障，对于确保记者能够监督权力机构、代表受其决策影响的民众追究强者责任，是绝对根本性的。”

他补充道：“个人或组织试图通过法律威胁迫使记者披露机密消息来源，是对这一重要原则的攻击，必须在每个环节予以抵制。”

近几个月来，蒂斯和改革英国党领袖奈杰尔·法拉奇因持续接受财务状况调查而面临密集审视。

《卫报》在一系列详细报道中披露，改革英国党通过蒂斯运营的筹款工具秘密获得了100万英镑捐款，法拉奇在宣布参加2024年大选前不久也收到了一笔500万英镑（500 万英镑）的秘密赠款。

《卫报》还披露，银行业人士因担心这些交易可能涉及洗钱，已将其报告给英国国家打击犯罪局（NCA）。在报道中，《卫报》援引了金融业消息来源。

蒂斯在提交高等法院的一份文件中暗示，《卫报》屡获殊荣的金融版编辑安娜·艾萨克不可能在多家银行拥有消息来源。

逾40个地区的社区将有资格获得上述补偿，政府希望以此避免民众对增建输电塔和变电站的反对浪潮。

能源大臣迈克尔·尚克斯表示，这些由家庭电费支付的数十亿英镑升级项目“是确保能源安全、发展本土能源并释放全国经济增长的关键一环”。

尚克斯说：“这是国家复兴的时刻——将主要建于20世纪60年代的基础设施升级至现代标准，也是我们降低全国家庭电费的途径。”

“作为一个国家，我们必须重新建设，我们决心让承载输电塔的社区受益，因此正在降低这些承载关键国家基础设施的社区的电费。”

电网公司预计将在五年内投入高达270亿英镑，以建设新的电网和输电线路，用于输送可再生能源发电，这些电力通常产自——

▼ 理查德·蒂斯的律师就《卫报》关于涉及国家打击犯罪局的交易报道致函《卫报》 图片：LEON NEAL / GETTY

在直接发给艾萨克的法律函件中，蒂斯的律师暗示，他试图基于自己对该记者工作的评估揭露消息来源。

法拉奇也已对国家打击犯罪局提起诉讼。

《卫报》新闻与媒体发言人表示：“理查德·蒂斯对《卫报》的法律威胁似乎是精心策划的转移注意力行为，意在回避关于其财务状况和改革英国党资金来源的合理质疑。”

“他非但没有回答这些问题，反而试图恐吓记者并揭露消息来源。”

“《卫报》将抵制这些对新闻自由的攻击，不会因对政客及其所代表政党的公共利益调查而退缩。”

法拉奇此前曾声称——但未提供任何证据——有关500万英镑（500 万英镑）赠款的细节必定来自俄罗斯间谍入侵其手机。

《卫报》将法拉奇的说法斥为“荒谬”，并称其“意在转移对其财务问题合法审查的注意力”。该报发言人补充道：“奈杰尔·法拉奇再次躲在毫无根据的媒体攻击背后，而非正面回应来自记者和政界人士的审查。”

这些项目将把电力从海上或国内偏远地区输送至用电需求高的城市地区。

政府在排除了将新电缆埋入地下的提案后，确认将为项目附近的当地社区提供补贴。政府表示，由能源安全与净零排放部委托开展的研究发现，“建设输电塔仍是升级英国老旧电网最具成本效益的方式”。

符合条件的家庭预计将从明年开始，每六个月通过其能源供应商自动获得能源账单折扣。

电网容量限制意味着，当当地需求无法消纳风电和太阳能发电时，这些发电场会被要求停止发电并获得补偿。电力系统运营商还会支付燃气电厂启动费用以满足需求，并通过高压电缆从欧洲大陆购买电力。预计到2030年，这些支出总额将达30亿英镑。

利用微型人体器官减少药物试验中的动物测试

伊恩·桑普尔 科学编辑

科学家将利用人类细胞培育微型人体器官及其他组织，以推动药物测试的改进，并减少药物开发过程中使用的动物数量。

科学家将利用这些组织团块研究疾病在不同患者之间的差异，帮助他们根据患者病理特征确定最适合的治疗方案。

这一转变标志着从将动物作为人类疾病模型的做法，转向研究人员认为更为准确的测试方法。

“这一进展将对动物使用数量及未来新药开发方式产生重大影响，”剑桥干细胞研究所儿科胃肠病学临床教授马蒂亚斯·齐尔鲍尔表示。“我们并不是说在不久的将来或可预见的未来不会再使用动物，因为某些问题仍无法通过这些新模型进行测试，但减少动物使用的趋势是非常明确的。”

研究人员培育微型人体器官（即类器官）已有十余年历史。这些小于一毫米的组织团块能够模拟完整器官和组织的特征，包括它们在疾病状态下的功能障碍及对药物的反应。

通过利用患病人体组织培育的类器官，科学家可以研究新药候选物是否能逆转所有或部分患者的病理变化，并及早识别无效药物。

历史上，超过90%通过动物测试的药物在人体试验中失败。药品监管机构现已鼓励采用其他方法。

“许多在人类身上发生的疾病在动物身上要么不发生，要么以不同方式表现，”齐尔鲍尔表示。“我们需要能够告诉我们哪些治疗有效的测试和模型。”

这项新工作将在剑桥的一个研究中心开展，由英国医学研究理事会提供2000 万英镑万万英镑资助，旨在加速减少科研中的动物使用。

去年，英国共进行了2.54万次动物实验程序，较2024年下降3.8%。其中超过90%使用小鼠、大鼠、鱼类和鸟类，但也涉及猫、狗、马和猴子等受特殊保护的物种。

![科学家表示类器官有助于减少测试中的动物使用](

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2026年8月12日 星期三 《卫报》

国内

▼ 唐纳德·特朗普乘坐新版“空军一号”抵达土耳其参加上月北约峰会（下图） 照片：乔纳森·恩斯特 / 路透社

特朗普隐匿行踪：为躲避伊朗威胁藏身机场餐饮集装箱换乘专机

科拉尔·墨菲·马科斯 曼维·辛格

据《华盛顿邮报》和《纽约时报》报道，唐纳德·特朗普上月在土耳其参加北约峰会期间，因收到伊朗暗杀威胁，采取了一项非同寻常的计策——藏身机场餐饮集装箱，秘密搭乘军用航班离开土耳其前往英国。

《华盛顿邮报》报道称，此次行动发生在特朗普在安卡拉与世界各国领导人出席北约峰会期间。

据报道，总统原本在电视镜头前登上了旧版空军一号的大型喷气式飞机，但随后被秘密转移至一架较小的飞机，转移过程使用了通常用于装载餐食和其他补给的机场餐饮车，一名美国官员向《华盛顿邮报》透露。

一名官员也向《纽约时报》证实了此次行动。《卫报》已联系白宫和美国国防部寻求置评。

特朗普的实际行踪对记者和部分白宫工作人员保密。一名美国官员告诉《华盛顿邮报》，一项涉及伊朗的可信威胁促使了这场“欺骗行动”的展开。

美国政府此前声称特朗普于7月8日乘坐前空军一号离开土耳其。特朗普还在Truth Social上宣布，他将使用“前空军一号”而非送他前往土耳其的新飞机——一架由卡塔尔捐赠的波音747-8。

此次北约峰会之行是这架飞机在新角色下的首次国际出访，当时美国与伊朗的敌对关系正在升级，

► 特朗普原计划乘坐旧版空军一号离开，但被从飞机上转移至机场集装箱 照片来源：亚历克斯·布兰登 / 美联社

“美国有许多敌人将特朗普视为目标，我们会动用一切可用手段”

史蒂夫·张 白宫

英国科学家百年来首次研制出全英产巧克力

海伦娜·霍顿

伊丽莎白二世是历史上唯一品尝过由100%英国原料制成的巧克力棒的人，1932年，她在六岁时收到了糖果制造商朗特里（Rowntree's）赠送的一块。

如今，其他人也有机会体验这一独特经历。雷丁大学的科学家们用在伯克郡种植的可可豆制作了一块巧克力棒。

这块巧克力棒是为庆祝该大学成立100周年而特别制作的。硕士研究生玛哈·汗（Maha Khan）在大学食品系收获、发酵并加工了这些可可豆。她表示：“能够在雷丁全程参与从豆荚到豆子再到巧克力棒的整个制作过程，实在是太棒了。”

“我希望这能让人们了解我们享用的巧克力背后付出了多少努力，以及保护全球可可种植农户和社区的重要性。”

汗表示这款巧克力“非常美味”，并补充说它口感浓郁：“在加工前品尝生可可也非常有趣——可可豆外包裹着一层白色果肉，味道像荔枝，这在英国很少有人能尝到。”

该大学希望通过这一成果凸显其在保护不同可可品种方面的工作，这些品种可能对气候变化导致的极端天气具有抵抗力，同时也能抵御因全球变暖而日益常见的病虫害。雷丁大学的国际可可检疫中心拥有超过300种可可植物，处理着全球97%的可可植物国际流通。

▲ 玛哈·汗用在伯克郡种植的可可豆制作了这块巧克力棒

特朗普的新媒体动向 第10.页 →

公众中爱吃甜食的人若想品尝这款巧克力，可能会感到失望——这款巧克力是限量版，目前仅制作了六块。Khan表示，希望能扩大巧克力的生产规模，但这取决于可可豆的供应情况：一颗可可豆荚的生长可能需要长达六个月的时间。

她希望能将其中一块赠予威尔士王妃：“我们还没有决定谁能品尝这款巧克力。由于1932年最后一块英国巧克力被未来的女王享用，那么下一块巧克力作为礼物送给另一位未来的女王——威尔士王妃，将是再合适不过的了。她和这款巧克力一样，都出生在雷丁！”

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新闻

▼ 美国国家航空航天局（NASA）和旧金山一家博物馆的研究人员在西班牙北部布尔戈斯为日食做准备 照片：SANTIOTERI / EPA

“将会非常壮观”

数百万西班牙人寻找观赏日全食的最佳视角

阿什菲娅·卡萨姆 马德里报道

随着人们在网络论坛上热议可能出现的云层遮挡，并分享最佳观赏地点的建议，西班牙即将迎来逾百年来首次日全食，兴奋之情溢于言表。

“将会非常壮观，”马德里天文馆的天文学家兼科学传播者塞萨尔·冈萨雷斯表示，“日全食是大自然中最壮丽的景象之一。”

他的计划是今天早起，驱车北上前往西班牙城市布尔戈斯。“我会找到第一片开阔的田野，能看到地平线且天空晴朗的地方，就在那里停留。我会在那儿等上一整天，”他说，“这种体验无法用语言向从未感受或见过日全食的人描述。”

官方估计，多达600万人可能会在今天涌入日食带，该路径从西班牙西北部的拉科鲁尼亚延伸200公里至地中海的马略卡岛。葡萄牙的一小部分地区以及格陵兰和冰岛的部分地区也将经历这场罕见的日全食。

数千万人将在西欧各地观看，日食路径将在包括英国、法国、比利时、瑞士和意大利北部在内的多个国家几乎完全遮蔽太阳。

但冈萨雷斯表示，西班牙将在欧洲大陆获得最佳观赏条件。“受影响的陆地带（观赏日全食的区域）非常狭窄，”他说，“在格陵兰和冰岛的部分地区也能看到，但由于天气原因，能见度要差得多。因此，全世界唯一一个能在良好条件下观赏日全食的国家就是西班牙。”

据估计，已有460,000人专程前往西班牙观赏这一天文奇观，酒店预订早在数月前就已爆满，预订者来自远至日本和美国等地。其中超过300,000人预计将前往西班牙乡村的城镇和村庄，寻找最佳观赏点，体验月球在地球上投下阴影的短短21秒钟。

“我太兴奋了，”来自加拿大东部城市哈利法克斯的安吉拉·琼斯·里克斯茨说。她在前往布尔戈斯的途中接受了《卫报》采访，同行的还有她21岁的女儿。

她第一次体验日全食是在加拿大城市米拉米奇附近。“当时我完全被震撼了，”她说，“那感觉就像上帝的眼睛从天堂回望着我。”

她说，那次经历让她流泪，并让她成了一名自称的“日食追逐者”。“结束时，我对自己说：‘我必须再看一次。’”

她的热情在西班牙各地得到共鸣；大多数眼镜店和药店的日食观测镜已售罄。航空公司伊比利亚航空表示，将通过一架包机从10,000米的高空直播日食画面。就连马德里普拉多博物馆也发布了一段视频，利用人工智能重新想象日食将如何改变其馆藏杰作的光线。

西班牙各地官员早已为这一活动做好准备，预计将迎来多达1.5m次额外出行。由于天气预警显示气温可能高达40摄氏度，并存在高火灾风险，超过24,000名警察将被部署。

对法国的斯特凡妮·拉科来说，为观赏2026年8月12日的日食，她已筹备了数月。“我大约在12月看到新闻，”她说，“当时我就想：‘我必须去。’因为我上次看到日食是在1999年，巴黎北部。那次体验太棒了，我想和孩子们一起分享。”

上周四，她和她八岁的双胞胎孩子从蓝色海岸出发，悠闲地前往巴塞罗那南部的度假小镇萨洛。她惊讶地发现，在众多游客中，她的家人显得与众不同。“我觉得这家酒店里只有我是专程来看日食的，”她笑着说道。

当周围的人群涌向附近的海滩和水上乐园时，她却专注于研究该去哪里观看。“萨洛可能是个好地方，但我不确定，因为我看到这里云很多，”她解释道，并表示如果有必要，她准备开车去乡下几个小时。不过，如果一切都不顺利，她已经有了备用计划。“我刚看到明年埃及会有一次日食，”她说，“所以如果这次错过了，我会再试一次。”

天文价格飙升

酒店涨价

随着数十万游客涌入欧洲主要城市观看本世纪首次在欧洲大陆可见的日全食，酒店价格大幅上涨。

冰岛首都雷克雅未克是少数几个能在今晚之前观赏到完整日食的便捷地点之一，其房价涨幅居前。

根据旅游和酒店数据集团Lighthouse Intelligence的数据，当地游客平均需支付97,528冰岛克朗（合587英镑）才能预订到房间，较去年同期上涨了98%。

西班牙也是欧洲大陆观赏日全食的最佳地点之一，正准备迎接游客涌入。西班牙财政部周一表示，预计将有460,000名海外游客专程前来观看日食。

西班牙北部城市拉科鲁尼亚的房价较去年上涨了135%，平均达到390欧元（原价330欧元），而预计日食将在日落时分出现在地平线上的马略卡岛，房价上涨了24%，约为338欧元。圣地亚哥-德孔波斯特拉和毕尔巴鄂的酒店房价分别上涨了34%和67%。

位于日食路径上的小城镇和村庄的住宿，以及当地爱好者设立的临时观测点，数月前就已被预订一空。有报道称，美国游客正与居住在西班牙卡斯蒂利亚-莱昂（观赏日食的最佳地区之一）的居民进行房屋互换。

不过，西班牙当局担心火灾风险增加，预计今天将比平时多出1.5m次汽车出行。他们警告称，极度干燥的条件意味着最小的火星都可能引发森林火灾，而交通拥堵可能阻碍消防车进入农村地区灭火。

当局将开展大规模警力部署和安全行动，计划调派35,000名警员协助降低风险。西班牙内政部民防和应急事务秘书长比尔希尼亚·巴尔科内斯表示：“西班牙今年夏天经历了极为严峻的考验，再次遭遇多起重大森林火灾。因此，我们必须限制任何可能产生火花的活动。”

当局已禁止在硬路肩或干燥植被附近停车，同时禁止烧烤和燃放烟花。瓦伦西亚大区已关闭自然公园，并禁止在乡村小径上行走。

韦尔瓦、塞戈维亚和韦斯卡三省目前仍有3处大型野火在燃烧。今年迄今，火灾已烧毁约200,000公顷土地。

不只是茶和阴雨天

调查揭示真正的英国价值观

AI艺术家“被屏蔽” Spotify将识别虚假表演者

警察新手父亲带薪假延长至两周

亚历山德拉·托平

政治记者

在《卫报》披露警察因休假陪伴新生儿而遭“嘲笑和排斥”后，英格兰和威尔士警察的带薪陪产假将翻倍。

内政大臣莎巴娜·马哈茂德已将全英警察部队的父亲带薪假从一周增加至两周，使现有规定翻倍。

此前，仅有四分之一的警察部队提供两周全薪假，导致仅有40%的警员休满第二周，而提供全薪假的部队中有88%的警员会休满。大都会警察局的后勤人员享有的陪产假薪资几乎是一线警员的三倍。

警务大臣莎拉·琼斯表示：“警察夜以继日地保护公众，因此新手父亲理应获得更好的支持，与家人共度时光。通过扩大警察陪产假，我们认可了家庭生活的重要性。”

政府现面临越来越大的压力，要求改善整个公共部门的陪产假制度，活动人士认为该制度对父亲的假期支持不足且参差不齐。

警察陪产假的胜利推动了改善军人父亲陪产假的运动，佩恩女男爵已向《武装部队法案》提交修正案，拟将军人陪产假延长至六周。

去年一项政府主导的三军调查发现，武装部队家庭在过去一年中平均分居超过三个月。活动组织“The Dad Shift”对450名现役军人父母的调查显示，超过95%的人认为现行陪产假安排不足。“我们对军人家庭要求如此之多，”佩恩表示，“至少应给予新手父亲机会，让他们能够真正支持伴侣并与孩子建立联系。”

在妇女与平等事务特别委员会议员的支持下，活动人士正推动一项变革，为父亲提供六周90%工资的陪产假。英国目前仅提供两周法定陪产假，每周薪资为£194.32，是欧洲陪产假待遇最差的国家之一。

近期研究发现，三分之一的英国父亲在孩子出生后未休陪产假。

“这是极其积极的一步，对警察父亲来说是个好消息”

乔尔·布雷迪

警察督察

政府对英国父母假制度进行为期18个月的审查，预计将于今年晚些时候公布结果。

参与这场运动的警察督察乔尔·布雷迪表示，这一政策变化将为数千名警察父亲提供更多与孩子共处的“宝贵时间”。

“这是极其积极的一步，对希望陪伴伴侣并参与孩子生活的警察父亲来说是个好消息，”他说，“我乐观地认为，政府现在会倾听父亲们的声音，增加所有人可享有的假期。”

与此同时，超过20个组织致信安迪·伯纳姆，敦促他承诺推进在基尔·斯塔默领导下加速推进的“男性与男孩议程”，以改善父亲权益并促进性别平等。

去年11月，英格兰首个男性健康战略启动，斯塔默委托时任副首相戴维·拉米领导跨政府工作，改善男性和男孩的状况。

该组织表示：“这些进展合在一起，意义远超单个政策的叠加。它们代表着一种新共识的开端：拒绝在支持男性与支持女性之间做出虚假选择。”

《办公室》明星露西·戴维斯表示自己患有4期癌症

纳迪姆·巴德沙

因在《办公室》中饰演唐·廷斯利而闻名的演员露西·戴维斯表示，她患有无法治愈的4期乳腺癌。

这位53岁的演员表示，她在1年半前被确诊，癌症已转移至骨骼，包括脊柱、右髋和肋骨。

戴维斯是喜剧演员贾斯珀·卡罗特的女儿，她表示现在接受化疗“为时已晚”。她昨日在Instagram上写道：“截至目前，我正努力以尽可能有趣的方式度过余生。

“

“我总是喜欢从任何负面事件中寻找可借鉴的教训。癌症在这一点上也没有让我失望；我从中学到了很多，对此我心存感激。

“如你们中一些人所知，疼痛可能真的非常严重。长时间站立和行走会变得困难，有时我需要使用轮椅（所以如果你看到我坐着轮椅四处走动，尽管推我一把！）。

戴维斯表示，帮助她的最重要的事情之一是幽默，她请求朋友和家人尽可能多地开她的玩笑，不要把她当作“病人”对待。

“再没有什么比被当作病人更让你感觉不适的了，”她说，“我并不害怕接下来会发生什么。我对此很平静。我会比预期更早见到我的格雷西[已故的狗]，而对我来说，离开肉体只是回家。所有的悲伤都是为了我的家人；这对他们来说比对我更难。”

戴维斯因在《办公室》原版中饰演前台唐而走红。她还在BBC广播4台的《弓箭手》中饰演海莉·乔丹近10年，并出演了2004年的喜剧电影《僵尸肖恩》。

她说希望能继续从事演员工作，这份工作是她生命中“最大的乐趣”之一。

照片来源： TEMELADE ADELA / AN 路透社

哥伦布发现利物浦 “圣玛利亚”号——克里斯托弗·哥伦布1492年远航美洲的旗舰复制品——昨日驶入利物浦的阿尔伯特码头。这艘船建于2017年至2018年间，以纪念远征525周年。它同时也是一座水上博物馆，将在欧洲多个城市巡展期间对游客开放。

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国内政治

鲍尔斯及其他严重罪犯可能会增加一些更危险的囚犯被错误释放的风险。

昨日还宣布，缓刑监督官员以压倒性多数投票决定罢工，原因是他们认为工作量不切实际，这对首相的提案又是一次打击。

虽然Napo成员的投票并不直接与提前释放计划相关，但缓刑官员工会此前曾批评这些提案过于仓促。

在关于提前释放哈珀杀手的提议引发强烈抗议后，伯纳姆表示，他已指示司法大臣亚历克斯·诺里斯寻找更多监狱空间，以确保这对凶手及其他严重罪犯不会被释放。

伯纳姆在Facebook上写道，可以通过更快遣返外国罪犯、找到释放被判不定期刑的低风险囚犯的方法，以及“更充分利用整个监狱系统，包括将女性监狱用于男性罪犯”等方式提供空间。

唐宁街周一表示，没有可行的方法仅豁免少数囚犯以阻止科尔和鲍尔斯的释放，他们因哈珀的过失杀人罪被判13年监禁。根据该计划，他们原定于1月获释。

▲ 住房大臣安吉拉·雷纳和安迪·伯纳姆昨日在德比郡伊尔克斯顿与一名公众交谈。首相正在英国各地巡回，征求公众对政策的意见，并表示自己正处于“倾听模式”（摄影：TOFF SHEPWEAR / NECTERS）

汤姆·惠特利（Tom Wheatley），监狱长协会主席，表示进一步调整该计划可能导致囚犯被错误释放。"由于必须在非常紧迫的期限内重新计算刑期，出错的可能性会更大，"他说道。

惠特利表示，遣返外籍囚犯可能面临困难，因为许多囚犯会抵制，且部分囚犯缺乏合法身份文件。他还指出，受害者也希望确保被遣返回国的囚犯能服满全部刑期。

马克·费尔赫斯特（Mark Fairhurst），监狱工作人员协会全国主席，表示将男性囚犯安置在女性监狱需要投资和再培训。"仅仅通过更换监狱门上的标牌，无法实现将女性监狱改造为收容男性囚犯的目的，"他说道。

司法部表示对Napo工会的罢工投票感到失望，并将继续与工会保持沟通。据悉，诺里斯（Norris）部门的官员正全力以赴，制定详细且可行的计划，以在9月前腾出监狱空间。

早期释放计划公布时，曾对强奸、严重儿童性虐待和诱拐罪犯设置了豁免，但未包括过失杀人罪，这引发了阻止哈珀案凶手获释的呼声，包括来自警方和哈珀家人的压力。

官员最初表示，仅阻止科尔（Cole）和鲍尔斯（Bowers）获释不切实际，而将所有过失杀人案例排除在外可能无法腾出足够的监狱空间以缓解危机。但在其Facebook帖子中，以及后来在德比郡访问时对记者表示，伯纳姆（Burnham）称他意识到公众对该计划的强烈情绪。

"在这一问题上，我的职责是说出公众的心声，"他在——

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7

分析

罗维娜·梅森

首相的“日常修复”策略能否赢得选民支持？

去年，节俭达人马丁·刘易斯建议政府找出“100件让民众恼火的小事”并着手解决。

安迪·伯纳姆自2015年上任后几乎立即采纳了这一建议，启动了“日常修复”计划，通过微调政策来解决这些可处理的问题。

工党策略师表示，这一理念旨在表明伯纳姆关注民众生活中的烦恼，并将果断采取行动改善这些问题。

这一策略始于取消电费增值税和限制公交票价。他最新的政策攻势针对的是商业街上的刺眼招牌，以及从过多的电子烟和博彩店到未经提醒自动续订的各类订阅服务。

这实际上是在政治中应用“破窗理论”——该理论认为，严厉打击乱扔垃圾等小规模反社会行为，有助于遏制更严重的犯罪。

伯纳姆针对“敲诈英国”的举措，更多是在向企业发出警告：政府正在关注它们对选民的行为，同时他也在考虑在多大程度上加强公共控制力度，以管理基本服务。

这一意图与基尔·斯塔默承诺的“轻触式治理”相去甚远。这位新任首相押注选民希望领导人不仅推动重大结构性改革，还能积极解决日常烦恼。

民调专家、YouGov前主席彼得·凯尔纳近期撰文指出，赢得“忘恩负义的选民”支持并非易事。他认为，伯纳姆展现出愿意为民众代言的姿态是明智的：

“短期内，除非开展关于税收用途的教育项目，否则政府能做的最佳选择可能就是让选民感受到政客站在他们一边。这正是伯纳姆支持率上升的关键。”

然而，伯纳姆也面临风险：将小修小补吹捧为政绩，可能会陷入美国策略师戴维·阿克塞尔罗德警告过的“消费噱头”泥潭。

这位曾为奥巴马效力的前顾问，在2015年协助埃德·米利班德竞选时，曾一针见血地批评工党的生活成本政策：“投工党一票，赢一台微波炉。”——意指这是一种短期优惠的消费式拉票，缺乏统领全局的鼓舞人心的信息。

另一个警示来自乔·拜登和卡玛拉·哈里斯的遭遇。他们曾针对价格欺诈和不公平消费行为采取行动，但尽管拜登任内经济整体有所改善，选民却从未因政府控制药价或扩大儿童税收抵免等小修小补而给予认可，因为他们对食品和住房成本上涨的持续影响感到不满——这一问题在全球范围内都有影响。

伯纳姆能否在经济几乎停滞、缺乏更大规模减负空间的情况下，通过解决消费者的烦恼获得回报，将是一大考验。

伯纳姆还需避免第三个潜在风险：如果问题看起来过于微不足道，可能会招致嘲讽——类似于约翰·梅杰设立的“路障热线”，让民众举报扰民的道路施工。

这位新任首相似乎意识到了这些陷阱。他公开将这些政策称为“小胜利”，同时承诺在社会护理和公用事业公有化等领域进行更长期的结构性改革。

迄今为止的民调显示，选民似乎初步认可这一做法，并开始重新倾向于工党。

如何提高监狱容量

内政部考虑三种方案

司法大臣亚历克斯·诺里斯正在研究三种增加监狱容量的方案。这些方案的可行性如何？

提前释放外籍囚犯

根据最新数据，截至6月底，英格兰和威尔士的监狱中关押着10,134名外籍囚犯。遣返这些囚犯面临重大障碍。

刑罚改革霍华德联盟运动总监安德鲁·尼尔森表示：“需要与相关国家签订互惠协议，而这需要时间。”

监狱长协会主席汤姆·惠特利表示：“许多外籍囚犯不愿被遣返，且他们往往没有身份文件。”他补充说，“许多受害者希望看到正义得到伸张，但如果将犯人遣送回国，这一点将难以实现。”

腾空女子监狱

诺里斯可能考虑对低级别罪行的女性罪犯不予监禁。将最大的女子监狱——位于萨里郡阿什福德的HMP宾纳菲尔德监狱——改造为男子监狱，可腾出500多个床位。但惠特利表示，快速改造女子监狱存在困难：“许多女子监狱无法满足关押男性囚犯所需的安全措施。”

释放服刑中的“低风险”《公共保护监禁令》（IPP）囚犯

IPP判决适用于罪行未达到无期徒刑标准的危险罪犯。尽管该制度已于2012,废除，但法律不溯及既往，因此仍有2,200多人被困监狱，尽管他们已服刑远超最初的刑期。

尼尔森表示：“约70%的IPP囚犯被关押在C类或D类监狱，这意味着系统认为他们风险不大。但要识别这些囚犯，并建立相应机制帮助长期服刑者，绝非一蹴而就。” 拉吉夫·赛亚尔

访问。“我非常认真地对待这一职责，并确信我们能够、也将会采取更多措施来回应公众关切。”

他表示理解“公众对28,岁的安德鲁·哈珀警员遇害案相关人员可能提前获释的深切担忧——我同样感同身受”。

他在信中写道：“我越来越确信，通过更有针对性的措施，我们能够减少提前释放的人数，并确保像哈珀警员遇害案这类最严重罪行的罪犯绝对不会被提前释放。”

哈珀于2019年在伯克郡萨勒姆斯特德执行四轮摩托车盗窃案调查时遇害。他被一根拴在逃逸车辆后部的绳索缠住，拖行于乡村道路上，最终身亡。

科尔和鲍尔斯是三名被判谋杀哈珀警员的罪犯中的两人，他们被判处13年有期徒刑，因过失杀人罪于2020.定罪，按规定将在服刑一半时获释。一份要求干预的请愿书已获得近900,000个签名。

提前释放的调整是今年早些时候通过的《量刑法》的一部分，该法案缩短了许多罪犯必须服刑的最低刑期。

“凝聚我们的纽带”

调查发现英国核心价值观的统一性

亚历山德拉·托平

政治记者

你可能会认为，轮流买单、能够长时间聊天气，或者泡一杯地道的茶，才是体现英国人自豪感的关键。

然而，当涉及到什么让人们为身为英国人感到自豪时，无论年龄、人口结构或政治派别如何，人们的共识中并没有茶、啤酒或天气的一席之地。

根据研究公司 Public First 进行的一项大规模价值观研究，选民们——无论属于哪个政党、年龄段、社会阶层或地区——都本能地认为，勤奋、公平竞争和社区精神才是英国精神的核心。

Public First 社会政策总监奥利维娅·沃尔沙姆表示：“当你与英国各地的人交谈时，会发现他们拥有一套共同的价值观——如果说公平是英国的道德指南针，那么勤奋就是它的性格，而社区则是将我们凝聚在一起的纽带。”

但研究发现，尽管大多数选民能在这些核心价值观上达成一致，他们对寻找共同立场却深感悲观：超过 65% 的受访者认为，在脱欧后的英国，社会分裂比以往任何时候都更严重。随着安迪·伯纳姆展开英国夏季“倾听之旅”，并誓言“重拾希望”，研究表明他的任务并不轻松，因为只有不到三分之一的人感到

奥利维娅·沃尔沙姆

Public First 研究总监

对英国的未来持乐观态度，而有七成民众认为过去五年情况变得更糟。

四分之三的公众认为英国人拥有一套共同的价值观——从改革英国党选民的70%到工党倾向选民的83%不等。在这项调查中，研究人员对6,000名成年人进行了民意调查，并与300人进行了焦点小组访谈，要求参与者选择他们认为最重要的价值观——迫使他们做出取舍。

勤奋工作位居公众心目中英国人特质的首位，70%的人将勤奋视为英国价值观。社区意识也至关重要，80%的人认为当邻里之间互相照应时，英国才能发挥最佳状态。对社会的贡献提升了积极看法：在过去一个月内参与志愿服务的人中，有62%对所在地区的未来持乐观态度，而从未参与志愿服务的人中仅有25%持此看法。

对于一个无法路过排队而不加入其中的民族而言，"公平"或"依次等候"的理念是最鲜明的共同价值观。当被问及何为英国最佳状态的典型例子时，民众提到了排队、国民保健服务（NHS）、公平竞争、轮流、平等对待他人以及人人应遵守规则的期望。

报告揭示了根深蒂固的分歧，尤其是在移民问题上。半数受访者认为移民对英国产生了负面影响，而仅有五分之一的人表示多元化的人口和文化让他们为生活在英国感到自豪。

英国未来组织（British Future）主任桑德·卡特瓦拉表示，报告显示英国人不仅变得更加分裂，而且对这种分裂感"更加不安"。在当前的政治格局中，没有任何政党的民调支持率超过25%，政客们更倾向于使用分裂性语言来迎合其基本盘。

"这项研究中有一些希望的曙光，"他说，"人们在寻找一种能够团结我们的共同认同感，但要真正跨越不同群体去吸引这些人，实际上相当具有挑战性。"

伯纳姆的顾问们或许能从报告中得到鼓舞：当以积极而非抱怨的方式传递信息时，围绕共同价值观的表述更易被接受，"以肯定语气谈论英国价值观的信息始终比那些基于失落感的信息更有效"。

"团结我们的价值观并未消失，但没有人在传递它们，"沃尔沙姆说，"政客们应从认可民众日常价值观开始——公平、勤奋和社区意识。"

资助该报告的皮尔斯基金会主席特雷弗·皮尔斯表示，人们迫切需要像"大帮忙"（Big Help Out）这样的倡议，该项目吸引了数百万志愿者。"我们需要更多机会让人们聚在一起，互相帮助，增强他们所在社区的凝聚力，"他说。

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国内

男子在地铁上骚扰工党议员被判有罪

PA通讯社

一名63岁男子因在地铁上“辱骂并具有攻击性”地骚扰工党议员斯特拉·克里西（Stella Creasy）而被判有罪。

威斯敏斯特治安法院昨日获悉，去年7月15日，家住伦敦东部的克利福德·威尔比（Clifford Wilby）在维多利亚线地铁上看到时任沃尔瑟姆斯托选区工党议员的克里西，当时列车正行驶在沃尔瑟姆斯托中央站与芬斯伯里公园站之间。

威尔比随后阻止克里西离开车厢，开始与她谈论刀具犯罪及其“作为议员的失职”，并对她进行拍摄，直到其他乘客出面干预，法庭获悉。

其他乘客曾要求威尔比停止并站到两人之间，之后克里西离开了车厢。

检方律师莎拉·马登（Sarah Madden）表示，威尔比与克里西首次相识是在2024年一次议员身份的Zoom会议上，该会议因威尔比的行为而被迫中断。

克里西在屏风后作证时表示，去年事件发生时，她被逼至车厢门边，并伸出双手做出“示意停止”的手势。此时其他乘客出面干预，她趁威尔比分心时从另一扇门离开。

副首席治安法官谭·伊克拉姆（Tan Ikram）判定威尔比使用威胁、辱骂或侮辱性言行导致他人骚扰、惊恐或痛苦的罪名成立，并将量刑推迟至9月8日。“被告称：‘我并非有意造成她的骚扰、惊恐或痛苦，’”伊克拉姆表示。

“控方已说服我，从证据中唯一合理的推断是，他希望她在当时的情境下感到威胁，即他有意造成她的惊恐或痛苦。

“她明确表达了自己的立场，称‘我多次要求他停止，但他没有，他的言行充满辱骂和攻击性’，而从被告本人的言辞来看，他显然毫不在意。”

剑桥教授举报涉嫌欺凌案胜诉

黛西·艾利夫

一名剑桥大学的举报人指控该校天文学研究所内存在对女性员工的欺凌行为，并赢得了针对雇主的劳动仲裁。

温·埃文斯教授在6月的仲裁听证会上表示，该研究所存在“厌女症的恶劣历史”。埃文斯称，该部门的一名女性被“逼到辞职”，另一名女性被“吓成惊弓之鸟”，还有一名女性面对的是“咄咄逼人的教授”。

仲裁庭发现，在埃文斯提出担忧后，“剑桥大学对其进行了长达近两年的调查”，尽管“对他的指控缺乏具体细节，且无任何证据支持”。

仲裁庭表示，其职责“不是对剑桥大学天文学研究所内涉嫌的欺凌或厌女行为进行公开调查”，但得出结论认为“确信申诉人真诚地认为研究所内存在对女性行政人员的不当对待问题”。

仲裁庭发现，剑桥大学“甚至不愿考虑”按照其举报人政策处理埃文斯的投诉，并描述了一种“机构思维模式”，即将这位天体物理学教授视为“因其受保护的披露可能损害研究所和大学声誉而带来的麻烦和持续声誉风险的来源”。

该判决出现在剑桥大学高层领导的动荡时期，当时学者们正呼吁对导致贾森·阿代被任命为该校最年轻教授的情况展开独立调查。2023年获任命的阿代本月早些时候辞职，此前被指控抄袭和伪造简历。

仲裁庭后，就业法官马克·格雷厄姆发现剑桥大学在处理埃文斯投诉时存在严重失误，在14项指控的不利待遇中，有11项被裁定成立，涉及大学或个人被申诉人，包括副校长德博拉·普伦蒂斯。

对埃文斯的调查被认定“违反自然正义原则”。仲裁庭裁定该调查“毫无根据（因无任何支持证据），且是出于报复而提起……因此可能具有恶意和滋扰性”。

仲裁庭还指出：“相比之下，申诉人提出的多项详细担忧或投诉却被草率驳回，未经适当程序。”

仲裁庭还得出结论，剑桥大学的高层依赖由人力资源部门或行政人员为其准备的信函和流程。

副校长6月亲自出席仲裁庭，并称她“在时任大学注册主任埃玛·兰普顿的协助下”起草了对埃文斯的回复。仲裁庭驳回了副校长的证词，认定“该回复完全由兰普顿女士撰写，随后作为既成事实呈交副校长。普伦蒂斯教授几乎未参与其中，仅仅是署名而已。”

埃文斯表示，仲裁判决对副校长的任职能力提出了质疑。“剑桥大学在举报人仲裁案中败诉，副校长德博拉·普伦蒂斯被裁定对举报人进行了打击报复，”他说。

“这还发生在贾森·阿代危机期间，其领导能力受到严重质疑。综合来看，这些事件提出了一个根本性问题：德博拉·普伦蒂斯是否真正掌控着她本应领导的大学？”

剑桥大学在一份声明中表示：“我们承认2026年10月8日就业仲裁庭的判决，并正在仔细审查。我们将花时间详细反思裁决结果。”

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国内

9

杰迈玛·奈特和她的妹妹哈丽雅特，在德文郡北部的李镇。哈丽雅特怀孕34周，杰迈玛怀孕18周，如今因北德文郡医院（上图）的产科病房暂停服务，她们临产时将面临长达两小时的路程。摄影：ZIM WILEMAN / 《卫报》

德文郡偏远医院医生接受“速成课程”应对产科急诊，因产科病房关闭

史蒂文·莫里斯

在德文郡一家地处偏远的医院，医生们被迫接受“速成课程”学习处理分娩紧急情况，因该院产科病房因人手短缺无限期关闭，外界担忧此举可能危及孕妇和新生儿的安全。

位于巴恩斯特珀尔的北德文郡地区医院（NDDH）产科病房已无限期暂停服务，导致孕妇临产时需至少花费一个半小时前往最近的产科设施。

孕妇们表示，她们可能被迫在家中或路边无医护协助的情况下分娩，因为前往50多英里外的埃克塞特医院的道路在夏季经常拥堵。部分孕妇称将离开当地前往其他地方分娩。

该院一名医生透露，NDDH的急诊人员已接受培训，以应对无法及时送达埃克塞特的孕妇可能出现的分娩并发症。

这名不愿透露姓名的医生表示：“我希望不会出现此类紧急情况，孕妇能顺利分娩……但存在孕妇无法及时送达产科病房，不得不转送至本院的可能性。”

该医生称，医院已开展“速成课程”，培训如何应对肩难产（婴儿头部娩出但肩部卡在母体耻骨后）或产后出血等可能致命的紧急情况。

“这是一段高强度的时期，我们都感到震惊，”他们说，“我们有能力应对，但被突然推入这种极其严峻的局面。这对公众构成风险。”

“急诊部及其工作人员习惯在缺乏相关专科直接支持的情况下处理紧急情况，但面对产科急症或新生儿虚脱，且现场无人协助的陌生感令人不安。”

皇家德文郡大学医疗保健NHS基金会信托将该院产科病房的关闭描述为“暂时性”，但无法给出NDDH产科服务恢复的具体日期。

“我们有能力，但他们却将我们置于潜在的严重局面”

北德文医院 匿名医生

这位医生表示：“这可能会给急诊部门带来巨大压力。急诊部门需要处理大量患者，尤其是在夏季游客涌入时。此外，还需应对大量老年人口。”

部分员工担心医院正在被降级。这位医生说：“感觉他们正在逐步削减服务并将其转移。就像在拆解我们的医院。这对公众和员工都不公平。这件事打击了员工士气，人们开始质疑这对我们医院的未来意味着什么。”

杰米玛·奈特（18周孕期）住在距离最近医院两小时车程的地方——而她上一次分娩仅用了两小时。她说：“这是我的第三个孩子。第一个孩子出生时需要救护车转院，幸运的是转院时间只有20分钟。如果转院时间需要两小时，我真不知道那次分娩的结果会怎样。

“即使我知道这次分娩会超过两小时，但任何生过孩子的人都知道，在八月的高温下、假期交通堵塞中、宫缩期被绑在汽车座椅上，那将是一种可怕、危险且类似酷刑的创伤体验。任何女性都不应该经历这种事，而医院信托机构却要求我们这样做。”

她表示正考虑将家人搬到布里斯托尔，以便在亲戚家中分娩。“他们提出的通勤时间，就好像建议关闭布里斯托尔的医院，然后告诉孕妇必须去伦敦生孩子。”

奈特还担心她的妹妹哈丽雅特·奈特（34周孕期）。杰米玛说：“安全且受尊重的分娩是一项基本人权，而这项权利已被剥夺，影响德文郡数百、甚至数千名女性。”

德文郡议会将于本月晚些时候召开特别会议讨论此次关闭。议会领袖朱利安·巴西尔表示：“这次关闭令人极为担忧。这种决定在英国其他地区是无法想象的，我们不应接受这里的二流医疗服务。”

医院信托机构表示正在努力招聘更多顾问医生和医师，但尚未招募到足够人手以确保安全运营服务。

信托机构发言人表示：“我们仔细考虑了所有选项，但最大的风险在于在医护人员不足的情况下继续提供分娩服务。”

信托机构称已认识到部分女性处境脆弱，并已采取一系列支持措施，包括交通和经济援助。

Spotify 计划为 AI 艺术家打标签，打击虚假表演者

[[图片略]]

丹·米尔莫

全球科技编辑

Spotify 将为 AI 艺术家打上标签，并将其排除在算法生成的推荐之外，作为打击虚假表演者行动的一部分。

这家全球最大的音乐流媒体平台正在创建一个名为“ 人物”（ personas）的标签，该标签将出现在艺术家资料和播放列表的曲目列表中。

从下月起， 生成的艺术家（如 Velvet Sundown）将带有该标签，并默认被屏蔽在个性化推荐之外。此举旨在将深度伪造艺术家与真实表演者区分开来，后者可能因人工对手而失去流媒体播放量。

在一份声明中表示：“真正的艺术家与粉丝之间的联系只能建立在信任和真实性的基础上。在音乐领域，这意味着听众需要能够信任音乐背后的艺术家就是他们所声称的那个人。在生成式 时代，这一点比以往任何时候都更为重要。”

去年， 透露其在 12 个月内从平台上移除了 7500 万首垃圾曲目，因为 工具催生了大量虚假音乐。 的合法曲库规模为 1 亿首。

表示，将允许音乐创作者披露其身份是否由 生成，并为其打上“ 人物”标签，但不会仅依赖自行披露。该公司称将使用人工审核和 调查工具来判断艺术家是否为虚假。

尽管新规在技术上适用于 “身份”，但 表示 生成的个人资料也是 制作曲目的幌子。

去年，关于 Velvet Sundown——一支 70 年代风格的美国摇滚乐队——的起源曾引发争论，随后该乐队的社交媒体账号证实了这一骗局。

该乐队被描述为“介于”人类与机器之间的 创作。该乐队在 上拥有 117,000 位月度听众，但尚无明确的 标签，不过其艺术家资料将这支四人乐队描述为“合成音乐项目”。

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10

国内

瑞典命令一名患有痴呆症的英国男子在10天内离境

丽莎·奥卡罗尔 高级记者

一名在瑞典生活了25年的74岁英国男子因患有痴呆症需要24小时护理，但在英国脱欧后的移民法庭诉讼中败诉后，被要求在10天内离开该国。

这项驱逐令是在瑞典法院7月的一项裁决后发出的，该裁决认为政府减少移民的努力比一名需要全天候护理的男子的需求更为重要。

“国家对有序移民的利益超过了霍勒斯·梅森（Horace Mason）继续在瑞典居住的利益，”移民上诉法院在7月的裁决中表示。

梅森一家的遭遇与《卫报》周一披露的78岁寡妇乔伊斯·托马斯（Joyce Thomas）的经历如出一辄。托马斯因英国脱欧文件逾期而面临被驱逐的命运，尽管她已在瑞典生活了21年。

梅森的儿子卡尔（Carl）周五被英国大使馆告知，当局给了他父亲到8月20日的期限。

“这让我感到恶心。我们一直尽量不让他知道太多，因为他的病情让他感到困惑和担忧。

但周五我不得不告诉他发生了什么，他提出了一千个问题：‘会发生什么？警察会来带走我吗？他们会破门而入吗？’

“今天（周一）我又和他共进晚餐，他还是问同样的问题：‘现在会发生什么？我要去英国的哪里？他们会逮捕我并把我关进监狱吗？’

“这太不人道了，”卡尔说。

英国政府表示已知晓此案。“我们正在为梅森先生及其家人提供支持，并就他的案件与瑞典当局保持联系。”

梅森的案件发生在另一名同样患有痴呆症的英国人凯瑟琳·普尔（Kathleen Poole）去世前两年。普尔当时也面临被驱逐的威胁。

梅森约在2000年从莱斯特郡欣克利搬到瑞典，以便与儿子和孙辈们住得更近。

“他年事已高，极其脆弱，”卡尔说，“他患有晚期血管性痴呆和血管性帕金森症，同时还有其他严重健康问题。他无法行动，几乎每天生活的方方面面都需要帮助，目前在瑞典接受全天候痴呆症护理。他无法独自前往英国并开始新的生活。”

当霍勒斯的精神能力恶化时，法院指定了一名受托人代理他的事务。“从那一刻起，所有问题就开始了，”卡尔说。

2021年12月，家人为他提交了居留申请，但去年11月被移民局以“未提交证明其符合居留权要求的文件”为由拒绝，并被要求离境。

家人对这一决定提出上诉，但同样被驳回。随后，他们根据瑞典《外国人法》向更高一级的移民上诉法院提出上诉。该法允许外国人在“特别困难的情况下”获得居留权。

家人提交了新的医疗证据，包括“他需要持续监护和24小时护理”，并主张其父亲依据《欧洲人权公约》第8条享有权利。

7月23日，法院裁定在考虑了各项法律后，驱逐令可以成立。法院评估认为英国也有痴呆症护理服务，且他有一个在英国的女儿，尽管法院听取了私人医疗证据，证明其女儿无法像卡尔那样照顾父亲。

“在权衡国家的

◀ 霍勒斯·梅森与儿子卡尔，后者一直在努力让父亲留在瑞典与家人团聚 照片：梅森家族提供

根据移民法院对霍勒斯·梅森私人生活及其在瑞典适应情况的调查，法院在权衡后得出结论，认为其驱逐出境与《欧洲人权公约》第8条规定相称。”判决书称。

卡尔表示：“我实在无法理解，他们为何认为驱逐一名弱势公民会对任何人有益。这完全超出我的理解。”卡尔正面临时间紧迫的困境，他希望父亲（被称为乔治）能留在身边，与他和两个拥有英瑞双重国籍的孙辈一起生活在瑞典。

他正准备进一步上诉至位于斯特拉斯堡的欧洲人权法院，并发起了名为“支持乔治”（Stötta George）的筹款页面，以筹集预计50,000瑞典克朗（3,900 英镑）的法律费用。

大卫·米尔斯泰德（David Milstead）是草根倡导组织“在欧洲的英国人”（British in Europe）瑞典分部负责人，多年来一直关注受英国脱欧影响的在瑞典英国公民的困境。

他表示，瑞典移民局（Migrationsverket）的强硬立场与欧盟其他成员国格格不入。截至2024年底，瑞典共收到14,233份脱欧后留瑞申请，其中27.5%（3,918份）被拒，拒绝率是其他成员国的三倍，也高于欧盟3-4%的平均水平。

根据英欧《脱欧协议》，所有在英国脱欧前合法居住在英国的欧盟公民，以及在欧盟或欧洲经济区国家居住的英国公民，均有权继续留在当地。

米尔斯泰德说：“瑞典当局就像阅兵式上自豪的家长，坚称只有自家孩子步调不一。无论申请是否按时提交，瑞典对《脱欧协议》的执行忽视了该条约的核心保护条款，且与其他国家相比极为严苛。因此，许多人的生活仍在被毁。”

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国内新闻

伯纳姆承诺受囚犯出狱流浪威胁

Rajeev Syal 内政事务编辑

慈善机构表示，安迪·伯纳姆终结英格兰流浪现象的承诺正受到越来越多新近获释囚犯无法找到住所的威胁。

社会公正慈善机构 Nacro 的分析发现，去年英格兰和威尔士有近六分之一的出狱人员被释放至无家可归状态，创下五年来的最高比例。

在 2025 年 4 月至 2026 年 3 月期间，共有 15,155 名获释囚犯无住所，相当于每周 300 人，较上一年增长 18%。

伯纳姆在首次以首相身份发表的演讲中承诺消除英格兰的流浪现象，并为此在三年内额外拨款 3.4 亿英镑。但此后，他被迫于 10 月签署提前释放约 5,000 名囚犯的决定。

Nacro 首席执行官恩弗·所罗门表示，出狱后无住所的比例已连续五年上升，从 2021-22 年的 10.6% 增至 2025-26 年的 15.9%。

“要兑现首相终结流浪现象的承诺，必须紧急关注减少出狱后的无家可归问题，”他说。

“后果显而易见：四分之三被释放至流浪状态的人在一年内再次犯罪，而被释放至住所的人这一比例仅略高于三分之一。安全的住所不仅是一个睡觉的地方——它是减少再犯罪最坚实的基础之一。”

监狱和缓刑服务部门有责任在罪犯面临无家可归风险时将其转介至地方当局，这意味着他们可能流落街头、露宿或依赖夜间收容所。

出狱人数总量不断上升，部分原因是提前释放计划，但无家可归的比例增长更快。

2025-26 年，超过 1,300 名女性出狱后无家可归或流浪街头，较上一年增长 27%。从地区来看，英格兰中南部（包括汉普郡、怀特岛、伯克郡、牛津郡和白金汉郡）的比例最高，达 20.7%，其次是东米德兰兹（19.1%）和英格兰东部（18.4%）。威尔士的比例最低，为 11.1%。26,

上月发布的年度报告中，监狱总监察查理·泰勒发现，许多监狱报告称高达 30% 的囚犯没有固定住址，囚犯常直接从法庭释放，无法获得服务支持，且短期刑期和通常持续 14 天的召回令使住房规划变得困难。

去年 12 月，住房、社区及地方政府部的一份报告发现，住房工作人员对囚犯需求的培训和意识不足，支持服务往往支离破碎，且大部分可用住所条件低劣。

在去年 12 月发布的全国终结无家可归计划中，政府承诺到 2029 年将缓刑罪犯出狱首夜无家可归的比例减半。

政府发言人表示：“我们正与地方议会和慈善机构合作，到 2029 年将出狱人员无家可归的比例减半。更广泛地说，首相已宣布一项新的全国性努力，以终结流浪现象，并为此追加 3.4 亿英镑 投资——使总体资金达到创纪录水平。”

舞台评论

浪漫喜剧全速上演，情侣互曝家丑

《旋转周期》

爱丁堡布里斯托广场地下剧场

★★★★☆

她在这段叙述中巧妙穿插了多个机智笑话——尽管这些笑话更多引发苦笑而非大笑

阿曼达·诺克斯通过母性视角重述她被误判入狱的可怕经历 摄影：梅里·麦克莱迪 《卫报》

爱丁堡喜剧评论

诺克斯以不屈精神讲述创伤

《阿曼达·诺克斯：翻筋斗》

吉尔德·巴龙泰维奥特剧院

★★★★☆

布莱恩·洛根

“欢迎来到边缘艺术节上最具争议的演出！”一些观众可能会从阿曼达·诺克斯这位新手脱口秀演员的开场白中看出自恋倾向。但对诺克斯本人及另一些人而言，这不过是承认了外界持续试图让她噤声的事实。

然而，诺克斯是“人类版蓝金裙”——一块我们所有人都会投射上有罪、无辜或古怪印象的画布。如今她的清白已获证明，在这次边缘艺术节的演出中，她直面的是最后一项指控，通过初为人母的视角重述她那屡屡被讲述的故事。

她讲述这个故事本身是否可耻？将《翻筋斗》归类为喜剧可能是个误判；这既有失敏感，也无法准确描述这场演出。但从现有证据来看，无论诺克斯做什么都会招致非议。至少现在她能以自己的方式讲述自己的故事。

如果我们是为了了解成为阿曼达·诺克斯是什么感受，那么我们得到了答案：39岁的她在折叠孩子衣物的同时，回顾自己“极其漫长且公开的创伤”片段，并与四岁女儿的声音展开对话。

她该如何向孩子们解释自己被误判入狱的经历？用苏斯博士的故事：“诺克斯这只狐狸被锁在盒子里”？当她孩子的出生遭到网络谩骂时，她又该如何应对？成为母亲让诺克斯对这一切有了更深的理解。她对遇害室友梅雷迪斯·克彻的记忆保持了尊重。

更值得赞赏的是，她在这段叙述中巧妙穿插了多个机智笑话——尽管这些笑话更多引发苦笑而非大笑。她是个缺乏经验的喜剧演员，这不是一场“表演”——但她很好地呈现了自己的故事。

我发现她的反抗精神令人振奋，而她为夺回自己这段可怕经历所做的努力，也达到了我们有权期待的水准。

演出持续至8月17日

凯特·怀弗

在这部以洗衣房为背景、充满失忆元素的浪漫喜剧中，名字像丢失的袜子一样消失不见。佐菲娅·泽菲凭借这部获奥菲奖的作品，讲述了一个酷儿邂逅的故事，探讨一段关系结束后该留住什么，以及是否最好忘记双方犯下的错误。两人之间火花四溅，但结构漏洞百出。

在洗衣店的中间地带，两人的相遇被一台洗衣机的50分钟倒计时所框定。基特（泽菲饰）和诺埃尔（瑞安农·贝尔饰）以极快的语速互相打断对方。“你打算如何利用这50分钟？”基特问道。

基特是富有、自信的美国人，比诺埃尔更有特权；诺埃尔则是来自北爱尔兰的非二元性别者，凌乱而陌生。但他们并不觉得彼此陌生。在贝丝安·罗斯的导演下，两人在狭小的舞台上贴近对方，剖析过去的恋情如何塑造了自己，并承认两人都曾与与对方极为相似的人交往过。事实上，他们几乎可以发誓曾经见过面。

随着记忆被翻搅，这部轻松的浪漫喜剧逐渐演变为一场家丑大曝光。偶尔陷入争吵，但当他们缓缓承认自己的感受时——几乎是侧身而对，就像诺埃尔审视基特时的样子，仿佛她是自己的雕塑之一，用手指从她的手腕轻抚至肩膀——故事便焕发出光彩。

失忆的设定营造了一个扣人心弦的谜团，但始终未能拼凑完整。缺乏这一结构支撑，谜团失去了动力。他们的吸引力显而易见，我们只是需要理解这个记忆混乱的世界的规则，才能觉得这50分钟没有白费。

演出持续至8月31日

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12

新闻 气候危机

英国面临有记录以来最热夏季，消防员艰难控制新森林大火

桑德拉·拉维尔

专家表示，控制在新森林蔓延的大规模野火将持续数日，风向变化和干燥的地貌助长了火势。

昨天深夜，烟雾仍在笼罩着空无一人的A31公路——这条穿越新森林国家公园的主要旅游路线上，数以万计的家庭正在度假，一架直升机在上空盘旋。

消防员表示，他们正努力控制分布在超过247英亩干燥荒地上的多个火点，风向在该地区不断变化。一位现场消息人士称：“他们非常担心，虽然表面火势被压制，但下方的泥炭仍在燃烧并蔓延。这里太干燥，风太大，控制火情真的非常艰难。”

英国国家消防局长理事会昨日表示，7月是有记录以来野火最频繁的月份。今年迄今，消防部门已应对966起野火，其中仅7月就发生458起。

随着气候崩溃导致极端高温、干旱和野火更易发生，英格兰部分地区本周将迎来今夏第五波热浪。英国气象局表示，英国正朝着平均气温有记录以来最热夏季的方向发展。周一，当局宣布英格兰近四分之三地区正式进入干旱状态。

汉普郡消防救援局表示，在新森林地区面临多重挑战，包括维持供水和应对风向变化。该局称正尝试对火灾发起更大规模的扑救行动。英国目前没有欧洲消防部门使用的专用灭火飞机。

“多亏了消防员的努力，我们正在控制火势，”该局表示，“我们使用了消防车和越野车辆混合编队，对火场边缘进行降温和冷却……以防止火势蔓延和升级。警方无人机正被用于确定重点火点区域并管理复燃情况。”

汉普郡消防局表示，包括A31双车道在内的多条道路将至少关闭至周四，并补充称路面、护栏和围栏需要“重大”修复。

英国消防员工会呼吁招募5,000名额外消防员，以应对极端气候条件。

▲ 消防员在马德里以西的圣马丁-德巴尔德伊格莱西亚斯扑救野火。当前热浪期间，欧洲多地发生大规模火灾，已造成数千人丧生

欧洲为何升温速度超过其他地区？

达米安·卡林顿 环境版编辑

随着化石燃料燃烧产生的碳污染不断困住更多热量，全球正在变暖，但欧洲的升温速度是其他大陆的两倍。其后果日益致命，今年夏季迄今已有数万人死于热浪。

为何欧洲受全球变暖影响最严重？

陆地升温所需的热量远低于广阔而深邃的海洋，因此所有大陆的升温速度都比海洋更快。但欧洲尤其脆弱，原因有四：天气模式变化、靠近北极、积雪减少和空气污染减轻。

结果，欧洲目前的气温比大规模燃烧化石燃料之前高出 2.5℃，几乎是全球平均升温幅度 1.4℃ 的两倍。自 1991 年以来，欧洲每十年的气温上升 0.56℃，而北美为 0.42℃，非洲为 0.36℃，南美为 0.27℃。

欧洲的天气模式发生了哪些变化？

欧洲上空大气环流的变化导致热浪更加频繁和强烈。其中包括 6 月记录的有史以来最严重的热浪，当时大片热空气被困在“热穹”下。

科学家仍在研究全球变暖在大气环流变化中的作用，但两者之间的关联似乎越来越可能。

欧盟哥白尼气候变化服务（Copernicus Climate Change Service）副主任萨曼莎·伯吉斯博士表示：“在过去 40 年或更长时间的趋势中，我们观察到地表气压模式及其他环流指标发生了统计上显著的变化，从这一时间尺度来看，这些变化更可能与气候变化而非自然波动相关。”

这种关联可能源于急流的变化。急流是一种快速、高空的风，对欧洲天气有强大影响，而其本身也受到气温上升的影响。

北极为何重要？

北极是地球上升温最快的地区，尽管那里没有陆地。这是因为通常能将大部分阳光反射回太空的极地冰盖正在迅速融化。结果，融化后暴露的深色海洋吸收了更多热量，进而融化更多冰，形成恶性循环。由于欧洲大部分地区距离北极相对较近，因此气温上升速度更快。

积雪覆盖的影响如何？

过去的冬季，欧洲大部分地区都有降雪。积雪能反射阳光并保持大陆凉爽，但气候危机正在缩小积雪覆盖的面积。

2025 年 3 月，31% 低于 1991-2020 年平均水平。这一缺失面积约相当于法国、意大利、德国、瑞士和奥地利的总和，也是自 1983 年有记录以来的第三低值。

▲ 在法国西南部拉卡诺（Lacanau）的穆蒂克海滩（Moutchic beach），人们注视着附近山火升起的滚滚浓烟

照片：MAXIMILIEN LAMY / 法新社 / 盖蒂图片社

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13

消防员自周日晚上约 5.21 时起一直在现场，当时一辆卡车在灵伍德（Ringwood）的 A31 号公路上起火，引发了这场大火。

每年夏天，数百万游客在新森林国家公园（New Forest national park）露营、徒步和骑行。

今年，由人类活动引发的气候危机推动极端高温，使汉普郡（Hampshire）这片绿色腹地——已连续 59 天未降雨——变得宛如亚利桑那州般的景观。

一条高压水管沿着空旷的 A31 号双车道公路延伸 5. 英里，从伯利村（Burley）附近的一条溪流直达火场，来自全国各地消防站的 120 多名消防员仍在努力控制火势。

黛比·坦恩（Debbie Tann）是汉普郡和怀特岛野生动物信托基金会的首席执行官，她表示：“整个森林现在就像干燥的火绒。由于这种干燥的条件，火势迅速蔓延。新森林是欧洲最重要的栖息地之一，这里的荒野中有许多珍稀物种——爬行动物、蝰蛇、蜥蜴，以及夜鹰等鸟类。这场大火将造成毁灭性的影响。”

居住在伯利（Burley）的苏·奥特威（Sue Oatway）表示，人们已经团结起来支持消防员，其中许多人是志愿者，为他们收集食物和饮料。

在一个社区 WhatsApp 群组中，消防员感谢了“了不起的社区”给予的支持。

在奥特威家门外，新森林矮种马在枯黄的树木和干枯的欧洲蕨下躲避酷热。

奥特威说：“我从未见过这里如此干燥。今天有人在社交媒体群组上发了一张世界地图。我知道加拿大和欧洲发生了野火，但没想到美国的野火规模如此之大。到处都是火灾，现在火灾就发生在我们家门口。”

由于 A31 公路封闭，游客车流被迫转向森林中的小路，导致狭窄的车道上出现拥堵。度假者们仍在努力享受假期，但随着扑灭野火的战斗进入第四天，火灾的威胁变得愈发明显。

杰森·邦塞尔（Jason Bunsell）和一位朋友在阿什赫斯特（Ashurst）露营时，火灾开始了。“我们骑自行车回来时，看到上空有一大片浓黑的烟云，还以为是暴风雨，”他说。

“然后我们回到营地，我妻子给我发消息问：‘你们离火灾有多远？还好吗？’”

旅游业是当地经济的最大支柱产业。但火势蔓延的威胁和空气污染的影响已促使当局呼吁游客远离。

负责管理该国家公园约一半面积的英格兰林业局表示，控制火势的行动可能还需要持续数天。其发言人埃斯塔·米翁（Esta Mion）表示：“我们强烈呼吁人们远离……情况难以预测。我们无法确定这场火灾还会持续多久。”

独立国家高温风险委员会主席、格兰瑟姆气候变化与环境研究所实践教授艾玛·霍华德·博伊德（Emma Howard Boyd）表示：“政府现在必须紧急采取行动，为应对更炎热的气候做好准备，在减少排放的同时，加大对住宅、基础设施、农场和公共服务韧性的投资。”

▼ 新森林国家公园的矮种马在消防车的阴凉下躲避烈日 摄影：马丁·戈德温（Martin Godwin）

为何空气污染减少会影响气温？

空气污染每年在全球造成数百万人死亡，因此欧洲在过去几十年中减少有毒空气水平的记录无疑是一件好事。

然而，更清洁的空气也揭示了大气中二氧化碳污染上升的影响。

空气污染颗粒能够反射太阳光线，这意味着热量无法到达地面。颗粒物减少意味着反射减少，更多热量被温室气体捕获。空气污染减少甚至可能与阻塞性天气模式的增加有关。

上述四个因素的重要性如何？

简单的答案是，科学家尚不清楚，但他们希望在明年能得出估计。

欧洲是升温最快的大陆

相对于1991-2020年基线的大陆地区温度异常

来源：哥白尼气候变化服务 / 欧洲中期天气预报中心

伯吉斯表示：“我们可以确定的是，每个因素的重要性必然随季节变化，北极的接近性在秋冬季更为重要，而自20世纪70年代末以来的环流变化在夏季具有更大的统计学意义。”

空气污染的下降在冬季最为显著，原因是家庭取暖用煤减少，而积雪覆盖显然也是冬季的问题。近几十年来，欧洲冬季升温在北部最为强烈，而夏季升温在东南部最为显著。

会产生什么后果？

快速升温正导致越来越多的死亡人数，以及更加猛烈的野火和干旱。风暴、强降雨和洪水也因气候系统中额外的热量而加剧。所有这些都深刻影响着欧洲大陆的生活和生计，并将持续恶化，直到排放达到净零。

联合国气候负责人西蒙·斯蒂尔在7月下旬表示：“气候危机的可怕代价——无论是人员还是经济——现在已达到国家紧急水平。需要采取的行动很明确：更快地摆脱煤炭、石油和天然气，扩大可再生能源规模，并保护人民。”

生产力

热浪 “可能已使经济损失超过4亿英镑”

希瑟·斯图尔特

经济编辑

最新分析显示，今夏反复出现的衰弱性热浪可能已使英国经济在7月底前损失超过4亿英镑的产出。

绿色智库Verdant此前估计，6月异常高温的经济成本为2.36亿英镑。在将上月的高温纳入评估后，该机构发现产出损失达4.4亿英镑。

随着本周气温再次飙升，Verdant主任詹姆斯·米德韦表示：“气候变化的经济成本已经显现，并将在未来几年进一步恶化。政府采取行动保护工人和企业免受极端高温的严重影响早已刻不容缓。”

直接的经济成本源于多个行业的工人在热浪期间生产力下降，同时基础设施和设备过热被迫关闭。

英国气象局本周对英格兰发布的极端高温橙色预警，是今夏英国经历的第五次热浪，此前在5月、6月和7月已出现四次。气象局表示，英国正在迈向有记录以来最炎热的夏季。

Verdant呼吁政府出台最高工作温度规定，并准备在

250亿英镑

根据智库Verdant的预测，如果热浪持续加剧，到2030年英国每年可能面临的潜在经济成本

因极端高温被迫缩短工作时间。

该报告还指出，需要投资城市重新设计，在英国城镇创建更多凉爽的绿色空间。

Verdant的估算未包括间接损失，如扑灭野火的成本，以及因使用风扇和空调而增加的电力消耗。智库表示，影响最大的地区可能是伦敦和东南部，这些地区的气温最高。报告称，如果热浪继续以过去十年的速度加剧，到2030年，每年的经济成本可能飙升至超过£25bn。

Verdant参考了保险公司安联（Allianz）的跨欧洲估算数据，该数据显示，气温每升高1摄氏度（超过30℃），工人每小时的产出就会下降3%。

伦敦政治经济学院格兰瑟姆研究所上月表示，仅6月的热浪就导致英国产出损失超过£1bn，原因是工人缩短了工作时间或在高温下无法保持正常生产效率。在对2,000人的调查中，该研究所的研究人员发现，在22日当周，有3.6%的受访者因酷热完全未工作；而87%的受访者报告至少出现了一种健康影响，从睡眠中断到头晕。

经济学家越来越警告极端天气事件带来的经济成本不断上升——包括因干旱、洪水和野火影响生产导致食品价格上涨，进而推高通胀的风险。

英国工会联合会（TUC）总书记保罗·诺瓦克表示：“工会呼吁制定规则，要求雇主在温度超过24℃时采取行动降温，并在温度达到30℃（或高强度工作达到27℃）时停止工作。”

伦敦市长萨迪克·汗近期指出，今年的极端高温是工党应对净零排放质疑者并坚持气候目标的证据。他在《卫报》撰文称：“气候紧急状态已经到来——没有人可以说自己没有预见到。”

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国内

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“保持冷静” 野生动物专家与黄蜂巢共享办公室

Safeerah Ahmed

六月的一个早晨，当黄蜂开始从办公室门上生锈的缝隙中鱼贯而入时，艾莉什·罗斯尼的第一反应与大多数人无异：赶走它们。作为诺福克野生动物信托基金三一布罗兹保护区的经理，她发现一个黄蜂群落在她的办公室——一间改造的集装箱——安了家。

“它们就在我门内筑了巢，”她说，“我第一个念头是：‘哦不，我得现在就把它清除掉。’但随后我意识到：‘等等，为什么？我为什么非得这么做？’”

两个月后，罗斯尼与这个巢穴达成了“合作共事”的安排。这个巢穴如今已超过一米高，占据了整个书架的活页夹空间。它用她口中的“层层美丽的色彩”装饰了办公室内部，成千上万个咀嚼过的木浆巢室堆叠在一起，宛如世界上最奇特的文件归档系统。

罗斯尼没有驱赶这些新同事，而是选择了适应。她打开窗户，为黄蜂提供一条清晰的飞行路线。“我就这么悠闲地走过，像一头正在吃草的奶牛，平静地过着我的日子，”她说，“黄蜂对我在场完全没有意见。我在那里的时间越长，就越觉得与它们相处自在。”

“整个群落本身就像一个活生生的有机体”……罗斯尼办公室内的巢穴，一间改造的集装箱 照片：ELISH ROTHNEY

蜂后持续产卵，而工蜂则外出觅食，将食物带回喂养幼虫。幼虫反过来会分泌一种甜液，供成年工蜂饮用。罗斯尼描述说，巢穴会发出一种低沉的嗡嗡声，她认为这是成千上万只翅膀振动以保持群落凉爽的声音。“几乎就像整个群落本身就是一个活生生的有机体，”她说。

她表示自己并不担心被蜇——

▲ 艾莉什·罗斯尼希望人们“对大自然更宽容”

“被蜇的感觉不会比蚊子叮咬严重多少”——而她给那些不如她热情的人的建议是：“昆虫会意识到某些个体不会伤害它们。保持冷静，它们会感受到这一点，不会觉得受到威胁。”

罗斯尼将自己对野生动物的信念追溯到大学时期的一次生态学实地考察，以及她所描述的“对理解万物之间错综复杂关系的诗意与美感”。她说，她越来越对“害虫”这个标签轻易成为灭杀许可证的现象感到沮丧。“人们不喜欢黄蜂，这可以理解，”她说，“但我们需要摆脱仅仅出于方便就杀死生物的做法。这种方式会造成很大的破坏。”

她也迅速为那些每年八月干扰野餐的黄蜂辩护。她说，到了夏末，幼虫停止分泌甜液，成年工蜂突然失去了主要食物来源。

“可怜的家伙们在挨饿。这不是它们和我之间的战争。它们只是走投无路。让我们给它们提供糖分，也许能将它们从某人的晚间啤酒旁引开。我只希望人们能对黄蜂、对大自然整体更宽容。我为自己能在这里工作感到自豪，今年正好是我们成立100周年——也许黄蜂也在庆祝呢！”

随着秋季天气转凉，罗斯尼说，蜂后将停止产卵，雄蜂和工蜂会相继死去，而明年的蜂后则会离开巢穴独自冬眠。到了冬天，巢穴将变得空空如也。

“它们离开时我会感到难过。我确实对它们有一种母性的情感，”她说，“它们离开后会显得很奇怪，因为连那种声音本身都很奇妙。”

而当巢穴空了之后呢？“我会在它们离开后非常小心地拆开巢穴，看看里面是什么样子。”

在那之前，书架属于黄蜂。

买卖人体遗骸或引发“真正的木乃伊诅咒”

!

丹尼尔·博菲 首席记者

学术界将日益猖獗的全球木乃伊化人体遗骸交易描述为“对爱好者及其使用的邮政服务构成严重健康风险的‘真正木乃伊诅咒’。”

针对包括手、脚和头颅在内的数百年前人体部位秘密买卖的研究发现，这些遗骸中潜伏的微生物及用于保存遗骸的有毒物质存在惊人风险。一篇经同行评审的学术文章发表于《国际文化财产杂志》，并由剑桥大学出版社在线发布，文章作者称其描绘了一幅“黯淡的图景”。

研究人员对Meta平台、电商网站及拍卖行上的128条在线帖子进行分析后发现，多起出售的木乃伊化遗骸存在明显的生物降解迹象。但卖家未提供任何安全指引，且常通过邮政服务将部位寄送给买家。

“样本中超过一半（51.6%）为处于不同完整度和保存状态的头部，包括完整或部分木乃伊化的头颅、带有软组织和 / 或毛发的头骨或颅骨，以及由秘鲁北部 / 厄瓜多尔东部舒阿尔人制作的所谓‘缩头术’（tsantsas）。”文章指出。

无论是人工还是自然木乃伊化过程，均涉及复杂的化学和物理程序，旨在延缓分解。历史上曾使用多种有毒物质和材料保存组织，包括砷、汞和铅等重金属。尽管经过数百年的干燥处理，这些遗骸仍可能携带多种休眠微生物。研究人员警告称，休眠真菌孢子在移动或扰动时可能变成气溶胶，对生者构成健康风险。

论文提到，20世纪70年代，12名参与开启波兰克拉科夫卡齐米日四世国王陵墓的文物保护科学家中，有10人因吸入曲霉菌孢子而死亡。据信，同种感染可能导致了图坦卡蒙陵墓发掘主要资助人卡纳冯勋爵的死亡。

参与该研究的斯塔福德郡大学人类生物考古学教授柯尔斯蒂·斯奎尔斯（与达里奥·皮奥比诺-马斯卡利、克拉拉·乌尔齐及达米安·赫弗合作）表示，交易者似乎对这些危险缺乏认知。

研究发现，风险不仅限于人体遗骸交易者。学者们写道：“由于邮政和快递公司被用于运输木乃伊化人体遗骸，仓库工人、司机、运输枢纽工作人员及海关官员均面临风险。”

法院禁止Meta眼镜，反“间谍软件”浪潮高涨

马修·韦弗

英格兰和威尔士的法院已加入多家餐厅、剧院和酒吧的行列，禁止Meta眼镜，因其被形容为“间谍软件”而引发的抵制浪潮日益高涨。

上月，纽约法院宣布禁止佩戴该眼镜，因其在佩戴时可录制视频。如今，负责英格兰和威尔士所有刑事、民事及家事法院的英国法院和仲裁服务局（HMCTS）明确表示，任何携带Meta眼镜进入司法建筑的人都将被没收。

一位发言人表示：“法院和仲裁庭内严禁拍摄图像或视频，因此禁止使用Meta眼镜。”

在英国，未经官方许可在法院建筑内拍摄图像或视频属违法行为，可被以藐视法庭罪起诉。尽管律师和公众可携带智能手机进入法院，但HMCTS明确表示，智能眼镜不享有此例外。

一位消息人士称：“携带Meta眼镜进入法院或仲裁庭的用户，在入口处将被没收眼镜，并在离开建筑时归还。”他们表示，允许携带智能手机的前提是不得用于录制庭审过程。

今年早些时候，一名原告被法官指控在高等法院佩戴智能眼镜并通过其接受“指导”作证。在一起关于房地产公司董事职务的案件中，莱蒙纳斯·雅克什蒂斯被要求摘下眼镜。雅克什蒂斯否认使用智能眼镜接收答案，并否认眼镜与其手机连接。

去年Meta售出了7m副该眼镜。

Meta的一位发言人表示，公司不愿对法院禁令发表评论。他们称，眼镜录制时会有闪烁灯光，附近人员可见，并部署了频繁更新的防篡改技术，以防止用户在录制时遮挡该灯光。

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百万英镑*

幸好我们分30年支付头奖。

预估头奖金额。实际金额将根据领奖后的汇率变动及特定情况下的适用税收而有所不同。规则、游戏具体规则及程序适用。参与者必须年满18周岁。

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在本周三晚11.05前投注

18

新闻 阿富汗

“听见我们的声音”

12名阿富汗 女性与女孩 在塔利班统治下 求生的一天

自塔利班重掌政权五年来，阿富汗女性与女孩的生存空间不断被压缩。为纪念这一沉痛周年，12名女性与女孩冒着巨大安全风险，记录下她们的生活，让世界看到她们的处境

被剥夺制服的女兵

赫拉特省

每天清晨，我从寂静中醒来。我仿佛仍然握着手中的武器。我躺在床上片刻，深呼吸。每一次醒来，我都会对自己许下一个承诺：如果丈夫今天能平安回家，我会更加感谢真主。

我叫帕拉斯托*，住在赫拉特。我曾在这里作为一名士兵服役六年。塔利班占领城市后的几天内，他们对我们这些女兵做的第一件事就是召开会议，要求我们交出制服。当他们夺走那身制服时，我感到自己失去了属于我的某种崇高之物；那是一种深刻的痛苦。

因为我和丈夫曾为前政府效力，塔利班多次传唤他，询问他杀了多少塔利班，或者我杀了多少。我们多次通过电话和短信收到死亡威胁。

最初的日子里，许多同事逃走了。塔利班逮捕了两名我不愿透露姓名的女性，至今下落不明。她们在哪里？还活着吗？我们曾试图偷渡到伊朗，但被边防卫兵赶了回来。如今，我们仍然收拾好行囊，随时准备逃离。

现在，我的早晨从家务开始。我醒来，生火，做早餐，为孩子们准备上学，为丈夫准备好外出寻找一天的工作。我站在家门口，目送他们离开。

大门关上后，房子再次陷入寂静。我再次拉上窗帘，不让任何人知道这里住着谁。

我独自在炎热的房子里度过一天。有时，为了不去想过去，我坐在缝纫机前，穿针引线，缓慢地缝制布料。这是打发漫长孤独时光的一种方式。天气也一天比一天热，仿佛天空在降下火焰。

夜晚，在闭上眼睛之前，我想起那些准备第二天值班的日子。我曾有过为这个国家服务的诸多梦想，但时局不允许。我仍然梦见自己穿着制服去执勤。醒来时，需要片刻才能意识到这一切都已不复存在。口述：戈哈沙德

卧底记者

北部省份

被发现的恐惧无时不在。每次有人敲门，我都会惊慌失措。一听到敲门声，我立刻将笔记本电脑藏到床垫下，因为屏幕上显示的内容可能招来杀身之祸。

我是阿富汗北部省份的一名卧底记者，使用化名工作。我的写作时光在一间12平方米的房间里度过，房间里有一张小桌子、一部手机和一台笔记本电脑。

咖啡是我的治疗剂。每天早上起床后，我做的第一件事就是端起一杯咖啡。我拿起手机查看阿富汗的最新消息，然后打开化名邮箱，看看编辑有什么新任务。

我已经历过两次塔利班官员的入户搜查。从那以后，每次听到敲门声，我都会感到恐惧。如果是塔利班呢？如果他们在我采访一起杀人案、与跨性别者交谈或记录暴力幸存者经历时闯入呢？无数种可能性在脑海中闪过，恐惧将我吞噬。

记者的工作是与人会面并记录他们的故事，但每次这样做，都可能面临被出卖的风险。上周，我去采访一位遭受家暴的残障女性。她住在城郊，于是我让一位朋友陪同前往。为了到达她家，我换乘了两次出租车。整个行程充满焦虑，因为她住在管制尤为严格的地区：女性必须穿罩袍，且不允许在无男性监护的情况下独自出行。

我们走过尘土飞扬的小巷，穿过狭窄的弯道。那是一间破旧的小屋，几乎没有光线。与她交谈时，我始终提心吊胆。我从未见过她，是通过一位信任的人介绍认识的。我不知道自己走进的是什么样的地方，也不知道是否能信任这个环境。

回去后，我告诉编辑暂时不要发表。我担心塔利班可能利用城市中不断扩大的监控摄像头网络追踪我的行踪，从而识别出她或我。这就是在塔利班统治下工作的现实：在几乎完全压制新闻自由的环境中进行报道，难度极大。 文 / 索菲娅·马利克

街坊面包师

喀布尔

每天凌晨4点，我和妹妹玛尔齐娅便会醒来。我们点燃烤炉。这就是我们一天的开始。

我叫法特玛*。今年32岁，是六个孩子的母亲：四个儿子和两个女儿。我和玛尔齐娅——她自己有八个孩子——在喀布尔的一个角落经营着一家小型家庭面包坊。

来自四面八方的女性会带着前一晚准备好的面团来找我们，请我们帮忙烤制面包。这份工作是我们在这五年艰难岁月里唯一稳定的收入来源。

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由于长期暴露在炉火的高温下，我的眉毛和睫毛已经消失。眼睛灼痛。夜里膝盖酸痛，双手的烫伤也已麻木。工作虽好，但我从未想过让女儿们过上这样艰辛的生活，从事如此辛苦的工作。

我在烤炉预热时做晨祷。祷告结束后，女人们开始陆续到来。有些来自遥远的街区，带着恐惧和忧虑。

她们说：“今天塔利班在某某巷子里。”有时她们默默而来，递上面团后便等待。

我们烤好面包，她们带着新鲜的面包回家。

工作时，我总会想起母亲。她教会我和妹妹烤面包的手艺，是位睿智的女性。她鼓励我上学学习《古兰经》，还教我缝纫、烘焙和照顾孩子。

这些技能帮助我生存了下来。我仍然按照母亲教我的方式点燃烤炉。但过去一捆木柴只需60阿富汗尼（70便士），现在已涨到110阿富汗尼。如今我们改用杏核壳作燃料。虽然便宜，但那股苦涩的气味会伴我一整天。

我们每烤一炉面包收取6阿富汗尼。好日子里，我们可能赚到约1,000阿富汗尼（11英镑），但通常只有这个数字的一半。我家八口人和玛尔齐娅家的10口人就靠这点收入维生。

我的大女儿现在12岁，最小的8岁。除了工作本身的艰辛，我最大的担忧是无法为她们的教育做任何事。我没有足够的收入送她们出国学习，也对阿富汗国内的情况近期好转不抱希望。

我希望女儿们能读书，过上更有见识、更舒适的生活。万一她们像我一样呢？艰难的生活，选择极其有限。

到了上午中段，我可以稍作休息，脱下工作服，洗洗手和脸，吃早餐，稍事休息。下午，我再次点燃烤炉，工作一直持续到晚上7点。

当女人们来分享她们的生活故事时，我意识到阿富汗女性的生活从来都不容易。随着塔利班的到来，她们的生活已变成活生生的地狱。

口述：塔拉娜·穆罕默迪

12岁的匿名博主

我被父母的笑声唤醒。在客厅里，母亲铺开她那印有花卉图案的桌布，准备早餐。

她为我煮了一个鸡蛋，因为她知道我喜欢吃。我今年12岁，正在准备六年级的考试——这将是我被允许参加的最后一次考试。

早餐后，我和姐姐们回到房间，大姐沉浸在旧书和笔记本中，学习和写作。她曾梦想成为一名作家，让全世界都能读到她的书。但塔利班将

那个梦想埋葬在她心中。我的另一个姐姐在读到十年级时不得不辍学。如今，她每天坐上几个小时，在社交媒体上搜寻奖学金和新闻培训项目。

我知道，很快姐姐们的命运也会降临到我身上。我也将被困在这间房间里，这间我们被迫作为避难所的房间，已经好几年了。即使在夜晚，我们也不敢拉开窗帘透气，害怕被塔利班或多疑的邻居发现。万一有人说：“这户人家住着三个年轻女孩，在屋里自由活动”呢？

我们放衣服的架子上，除了黑色再无其他颜色。我穿上黑色连衣裙、围巾、口罩和罩袍。即使在这酷热难耐的天气里，我也必须穿上罩袍。有两个同学因为穿戴不当被逮捕并被学校开除。

终于，我来到校门口，周围都是女孩。老师走进教室，在我们面前放了一张模拟考试卷。但我盯着试卷，问自己：我该写什么？当这条路已不复存在时，我为何还要为未来而学习？

每天放学后，我径直回到那间房间，录制我的博客。我谈论生活，朗诵诗歌，讲述那些书本被迫合上的女孩们，那些被剥夺了普通生活权利的女人们。

母亲用手机录下我的视频。我收到许多女性和女孩的鼓励信息，她们与我的话产生共鸣。但每次我发布视频后，亲戚们都会来到我家，在父亲耳边说三道四。他们说：“你女儿长大了。家庭的荣誉和尊严会被毁掉。她为什么要写博客？为什么要公开反对塔利班？”

每次听到这些话，我都觉得生活的围墙又多了一层。我心中始终有一个更大的恐惧：万一有人向塔利班泄露我的身份和位置。也许今天塔利班看到了我的视频，却不知道幕后的声音是谁。但如果他们找到我，会发生什么？

有时我幻想，如果有一天我能重返七年级，如果我能再次将书本放在课桌上，无所畏惧地握笔，我要写的第一件事将

是这些日子的故事。我是一个12岁的女孩。在我们的沉默房间被埋葬的梦想填满之前，请听听我们的声音。我们还在这里。

口述者：阿瓦·尼基亚尔

小儿麻痹症幸存者成为裁缝大师 未公开姓名

二十五年前，我十岁时感染了小儿麻痹症。由于我们是生活在偏远村庄的贫困家庭，战乱期间无法获得医生或疫苗。我的双腿在膝盖处弯曲，行走困难。我的身体发育与常人不同。

孩提时代，在与肌肉疼痛和瘫痪的抗争中，我意识到自己的生活将与他人不同。我看到自己在这世上的步伐缓慢，被视为负担。从母亲眼中流露的痛苦，我意识到自己的人生将多么艰难。她从未说出口，但我能从她的目光中读懂。

为了逃避身心的痛苦，我会拿起针线和塑料碎片，为娃娃缝制衣服。渐渐地，我赢得了母亲的信任，她允许我为她手工缝制一件连衣裙。她淡淡的微笑就是认可的印章。我至今仍记得自己缝制的第一件正式服装：一套为父亲做的白色棉布衬衫和长裤。他的话让我心中充满喜悦：“好样的，我的女儿！”

这份天赋是造物主的恩赐：我从未有过老师，却发现自己能观察任何物品，复制其样式并缝制出来。一天，我的一个姐姐给我看了一位技艺高超的裁缝制作的连衣裙，问我能否做一件相似的。完成后，看到我能像大师一样工作，她承诺要给我买一台缝纫机——她也兑现了承诺。

从那天起，我的名声口口相传，客户开始从越来越远的村庄慕名而来。

客户到来时，他们的第一眼往往充满审视和怀疑。他们会问：“裁缝在吗？”我清楚地知道他们在想什么。当我告诉他们就是我时，他们带着难以置信和好奇的神情下单。当看到我用笔和纸记录尺寸时，他们会问：“你怎么识字？”

他们不知道我付出了多少努力自学读写。我成了自己学生的学生；作为交换，我教他们裁缝，他们教我写字。

有时我的订单多到每月能赚取6,000-7,000阿富汗尼（68-80英镑），帮助养家糊口。自从母亲去世、父亲因年迈失明后，我独自撑起了这个家。我一直感谢上帝赐予我这样的力量。尽管我的双腿和骨骼因小儿麻痹症而受损，我从未看轻自己。我的手艺确保人们不会用怜悯或居高临下的眼光看我；相反，他们视我为值得信赖的裁缝。

口述者：胡拉·奥马尔

巴尔赫省的有志小说家

如果你想了解我，不要从我的名字开始，而要从我房间的窗户开始。每天清晨，在城市完全醒来之前，我就坐在窗前。我面前的这条路只是一条普通的街道，但对我来说，它挤满了人，每个人都有一个尚未被书写的故事。一位拄着拐杖缓慢走过沥青路面的老人；一位紧紧抱着书包、步履匆匆的女孩；一个追着皮球的孩子……有时，在写下第一句话之前，我只是静静地观察他们几分钟。

我叫玛赫塔布*。我23岁，正在写一部小说。

我最初是自学写作，但现在也参加在线课程。屏幕上一个接一个地出现学生的面孔，有些人可能是我的姐姐，甚至是我的母亲。每次看到她们，我都会想：多么不可思议——在这个求学之路日益狭窄的地方，仍然有人不愿放弃。有时网络会断线，有时停电，但这些都无法阻止课程的进行。

让我告诉你上周发生的事：我想去书店，于是整理好披肩出发了。门上的小铃铛响起，店内弥漫着纸张和新书的气息。书店老板微笑着说：“好久没见你了。”我径直走向小说书架。手指滑过书脊，当我拿起一本书时，透过玻璃窗，看到几名身着制服的男子经过。我本能地屏住了呼吸。

透过玻璃，我看见女孩们从店前走过：一个牵着妹妹的手；一个将书藏在披肩下；另一个走得飞快，仿佛想要逃离街道的目光。当我走出书店时，我将书紧紧抱在胸前。

在这个时代，一个人可能会失去很多东西，但阅读、写作和创造的梦想不会被夺走，除非自己放弃。对我来说，写作不仅仅是将文字组合在一起，它是一种保存正在消失的事物的方式：梦想、记忆，以及那些仍然怀抱希望的人们的声音。也许有一天，有人会读到这些文字，并知道曾经有人在重重阻碍下，依然为未来敞开了一扇窗。

夜幕降临时，我再次坐在同一扇窗后。我也许无法改变这座城市的痛苦，

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19

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阿富汗新闻

上

清洁工与制砖工——朱兹詹省

我丈夫曾是我们家的顶梁柱。但在2021年，他在一场交通事故中受伤，从此无法站立或工作。从那一刻起，养家的重担就落在了我的肩上。

我叫莱尔玛*。今年33岁。我原籍法里亚布省，但现在住在朱兹詹省。我是四个孩子的母亲——三个女儿和一个儿子。

每天，我天不亮就起床，祈祷后开始做家务。我为孩子和丈夫准备早餐，送孩子们上学，为家里的奶牛和山羊准备食物并喂养它们，然后将它们拴在树荫下，以免被烈日灼伤。

随后，我前往我工作的酒店，担任服务员和清洁工。从早上6点30分到晚上8、9点，我连续工作。酒店有婚礼仪式的日子，我会提前到达，布置桌椅，为宾客上菜。然后，我用刷子、拖把和扫帚清洁酒店的每一个角落，再次整理桌椅。我洗涤桌布、椅套和餐布，将它们晾在酒店屋顶上。等它们晒干后，我再收起来，重新铺在桌椅上，然后回家。

所有这些工作，我每天只能赚到200阿富汗尼（合2英镑）。虽然这点收入微薄，无法满足我们所有的需求，但我别无选择，只能继续坚持。孩子们的希望都寄托在我疲惫的双手上。

我和丈夫及四个孩子住在一间非常狭小的房子里，只有一个房间。为了至少再盖一间房，我一有空闲时间就制作生砖。

我哥哥以前做过这项工作，所以我知道如何制作砖块：准备泥土，加水和成泥。我花数小时用脚踩踏揉捏泥土，直到它变得合适。然后，我用制砖模具将泥土压制成生砖，放在太阳下晒干。

有时，酒店有婚礼仪式，而家里的制砖泥也准备好了，我就用塑料布盖住泥土，先去酒店。晚上回家后，我再继续制作砖块。

邻居们告诉我，如果我继续这样拼命，身体会垮掉。但我不知道还有什么别的办法。孩子们都还小，我无法忍心让他们去工作。我对自己说：我没有机会读书，只能当清洁工；让他们好好学习，成为有文化的人。

口述者：西敏·达内什乔

代昆迪省女子学校的教师

我的一天从凌晨四点开始。

醒来后，我祈祷并诵读《古兰经》，直到天空开始放亮。然后我拿起空水桶，步行到附近的泉水边取水。

我和儿子一起吃早餐——茶、糖和馕饼。我们住在代昆迪省的一个偏远村庄，但与许多其他村民不同，我们的餐桌上没有鸡蛋或奶酪。

我叫塞迪卡*。我今年41岁，在村里的女子学校教书已有18年。我曾在这所学校读书。

在上一届塔利班政权垮台后，哈米德·卡尔扎伊于2002年上台，女校重新开放，我是第一批返校的学生之一。尽管当时我已经超过20岁，但还是从一年级开始读起。

最终，我成为了一名教师。我嫁给了一个承诺支持我工作和学业的男人，因为我希望能过上独立的生活。但儿子出生后，他没有支持我，不允许我上大学，还反对我去工作。

后来，政府垮台，塔利班掌权，我的丈夫离开了阿富汗。我和儿子流离失所，从一个人的家搬到另一个人的家。我用多年辛苦工作和教书挣来的钱建的房子被他的家人夺走了。最终，我们在学校附近的一间土房里安顿下来。

早上，我准备好面团，然后去房子附近的树林里拾柴。我点燃土灶，烤好面包，然后带着儿子出门去学校。我们各自走不同的山路，独自前往各自的学校。我儿子步行一个小时，而我的路程需要45分钟。

18年前，我和许多女孩在这所学校的一顶帐篷下聚集。当时没有专业教师，学校没有建筑，帐篷在酷暑和严寒中难以忍受——但我们仍然满怀热情和强烈的求知欲聚集在那个屋顶下。

如今，我们的学校有了建筑，教室里有桌椅。但女孩们无法再学习超过六年级的课程。

校服已被大大的黑色祈祷服取代，教育官员会来检查。最小的女孩只有六岁。尽管年幼且路途遥远，她们仍必须背着这些沉重的服装，忍受酷暑和严寒，走完这段艰难的路程。

我教一年级，一天的工作在女孩们欢快的笑声中结束。第一次上学的女孩们快乐、充满活力，满怀梦想。和她们在一起让我感到快乐。

口述者：纳希德·纳吉

被锁在室内、渐失希望的学生——楠格哈尔省

有时，当我在白天瞥见镜中的自己，看到自己的肤色和头发时，我会陷入沉默。我看到自己在这几年里真的变了多少。我的皮肤变得苍白无生气，仿佛正在消逝；眼睛下的黑眼圈看起来触目惊心。有时，我会觉得镜中的女孩不是我。

我叫蕾玛*（Leima）。我今年24岁，原本在楠格哈尔省一所私立大学攻读计算机科学。塔利班宣布关闭大学时，我正在房间里做课程项目。晚上9点，我学习结束后在手机上看到了这条新闻。

我陷入了震惊。当母亲和姐妹们看到我时，她们沉默了。她们本想瞒着我这条消息，但我已经知道了。一连几天，家人和亲戚都试图安慰我，说大学会重新开放。

但大学一直关闭着，我彻底绝望了。一直支持我们接受教育的父亲告诉我不要担心，他会想尽一切办法让我继续学业。最终，他决定我们应该离开阿富汗，前往巴基斯坦或土耳其，让我能继续学习。但由于我的弟弟有肢体残疾且瘫痪，我们无法离开。

如今，生活已经到了没有一天是真正平凡的地步。我的脑海中充满了各种思绪和忧虑，甚至在做饭时，眼泪也会不自觉地流下来。

今天凌晨2点，我醒来，诵读祈祷文，坐在祈祷垫上哭泣。每晚我都祈求真主让一切好转。在黑暗中，我走到院子里，仰望寂静的天空、月亮和星星。这给了我一丝安慰。我告诉自己，总有一天一切都会改变。

曾经有一段时间，我每天都会精心打扮。我会用心染发、做造型，涂上最喜欢的亮色口红，把最爱的音乐开到最大声，在房间里快乐地跳舞。今天早上刷完牙后，我想梳头。但忧虑让我的头发大把脱落：梳子上积满了头发，我感觉每一根都像死去了一般。

坐在那里时，我的目光落在了镜子旁边的旧香水上。我拿起一瓶喷在身上，那一刻，我的心情变了。我仿佛回到了几年前的自己。

口述者：霍赛·伊斯梅尔·汗（Hosai Ismail Khan）

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*化名

所有合成图片：卫报设计

帮助女性重新行走的假肢师

法里亚布省

我的工作日围绕着石膏、模具、塑料假肢、剪刀、螺丝、橡胶、胶水和其他工具展开。

我叫纳扎宁*。我今年42岁，是四个孩子的母亲——两个女儿和两个儿子。在过去的21年里，我一直在一家医院担任技术员，为有身体残疾的妇女和儿童制作矫形辅助器具、石膏和塑料假肢。

我每天以祈祷开始，然后叫醒两个儿子，他们早上6点去上课。我的小女儿上二年级，所以我用人力车送她去学校。然而，我13岁的大女儿却不再被允许上学。

现在她独自留在家中。她承担所有家务，为父亲和兄弟姐妹准备饭菜。她已经在家待了两年，这让我心碎。没有人真正理解一个母亲的恐惧。每次我关上身后的大门，都感觉自己的灵魂留在了另一边，陪伴着我的女儿。

我早上8点到达工作岗位，查看我们有多少订单。大多数日子里，我会制作几个石膏或假肢。

工作时，我会想着女儿，猜测她在做什么。她能靠做家务让自己忙碌多久？她能看多少电视？我担心她会伤害自己。我担心她会失去希望。

然后我告诉自己，有许多需要我的女性——她们梦想着能够独立行走，能够自主完成日常事务。我曾经帮助过一位年轻女性，她是七个孩子的母亲。她的丈夫是一名农民，他们住在偏远的山区。在安装假肢之前，她不得不爬行完成日常工作。

现在，她能够在崎岖的田地上自如行走。后来，她来我们这里修理假肢时，兴奋地告诉我们：“我去了市场。我近距离看到了市场。现在我能在自己的土地上劳作，再也不用想自己曾经没有腿的事了。”

傍晚，丈夫下班回家后，会安慰我关于女儿的事。他说：“你焦虑吗？这件事已经发生在所有女孩身上了。”他会带女儿们出去散步，给她们买冰淇淋或一些小东西。他说：“至少让她们的脸上露出一点笑容。”

口述者：托米里斯·塔姆加

梦想成为外科医生的牙科助理

朱兹詹省

去上班的路从来都不轻松。一路上，我会经过几座清真寺和一所塔利班开办的宗教学校。每当年轻男子走出来时，他们看我的眼神有时会让我感到害怕。每次走这条路，我都会想，自己会不会像法尔昆达那样——一个无缘无故被暴徒杀害的年轻女子。那些男人的目光透露出他们对女性走出家门的深深怨恨。

我叫玛尔瓦*。今年23岁，曾经梦想成为一名脑外科医生。当女性被禁止进入大学后，我找到了一门关于牙科修复的在线课程。如今，我在一家由父亲朋友经营的小型私人诊所担任牙科助理。

到达诊所后，我会将恐惧抛诸脑后，专注于工作。塔利班官员和士兵都会来这里看牙。一位指挥官来拔牙时，询问牙医关于麻醉注射的事。陪同他的士兵笑着说：“医生，别给指挥官打麻药。我们的指挥官已经流了那么多血——让他也从牙齿上流点血吧。”

听到这话，我忍不住想，这个人究竟杀害了多少无辜者，让多少家庭失去亲人，又有多少女人和孩子因他而受苦。每一刻，我都担心他会突然发怒。

宣教与防恶部的官员会来诊所检查。他们总是问：“这个年轻女子的监护人是谁？她为什么一个人工作？”我担心他们会关闭诊所，或是给我们制造麻烦。每次他们来，我都会躲起来。

这不是我为自己设想的未来。17岁时，我开始准备阿富汗的全国大学入学考试，当时我对自己说，我要在全省取得最高分。我曾梦想成为一名医生，但等到考试成绩公布时，政治体制已经改变，我无法继续追求这个梦想。曾经教过我的一位男老师来看牙时，看到我后说：“你完全有能力做得比护士或助理更好。如果环境不同，你本可以成为比现在许多执业医生更优秀的医生。”他的话让我深受鼓舞。

有些月份，我感到绝望。但随后，一丝希望又会重新萌生。也许今天的环境还不合适，但谁也不知道明天会怎样。有些女孩已经失去希望，正在寻找生活的庇护所。她们认为，如果结婚，就能在丈夫那里找到庇护。但我想成为自己的庇护所。

口述：阿图萨·阿扎尔

担心学生被迫早婚的老师

萨曼甘省

人们常说，一周的开始充满动力和活力，但自从阿富汗落入塔利班之手，我的学业被迫中断后，我就再也没有生活的动力。无论是清晨还是傍晚，无论是白天还是黑夜，每一天都感觉相同：阴暗而沉重。

我叫法塔娜*。今年25岁，住在阿富汗北部的一个省份。塔利班接管阿富汗时，我正在读法律与政治学专业的第三年，住在政府运营的宿舍里。

从那以后，我就被禁止继续学业。我和6岁的妹妹坐上人力车，前往一所私立学校——我在那里当了近两年的老师，每月工资4,000阿富汗尼（合45英镑）。除了教学，我还努力鼓励我的学生。我告诉她们，要想取得成功，往往需要比男孩付出数倍的努力。

我的一名学生去年因癌症失去了父亲，家里经济困难。她是个安静而忧郁的女孩，常常独来独往。除了正常的课程，我每天还通过WhatsApp给她额外上一小时的英语课。

我无法不担心她的未来。我害怕贫困和家庭的压力会迫使她早早结婚——这种命运仍然影响着许多孩子的生活。

我在学校工作中最痛苦的部分，是看到学生们从六年级毕业。她们在最后一天那悲伤而绝望的面容，让我无法承受。每当我想到这些女孩，猜测她们如今过着怎样的生活，我的心就隐隐作痛。我问自己：有多少人还坚持着对教育的梦想？又有多少人被迫进入了自己不愿选择的婚姻？口述：拉哈·马利克

• 文中姓名均为化名。本报道由《赞时代》协作完成，这是一个由阿富汗境内记者组成的集体，为保障自身安全，他们均使用笔名进行写作

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目击者

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▼ 菲律宾大马尼拉地区 环境与自然资源部的埃斯特罗（运河）巡护员正在清理被 季风暴雨冲入河道的垃圾。这些环保一线工作者守护着 该国的水道，以帮助社区预防洪水 摄影：NOKI, CELIS / 路透社

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国际

以色列军方被指控在黎巴嫩南部引发“生态灭绝”野火

威廉·克里斯托 贝鲁特

黎巴嫩南部的消防员和居民指控以色列军方在近几周点燃该地区的野火，森林区域因以军轰炸引发的大火而被烧毁。

环保组织称这些火灾是以色列长期针对黎巴嫩自然环境的做法之一。

昨日，以色列军方在黎巴嫩南部基亚姆镇外的林区投掷照明弹，引发火灾。纳巴蒂耶地区民防负责人侯赛因·法基赫表示，当消防员前往灭火时，一架无人机在附近发动袭击，迫使他们撤离。

“我们现在的大部分任务都与火灾有关。大片林地被烧毁。我没有确切数字，但在靠近[前线]的地区，约有40%的土地受到火灾影响，”法基赫说。

根据视频和一线救援人员的证词，在6月19日停火协议（主要结束了真主党与以色列之间的战斗）后的近两个月内，以色列军方在黎巴嫩南部多地引发火灾，尤其是橄榄园和农业用地。

以色列军方被要求就每起野火事件置评，但未作回应。

“他们在停火后立即开始这样做，几乎每天都有燃烧弹，”法基赫说。“小型无人机飞出并投掷燃烧物，[白] [...OMITTED...]

▲ 以色列士兵通过投掷照明弹、无人机甚至从投石机抛射燃烧碎片在黎巴嫩南部引发的野火 图片来源：AFF / GETTY

磷弹被射向林地，此外还在白天投掷照明弹，使植被起火。”

黎巴嫩南部其他地区的消防员和居民描述了类似事件：以色列弹药和无人机在干燥灌木丛和林地引发火灾。上周五，以色列弹药在两个森林茂密地区引发大火，分别位于靠近边境的卡法舒巴以及杰津与西部贝卡谷地之间。

该地区民防站站长萨默·哈尔丹表示，周五下午一架无人机在卡法舒巴附近的林地投掷弹药引发火灾。经过通宵灭火并在周六扑灭后，周日第二架无人机再次引发火灾，哈尔丹说。

消防员需与黎巴嫩军方协调行动，后者将请求转达给包含以色列军方的冲突降级机制。他们仅获准前往30个地点灭火，而其他火灾肆虐的地区则无法进入。

环保组织认为，这些火灾是以色列针对黎巴嫩环境攻击模式的一部分。专家表示，这些攻击威胁到黎巴嫩的林地及其支持的生物多样性。

“这些是历史悠久的林地，主要由高产的石松和橡树组成。它们发挥着关键作用。更广泛的区域也是候鸟迁徙的重要通道和栖息地，”黎巴嫩环保组织“南方绿色”的创始人希沙姆·尤尼斯说。

尤尼斯将以色列的攻击描述为“生态灭绝”，并称这是以色列军方通过弹药、火灾和化学攻击破坏黎巴嫩南部生态系统的模式之一。

尤尼斯表示：“这不是关于单一的火灾或攻击，而是一种逐步侵蚀生态系统功能、再生能力和维持生命能力的破坏模式。当这些连锁效应还破坏生计并削弱人们返回和留在土地上的能力时，环境破坏就与更广泛的领土转型本身密不可分。”

自2023年10月8日冲突爆发以来，当时真主党为声援哈马斯前一天发动的袭击向以色列发射火箭弹，以色列已多次针对黎巴嫩的林地发动攻击。以色列军方曾表示，真主党利用这些林区作为其战斗人员和地道的掩护。

生态学家和人权组织警告称，火灾及其他形式的大规模环境破坏将对平民人口产生更广泛的影响。

以色列士兵使用了投石机——一种中世纪的抛石器——投掷燃烧物——

“这种破坏模式会侵蚀生态系统维持生命的能力”

希沙姆·尤尼斯 环保人士

● 过去七天内的活跃火灾足迹

10公里 10英里

数据来源：美国国家航空航天局（NASA）FIRMS VHRS数据，截至2026年8月11日11:00（GMT）

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搜救幸存者

哥伦比亚地震致数百人遇难

小行星猎人

新西兰发现第11颗陨石

29

◄ 权利组织指控 以色列士兵 在黎巴嫩 造成大规模 环境破坏

照片：GPO / SIPA / SHUTTERSTOCK

▲ 以色列军队 昨日在黎巴嫩南部， 焚烧村庄和树木

照片：AMMAR AMMAR / 2024年夏季，以色列军队将燃烧的碎片越过边境墙抛入黎巴嫩，黎巴嫩军方则公布了以色列无人机携带软管的照片，这些无人机向森林喷洒易燃物质。

今年2月，健康和环境专家发出警告，以色列飞机向黎巴嫩南部农场投放了与癌症相关的除草剂。

除了这些火灾对环境和健康造成的后果，黎巴嫩南部的居民还哀悼他们从小生长的村庄绿地遭到破坏。

8月1日，边境村庄亚伦的流离失所居民发现，他们的橄榄树和果园以及房屋被占领该镇的以色列士兵纵火焚烧。

附近基督教城镇拉梅什和艾因埃贝尔的居民发来了火灾的照片，这些村庄是边境附近少数未被以色列士兵清空的村落之一。

“他们已经用推土机铲平了整个村庄。然后他们又放火烧毁了树木。这个特定区域剩下的只有橄榄树——大片橄榄林，树龄非常古老。他们从这里开始纵火，火势随后蔓延到村庄的外围，”亚伦村长哈菲兹·加沙姆说。

在过去的几个月里，亚伦的居民眼睁睁地看着村里900栋房屋中，除了20栋之外，其余全部被以色列军队用推土机铲平，他们在流离失所期间凑钱购买了昂贵的村庄卫星图像。

“这些树中有许多，实际上是大多数，都是从我们的祖父母和父母那里继承下来的。它们具有巨大的情感价值。这些树木也是村民的重要收入来源，”加沙姆说。

“他们试图让这片土地变得不适宜居住。他们正在抹去我们的全部历史、全部文化、所有记忆。也许他们的想法是，过一段时间，这里看起来就好像从来没有人居住过——我不知道。”

叙利亚法院

缺席判处 阿萨德兄弟 死刑

威廉·克里斯托 贝鲁特

叙利亚一家法院缺席判处该国前总统巴沙尔·阿萨德及其弟马希尔死刑，罪名是在长达14年的内战中犯下危害人类罪和战争罪，内战造成约50万人死亡。

2024年12月，两人在一场叛军攻势中被推翻，该政权在11天内垮台，随后二人逃往莫斯科。

这位前总统及其弟弟曾指挥令人畏惧的第四装甲师，并被视为政权最高安全官员，他们在镇压行动中指挥政府军滥杀、逮捕和酷刑，以扑灭始于2011年的抗议活动。

法院称，巴沙尔·阿萨德被判死刑，罪名包括“蓄意谋杀多人及儿童”“酷刑、任意逮捕和危害人类罪”。

法院表示将寻求国际法律途径试图

起诉这两人，但俄罗斯官员已拒绝引渡其前叙利亚盟友。

法院还判处阿萨德的表弟、前德拉省政治安全负责人阿泰夫·纳吉布死刑。纳吉布曾对15名在2011年墙上涂写反阿萨德标语的男孩施以酷刑——这一事件引发了叙利亚南部省份的大规模抗议，并随后蔓延至全国。

纳吉布的审判受到高度关注，法庭照片显示他身穿囚服、被关在笼中听审。叙利亚政府将此案视为其追求过渡性司法的里程碑，专家认为这对弥合国家分裂至关重要。

阿萨德政权倒台后，叙利亚暴力事件频发。2025年3月，在效忠阿萨德的武装分子袭击安全部队后，约1,500名主要为阿拉维派平民在报复性杀戮中丧生。阿萨德属于叙利亚少数派伊斯兰阿拉维教派，在该教派的沿海核心地区拥有强大支持。

2025年7月，在德鲁兹派为主的苏韦达省，当地冲突演变为教派仇杀，造成超过1,700人死亡。

叙利亚当局已采取过渡性司法措施，成立委员会并逮捕阿萨德时代官员，以结束族群间暴力。

阿萨德于2000年34岁时继承父亲哈菲兹的权力成为总统。他曾在伦敦接受眼科医生培训，最初并非总统继承人，但在其兄巴塞尔死于车祸后成为接班人。

尽管他被塑造为改革者，本应允许叙利亚政治和经济的一定自由化，但其遗产主要由其对国家革命的残酷镇压所定义。在其统治下，叙利亚安全部队被赋予自由，大规模逮捕、酷刑和杀害平民。

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![叙利亚民众在大马士革司法宫前聚集，庆祝法院判处前总统巴沙尔·阿萨德及其弟马希尔死刑](

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照片来源：OZ ALIERN ALQAIEM / ANADOLU / GETTY

美国人权组织抗议特朗普对国际刑事法院的制裁

爱丽丝·斯佩里

四家美国主要人权组织指控特朗普政府利用其对国际刑事法院（ICC）的“瘫痪性”制裁制度，破坏对战争罪和反人类罪的起诉工作。

在昨日向联邦法院提交的诉讼中，这些组织——美国公谊服务委员会、宪法权利中心、人权观察和开放社会基金会——认为，政府针对ICC及其相关团体和个人的行动，构成“对国际司法的公然非法攻击”。

该诉讼挑战了特朗普于2025年2月签署的行政命令，该命令对ICC官员、法官及其他支持其调查以色列在巴勒斯坦涉嫌罪行的人员实施制裁——这是这家总部位于荷兰的法庭正在监督的18项战争罪和反人类罪调查之一。

美国国务院和司法部尚未立即回应置评请求。

美国政府长期反对并试图阻碍该法院的工作——美国并非其缔约国——但在ICC检察官于2024年11月对以色列总理本雅明·内塔尼亚胡和前国防部长约阿夫·加兰特发出逮捕令，指控其在加沙犯下的涉嫌罪行后，这些攻击进一步升级。

美国随即对ICC检察官、法官、三个巴勒斯坦主要人权组织以及联合国巴勒斯坦领土问题特别报告员弗朗西斯卡·阿尔巴内塞实施制裁。

今年夏天，美国国务卿马可·卢比奥宣布了一项“解散ICC”的运动。

“特朗普政府不仅剥夺了巴勒斯坦人和美国酷刑受害者平等获得正义的机会，还将他们、他们的律师、倡导者及合作伙伴定为罪犯并予以惩罚，”代表ICC受害者的宪法权利中心高级律师凯瑟琳·加拉格尔表示。“从苏丹、乌克兰到巴勒斯坦和阿富汗，所有国际罪行的受害者都需要并应当拥有一个独立、强大的ICC，能够不畏不惧地履行其终结有罪不罚的使命。”

受美国制裁的个人面临旅行禁令，银行账户被关闭或冻结，数字服务被拒绝。制裁还影响了他们在其他国家获取服务的能力。

未直接受到制裁的权利组织——包括四家原告——也受到影响，制裁阻碍了他们在法庭上代表受害者、向法庭提交材料或与巴勒斯坦团体合作的能力。

“由于制裁制度……如果我继续像以前一样作为律师工作，我可能会被起诉或罚款，”加拉格尔昨日在组织举行的新闻发布会上表示。“因此，我已停止在ICC的积极执业。”

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国际

▼ 救援队在哥伦比亚卡利一栋倒塌建筑的废墟中搜寻幸存者

照片：圣地亚哥·萨尔达里亚加 / 美联社

哥伦比亚地震后救援人员争分夺秒搜寻幸存者

汤姆·菲利普斯 里约热内卢 托马斯·格雷厄姆 波哥大

哥伦比亚救援人员正在争分夺秒搜寻幸存者，此次地震是该国本世纪以来最致命的一次，已造成至少240人死亡，另有至少3,000人失踪。

在受灾最严重的城市之一卡利，消防员表示，他们于昨日凌晨4点前不久从一栋倒塌建筑的废墟中救出了一名35岁男子——距离7.4级地震震撼哥伦比亚西部已过去近24小时。

“我们在废墟下发现了生命……每一分钟都很宝贵，”消防部门在X平台上发布了一段幸存者被从混凝土横梁下救出的视频，并配文写道。

昨日下午，经过16小时的努力，消防员成功救出一名31岁的女子戴安娜·特龙科索，现场突然爆发出一阵掌声。“能从那里出来简直是个奇迹，”她的父亲阿尔瓦罗·特龙科索·托雷斯站在废墟旁对《国家报》记者说道。

据报道，平民至少从一家部分倒塌的酒店中救出了5名幸存者，但该市已确认的95名遇难者遗体中，部分仍可见被覆盖在床单下躺在街头。

哥伦比亚总统阿韦拉多·德拉·埃斯普列利亚上周五刚刚在卡利宣誓就职。周一晚间，他回到该国第三大城市，向记者表示，瓦列·德尔考卡省周边地区有5,000栋房屋被毁，188人失踪。

“我们将共同度过难关，”卡利市长亚历杭德罗·埃德尔在与新总统的电视会议上对该市229 万市民说道。

德拉·埃斯普列利亚在6月的选举中获胜，承诺对非法武装组织采取严厉打击措施，他表示已调动1,000多名士兵以防止发生公共骚乱，因有报道称出现抢劫行为。

距卡利以北130英里（209公里）的佩雷拉市情况同样严峻，据报道，该市58栋倒塌建筑中至少有53人被困。当地报纸《日报》称有11人失踪。

周一，佩雷拉市长毛里西奥·萨拉萨尔在描述该市遭受的破坏时情绪崩溃，泣不成声。该市已确认至少66人死亡。

“佩雷拉正在经历一场历史性的艰难时刻，”萨拉萨尔哽咽着说道，并解释医院正因患者激增而不堪重负。

此次地震发生于当地时间周一上午7.34，是哥伦比亚自1999,年1月6.2级地震摧毁该国西部咖啡种植区并造成1,000多人死亡以来最致命的一次。

这场自然灾害对德拉·埃斯普列利亚构成了直接而严峻的挑战，这位极右翼民粹主义者此前没有从政或执政经验。

邻国委内瑞拉代理领导人因对6月24日袭击该国北部海岸的双重地震反应迟缓且无能而遭到平民严厉批评，该地震造成至少6,300人死亡。哥伦比亚周一的地震造成的破坏似乎远小于委内瑞拉更浅层且更具破坏性的地震，但官方反应明显比委内瑞拉更有组织、积极和透明。

在哥伦比亚地震发生后的数小时内，德拉埃斯普列亚迅速宣布进入紧急状态，并表示将亲自领导灾害应对工作，先后前往乔科省和卡利市。

他已派遣由其新任命内阁多位部长率领的团队前往各重灾区。政府官员定期发布最新情况通报。德拉埃斯普列亚原定于昨日飞往佩雷拉。

专家将两国截然不同的应对归因于各自不同的政治现实。委内瑞拉在独裁者尼古拉斯·马杜罗十多年的威权统治下，国家机构和公民社会日渐衰微，国际援助组织和非政府组织难以开展工作。

批评人士对哥伦比亚亲唐纳德·特朗普领导人可能采取的威权倾向表示担忧。但该国仍是一个充满活力的多党制民主国家。

智库查塔姆研究所拉丁美洲问题高级研究员克里斯托弗·萨巴蒂尼表示，正是这两种截然不同的体制解释了两国在自然灾害应对上的巨大差异。萨巴蒂尼回忆称，在6月的双重地震后，马杜罗的威权继任者——在代理总统德尔茜·罗德里格斯的领导下，在特朗普的支持下继续掌权——采取了“防御性收缩”姿态。

相比之下，萨巴蒂尼表示，哥伦比亚官员做出了“迅速、果断、公开且即时的回应”，展现了“一个高效、有力的国家”。

达拉斯北德克萨斯大学拉丁美洲政治专家奥兰多·佩雷斯也指出了两国应对的显著差异。

“所有人都在称赞德拉埃斯普列亚的快速反应。他的回应方式更加公开，并展现了领导力，”佩雷斯说，“但如果初期的能量和行动未能跟进有效的重建和恢复工作，情况可能会迅速恶化。”

北京预计迎来年降雨量三分之一 台风“海豚”来袭

艾米·霍金斯

台风“海豚”昨日登陆北京，导致顺义区部分地区出现洪水，预计夜间降雨将进一步加强。

尽管该风暴已降级为热带低压，但北京多个区已启动最高级别防汛应急响应，预计今日将迎来年降雨量的三分之一。

水利部启动4级应急响应，并向北京及邻近港口城市天津的重灾区派遣人员。

中国官方媒体报道称，北京已下令250多支防汛队伍待命，并准备在地铁站、医院和养老机构设置防洪屏障。

北京市气象部门预测，从昨晚至明日，北京大部分地区将出现强降雨，24小时累计降雨量将超过150毫米。而北京年平均降雨量为528毫米。

北京郊区的1个区已启动1级防汛应急响应。在北京西部山区门头沟区，当局昨日发布最高级别洪水预警，并建议民众留在室内。

今年登陆中国的最强台风“海豚”表现出异常韧性，在登陆周末前行进近6,000公里（3,728英里），给中国东部沿海带来强降雨，并伴随大范围云系。

周末期间，由于担心洪水和山体滑坡，中国东部超过900,000人被转移至安全地带。

浙江省沿海城市温州表示已转移900,000人，并开放1,500多个应急避难所。邻近的福建省则转移了98,900人。

截至周日晚间，上海已从高风险区域转移215,600人。

昨日早些时候，“海豚”移至中国中部省份湖北，该省是汽车和高科技电子制造业中心，拥有超过5800 万人口。

昨日，国家气象中心再次发布暴雨橙色预警（27级中的第二高级别预警），预计湖北西北部24小时内降雨量将达250毫米。湖北当局已向襄阳、黄冈和随州等城市发布黄色预警。

路透社补充报道

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国际

特朗普在行政命令中针对儿童疫苗并抨击MMR疫苗

梅洛迪·施赖伯 约瑟夫·格迪恩 华盛顿报道

唐纳德·特朗普签署了一项行政命令，呼吁减少儿童疫苗接种，并建议将MMR疫苗（麻疹、腮腺炎、风疹三联疫苗）拆分为三针单独注射。

此举是美国总统及其卫生部长罗伯特·F·肯尼迪 Jr. 推动的一系列反疫苗政策中的最新动作。肯尼迪是一名反疫苗活动人士，曾宣扬疫苗与自闭症之间存在关联，这一说法已被科学家多次驳斥。

特朗普的行政命令遭到医学协会、公共卫生专家及疫苗制造商的批评。他们表示，目前没有新证据支持这些变更，现行的美国疫苗接种计划是基于数十年的证据和美国人的健康需求制定的。

“合在一起，它们可能相当致命，”特朗普在周一签署命令时声称MMR疫苗。

当被问及是否有证据证明MMR联合疫苗“致命”时，特朗普表示：“没有。我听到的是有些人说情况如此。”

然而，这项行政命令的影响可能更多是象征性而非实际性。目前美国尚无单独获得许可的麻疹、腮腺炎和风疹疫苗，且疫苗许可流程需耗时数年。

该命令还规定，“在最大可行范围内，所有儿童免疫接种均应在单独的就诊中进行”。这将给家庭和医疗服务提供者带来压力，因为需要增加多次就诊。美国对婴幼儿的研究表明，使用联合疫苗可提高在两岁前完成所有推荐疫苗接种的可能性。

特朗普和肯尼迪在签署仪式上多次提及自闭症，声称疫苗与该病症之间存在未经证实的关联。数十项研究表明两者之间并无关联。

“今天，我们自豪地正式宣布美国儿童疫苗接种推荐标准的黄金准则。这涉及多个主题，特别是自闭症，”特朗普在行政命令签署开始时表示。

“我见过证据，他们把看起来像一瓶汽水大小的疫苗注入一个小孩的身体，结果在太多情况下发生了不好的事情，”他随后声称，并补充道：“这是一场爆炸，是一种流行病，”显然是在影射自闭症。

该命令遭到路易斯安那州共和党参议员比尔·卡西迪的批评。卡西迪是一名医生，担任参议院卫生委员会主席，并曾在特朗普卫生机构提名人选的审批过程中发挥关键作用，投下了确认肯尼迪的决定性一票。

“这一行政命令是错误的，”卡西迪表示，“总统没有专业知识来做出这些改变。疫苗绝大多数情况下是安全的。疫苗是有效的。疫苗不会导致自闭症……家长应听取孩子儿科医生关于疫苗的建议，而不是听信一项不准确的行政命令。这大错特错。”

在一次媒体电话会议上，一名白宫官员表示，该命令基于美国卫生与公众服务部（HHS）的一份科学评估，该评估“比较了美国与其他发达国家同行”，并审视了“在哪些方面我们的同行达成了共识”。

疫苗专家表示，其他可能建议减少接种剂次的发达国家面临不同的疾病风险，且拥有不同的医疗体系。该官员称，推荐的儿童免疫接种疾病数量将从2024年底的18种降至11种。

约翰斯·霍普金斯健康系统感染预防儿科主任亚伦·米尔斯通博士表示，医生希望向家长保证，“有非常非常多年的科学数据证明儿童疫苗的安全性”。

儿童接种疫苗的时机也经过充分研究，他表示。“我们给儿童接种疫苗时，即使他们年龄很小，也是因为我们知道这样做是安全的，而且……我们知道这是他们身体产生最佳免疫反应的最佳时机。”

美国儿科学会（AAP）的医生表示，这项行政命令散布了不确定性和混乱。疫苗与自闭症之间的潜在关联也已得到全面研究——AAP主席安德鲁·拉西内博士表示，在七个以上国家进行的40多项设计严谨的研究中，涉及超过500万名儿童。

“关于疫苗是否与自闭症存在关联这一问题，我不确定还有什么问题像这个一样被如此彻底地研究过，”他说，“而答案是明确的：没有关联。”

补充报道 路透社及美联社

火球的碎片

新西兰第11块陨石的发现之旅

娜塔莎·梅

上个月，一颗巨大的火球划过新西兰天空数天后，史蒂夫·温-哈里斯在地面发现了一块黑色小石头。这位公民天文学家当时正在搜寻陨石碎片。他将这块石头装进袋子，但并不太有信心，因为他表示大多数发现最终都被证明是“伪陨石”。

但当他将拇指大小的石头靠近冰箱磁铁，以检测陨石中常见的铁和镍时，磁铁吸住了。温-哈里斯在视频通话中与其他公民科学家和地质学家一同进行了测试，磁铁吸附的瞬间，“我们都在大喊”。

他的发现标志着新西兰第11块得到确认的陨石。陨石是流星进入地球大气层燃烧后落到地面的残余岩石。在新西兰寻找陨石碎片可能颇具挑战，这与该国地广人稀、地形崎岖的特点有关。

温-哈里斯是“新西兰火流星联盟”（Fireballs Aotearoa）的负责人，该联盟由天文学家、地质学家和公民科学家组成，目前在全国设有200个摄像头，旨在记录流星雨并回收陨石。7月28日，该组织及其摄像头追踪到一颗划过北岛的流星，人们纷纷上网描述这一耀眼的景象和“巨大的爆炸声”。

录像显示可能有多个碎片。在处理了包括风速和飞行路径预测在内的数据后，该组织锁定了一个有希望的区域。他们对地点保密，担心公开呼吁协助会引发“陨石热潮”：去年在尼日尔发现的一块火星陨石售价超过500万美元（370万英镑），尽管新西兰法律禁止此类交易。

温-哈里斯表示，他在预定搜索区域前一天在河岸附近的农田侦察时发现了这块陨石。“我第一次发现并装袋时并没有太兴奋，因为当时只搜寻了大约40分钟，”他说。

但当晚在视频通话中，一位地质学家查看了这块石头，并指出其外壳具有陨石的特征。第二天，一个由11人组成的团队展开了更大范围的搜索。

在温-哈里斯发现重8克的陨石两天后，地质学博士生利亚姆·麦戈文发现了第二块碎片，重39克。在10天内，搜索队共发现了四块碎片，总重75克，其中一块落在一户人家的车道上。

温-哈里斯表示，这颗陨石进入大气层前的轨迹表明它来自小行星带，属于“普通球粒陨石”。“这个名字不太恰当，因为它们并不普通，”他说。这些碎片将由地质学家马歇尔·帕尔默博士进一步分析。帕尔默将为这些陨石正式命名，它们将共同成为新西兰第11块有记录的陨石。

地球科学家詹姆斯·斯科特教授表示，这些碎片“100%”是陨石，且可能与新西兰1863年发现的第一块陨石同源。

“两者可能来自同一个母体，即太阳系早期附近的一颗小行星。这让我大为震惊。我们有两块在太空中形成的岩石，来自一颗被灾难性摧毁的小行星……而它们最终落在相距不到10公里的范围内。”

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国际

29

《我怀念她的梦想》

泰国哀悼 校园枪击案最小遇难者

娜塔莎·梅 坎玛帕·罗万尼坤 暖武里府

当上周校园大规模枪击案中最小遇难者的父母抵达曼谷北部的寺庙时，泪眼婆娑的家长们在祈祷开始前默默上前表示哀悼，面对这位12岁女孩的棺木。然而，在一瞬间，气氛发生了变化。

一名男子到场，双膝跪地，哭泣着低头行传统“合十礼”，向失去女儿纳帕·差玛的夫妇恳求宽恕。

他是14岁枪手的父亲尼提·伊姆鲁昂，请求他们的原谅。

纳帕的父亲蓬通·差玛伸手扶起这名男子，但对方仍低头羞愧，尽管蓬通接受了道歉。

女孩的父母告诉尼提，他们理解他也正经历艰难时刻。他的儿子帕差·伊姆鲁昂在枪杀祖父母后，又在曼谷西北部的德布西林暖武里学校杀害6人、致伤30人，随后开枪自尽。

枪手的父亲在葬礼前告诉《卫报》：“我同时经历着太多情绪。我感到内疚和心碎，因为我也遭受了损失。我失去了孩子，还有我的父母。而看到小女孩的父亲对我如此宽容和理解，更让我感到无比愧疚。”

他至今仍不明白儿子为何如此行事。

这名少年在袭击中使用了祖父的枪。自两岁时父母离异后，他一直与祖父母同住。

但他的父亲每周末都会去看望他，并送他去上额外的补习班。“对我来说，他是第一位的。但他性格内向，沉默寡言，通常把心事藏在心里。不过最近，他变得比以前更加沉默。

“我以前经常问他在学校的情况，他总是说‘还行’。我还会问他

“我感到内疚和心碎……我不仅失去了孩子，也失去了父母”

Nithi Yimruang

枪手的父亲

关于他在学校的情况，他只会说“还行”。

“但现在，我再也无法了解或询问他了。”

这起枪击事件在全国引起了强烈反响，泰国国王和总理带头表达哀悼。

▲ 上图：覆盖着泰国国王和王后花圈的棺木。上图：寺庙中纳帕特·蔡玛的照片。左图：警察在枪击现场。照片来源：ATMIT PERAWONGMETHA / CHANAKARN LAOJARAKHAM / GETTY / REUTERS

在寺庙内，纳帕特的棺木两侧摆放着国王玛哈·哇集拉隆功送来的黄色花圈，以及王后素提达送来的紫粉色花圈。此外，还有总理阿努廷·查恩维拉库尔及多位内阁部长送来的花圈。

王室周日宣布，国王已为遇难者及其家属和亲属提供皇家赞助。这意味着所有伤者将作为皇家照顾的病人接受治疗，而遇难者的葬礼和火化仪式也将获得皇家资助。

在寺庙内，数百名哀悼者——包括老师、家长和朋友——挤满了纳帕特灵柩所在的房间，僧侣们正在诵经祈祷。花圈和椅子一直延伸到室外的遮蔽区域。

纳帕特入读这所学校仅三个月，是7年级新生中的一员。

纳帕特的父母说：“我们最怀念的是她的梦想。

“新学期开始后，她参加了舞蹈比赛和泰国传统服饰比赛。本月底，她还将参加啦啦队比赛。她非常享受展现自我。”

当纳帕特的父母得知枪击事件后，不断拨打女儿的电话。后来，一名警官打来电话说她在帕那空拉医院，情况危急。纳帕特于周六去世，遇难总人数上升至9人，包括袭击者。

纳帕特的老师（不愿透露姓名）回忆说，她是个活跃的表演者。他表示，她本不该出现在枪击发生的大楼内，但当时她和其他学生一起去接种疫苗。

纳帕特的父母说，他们并不责怪学校。“我认为这种事可能发生在任何地方。世界上的任何地方。”

简讯

加拿大

儿童拒系安全带 班机被迫取消

加拿大一家航空公司取消了一趟从维多利亚飞往多伦多的航班，原因是一名儿童拒绝系安全带。该航空公司表示，2022年8月6日，Porter航空公司的航班在离开登机口滑行至跑道时，这名儿童站在座椅上。机组人员和陪同的家长多次尝试让儿童坐好并系上安全带，但均未成功。最终，机组决定返回登机口，要求这两名乘客下机，“因为飞机在这种情况下无法安全起飞”。Porter航空公司称，已为乘客重新预订次日的航班。奥利维娅·鲍登 报道

俄罗斯

前美国海军陆战队员获释 入狱四年后被赦免

俄罗斯释放了一名自2022年起入狱的前美国海军陆战队员，弗拉基米尔·普京以人道主义为由赦免了这名健康状况不佳的美国人。据俄罗斯官方媒体报道，32岁的罗伯特·吉尔曼曾短暂服役于美国海军陆战队，后成为英语教师，2022年在沃罗涅日市因醉酒踢打警察被捕。他随后被判处四年半监禁。近几周，吉尔曼的健康状况引发严重关注，白宫敦促莫斯科释放他，以便其在美国接受治疗。皮奥特尔·绍尔 报道

土耳其

矿工讨薪抗议 逾80人被捕

矿工工会表示，周一，逾80名要求领取拖欠工资的矿工在土耳其能源部门前被捕。独立矿工工会号召土耳其中部和东部两座煤矿和银矿的员工举行抗议。

今年4月，来自其中一座矿场的约100名矿工在安卡拉进行了为期9天的抗议（见下图），要求支付拖欠工资。

抗议活动在雇主宣布达成协议后结束，但矿工们表示已收到工资，却要求补偿被迫休假数月的损失。法新社 报道

!

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哈德斯菲尔德大学

补录名额开放

金牌大学招生

访问 hud.ac.uk / clearing

TEF 2023

金奖

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国际

11

澳大利亚总理拒绝为“瓜果”玩笑道歉

乔希·巴特勒

澳大利亚总理安东尼·阿尔巴尼斯拒绝就一档讽刺播客节目中关于瓜果的玩笑向日本首相道歉，该玩笑被指含有性暗示。

在野党联盟批评上月的言论“低俗”后，政府议员为总理辩护。助理部长帕特·戈尔曼表示：“我不知道为什么我们还在讨论这件事。”

今年7月初，阿尔巴尼斯在喜剧播客《丛林深处》（Bush Deep）的采访中提到，日本领导人高市早苗赠送了他日本甜瓜作为礼物。

在谈及这份礼物时，他似乎在胸前做了手势，说道：“她带了两个，你懂的。”主持人尼基·奥斯本开玩笑说：“她进来时看起来像帕梅拉·安德森。”

阿尔巴尼斯此前未对这些言论作出回应，但在昨天的议会质询时间，反对党要求他道歉。自由党议员玛丽·奥尔德雷德在提问中称阿尔巴尼斯的言论“粗俗、无教养”且“失礼”。

阿尔巴尼斯回应道：“我拒绝接受问题中的指控。”

他继续表示：“澳大利亚和日本的关系从未如此紧密，战略合作也前所未有。我的政府已将我们的特殊战略伙伴关系提升到新的高度。”

一名自由党议员插话问道：“你在播客里为什么不这么说？”

奥尔德雷德再次要求阿尔巴尼斯道歉，他则再次提及与高市早苗的多次会面及日澳两国的紧密关系。

瓜果言论再次成为政治话题，缘于《澳大利亚人报》周一刊登了日本前驻澳大使山上信吾的评论文章。山上信吾于2023年卸任，他称阿尔巴尼斯的玩笑“粗俗”，并认为此举侮辱了高市早苗。

《澳大利亚人报》昨日报道称，日本政府在播客播出数天后的7月向澳大利亚发送了一份外交电报，称澳大利亚媒体的报道“过度渲染”，并表示未从阿尔巴尼斯的言论中察觉“恶意”。

反对党领袖安格斯·泰勒周一要求阿尔巴尼斯道歉，其副手简·休姆则称瓜果言论“低俗”且“有辱总理职位”。

山上信吾昨天对News24表示，阿尔巴尼斯应考虑今年访问日本与高市早苗会面，称该事件在日本国内引发了讨论。“我们需要向前看，但我认为双方应相互尊重，”山上信吾说。

工党议员为总理辩护。当被问及是否需要道歉时，戈尔曼表示：“没有这个必要。”资源部长马德琳·金则称报道“过度渲染”。

阿尔巴尼斯在同一期播客采访中还因在“上床、结婚、约会”游戏中提名凯莉·米洛而引发争议。总理当时“毫无保留”地为此道歉。

英伟达与华尔街达成5000亿加元AI硬件交易

卡莉娜·马科托夫

英伟达已与六家华尔街大型金融机构达成协议，筹集超过5000亿美元（€370）资金，用于建设数据中心、芯片工厂和发电站，以推动人工智能热潮。

英伟达首席执行官黄仁勋在X平台上表示，此举标志着“英伟达和AI行业的一个重要里程碑”，并发布了一张自己与参与交易的金融机构高管合影，其中包括高盛首席执行官戴维·所罗门，照片中他面带微笑竖起大拇指。

他确认，市值达$5.3tn的英伟达已与高盛、阿波罗、贝莱德、黑石、布鲁克菲尔德和KKR签署谅解备忘录，为业内所称的“算力”提供资金支持。这里的“算力”指用于运行、训练和构建AI的硬件，如数据中心和芯片。

“许多优秀的AI公司、企业和AI云服务商对算力有需求，但尚未获得足够规模或成本的融资来快速建设，”黄仁勋表示，并补充称这笔资金“将使AI工厂更易于被那些建设未来的公司、行业和国家所获取”。

此举凸显了AI计算能力需求的激增正吸引机构投资者，各国政府、企业和初创公司竞相扩建数据中心。

大型科技公司已发出信号，今年AI相关支出可能超过7300亿美元。然而，市场对公司高估值与实现其雄心所需的巨额投资之间的关联性存在担忧。

上月，英格兰银行警告称，AI发展可能对金融稳定构成风险，尤其是在借贷企业无法实现可持续盈利或面临重大中断的情况下。“投资步伐前所未有，”英格兰银行在7月发布的金融稳定报告中指出，并提到AI公司正越来越多地通过债务“支持基础设施投资”。

“如果未来几年AI债务融资规模如预期增长，AI公司遭遇负面冲击导致亏损或影响其偿债能力，可能会对全球融资环境产生更实质性影响，”报告称，并暗示这可能引发信贷紧缩，导致企业和家庭更难以更高成本获得贷款。

英格兰银行还警告银行和私人信贷机构，应考虑到他们可能无法全面了解在AI行业承担的风险。

“由于AI公司的资金来源多样，且这些安排的透明度各异，金融机构可能难以充分了解其对AI生态系统和AI公司的直接及间接风险敞口，”政策制定者表示。“这可能增加风险敞口超出预期或未在机构风险管理中充分反映的风险。”

英伟达表示，该融资安排将“以有吸引力的利率为客户创建大规模专用资金池”。公司未披露具体财务条款、各机构的投资承诺或计划部署$500bn的时间表。

“每一次工业革命都建立在基础设施之上：电力、交通、通信和计算，每一次建设都由外部融资推动，”黄仁勋表示。“AI工厂是智能时代的基础设施。”

路透社补充报道

era.

伊斯坦布尔机场超越希思罗成为欧洲最繁忙机场

格温·托普姆 交通记者

伊斯坦布尔机场在旅客吞吐量上已超越希思罗机场，成为欧洲最繁忙的机场，伦敦枢纽机场表示其“扩建理由从未如此明确”。

昨日公布的数据显示，2023年7月份希思罗机场接待旅客790万人次，而伊斯坦布尔机场则为815万人次。

希思罗机场7月份的旅客人数有所下降，而伦敦斯坦斯特德机场和曼彻斯特机场则创下当月客流纪录。

根据国际机场协会（Airports Council International）的年度数据，在疫情前的二十多年里，希思罗机场的旅客吞吐量一直位居欧洲各机场之首。

然而，英国最大的机场在2020年因新冠疫情旅行限制失去了这一领先地位，直到2023年才重新夺回。

希思罗机场7月份的旅客总数同比下降了1.5%，部分原因是美以对伊朗的战争，而土耳其枢纽机场则录得2.3%的增长。

希思罗机场的两条跑道已接近满负荷运行，正寻求政府批准建设第三条跑道。一项耗资€33bn的扩建计划将使其年旅客吞吐量提升至1.5亿人次。

希思罗机场表示：“扩建的理由从未如此明确，因为希思罗机场在7月份被伊斯坦布尔机场超越，失去了欧洲最繁忙枢纽机场的地位。

“我们的计划将确保英国获得所需的基础设施，保持竞争力，并带来至关重要的经济增长。”

然而，这一对比可能并不能完全支持希思罗机场的扩建理由。伊斯坦布尔机场于2018年底在远离市区和居民区的地点启用，逐步取代阿塔图尔克机场成为主要国际枢纽。

交通大臣海蒂·亚历山大于6月启动了关于希思罗机场扩建的公众咨询，为第三条跑道的建设设定了条件。时任财政大臣的雷切尔·里夫斯表示，她决心在本届议会任期内“破土动工”，并确保跑道在2035年前建成。

安迪·伯纳姆对扩建计划表示担忧，称这将使基础设施投资“从北部地区转移并滞留在伦敦”。

伦敦斯坦斯特德机场7月份创下单月最繁忙纪录，接待旅客310万人次，而曼彻斯特机场也创下7月份纪录，接待旅客340万人次。

PA媒体补充报道

▲ 希思罗机场7月份接待旅客790万人次，而伊斯坦布尔机场则录得815万人次 图片来源：STEFAN ROUSSEAU PA

▲ 唐纳德·特朗普的Truth Social帖子常影响股票和债券价格

特朗普传媒签约10家客户，提前获取社交媒体帖子

马安维·辛格

唐纳德·特朗普的传媒公司表示，已签约首批10家客户，提前获取这位美国总统在Truth Social上的帖子。

该公司正推出一项名为“Truth API”的新服务，向华尔街交易公司出售提前获取特朗普及其他高级用户在Truth Social上发布的帖子的权限——使这些公司能够从特朗普在该平台上发布的重大政策公告后股票、债券和利率的波动中获利。

该公司首席执行官凯文·麦格恩表示，Truth API服务的月费在6万美元至10万美元（44,400 英镑和7.4 万英镑）之间。他补充说，订阅者主要是所谓的高频交易公司，这些公司在毫秒级时间内进行买卖。

这一消息发布之际，拥有Truth Social平台的特朗普传媒科技公司宣布第二季度亏损2.38亿美元。

特朗普传媒科技公司昨日公布的报告显示，截至6月的三个月内，公司因进军包括加密货币在内的新业务而出现亏损。

这一付费服务及特朗普传媒科技公司受到政府监管机构的批评。华盛顿大学法学院教授、政府利益冲突规则专家凯瑟琳·克拉克上月对美联社表示：“（特朗普）正在出售提前、特权获取其作为总统所做事情信息的权限。这是更加肆无忌惮的腐败行为，是对政府权力的不当利用，以中饱私囊。”

麦格恩驳斥了这些担忧，指出其他公司也向交易商出售特殊的快速访问权限。“通过商业API提供经许可的实时公共数据是科技、金融信息和媒体行业中普遍存在的商业惯例，”他说，“这并无不同。”

第二季度，特朗普传媒公司营收为170万美元（170万美元），同比增长89%。

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商业

扎克伯格阐述AI愿景，Meta发布开源模型

尼克·罗宾斯-厄利

马克·扎克伯格发表了一篇长文，阐述其对人工智能的看法，与此同时，Meta发布了一款名为"Muse Glimmer"的新开源AI模型，旨在与Anthropic和OpenAI的产品竞争。

在题为《未来属于每一个人》的文章中，Meta首席执行官探讨了数据中心、政府监管、网络安全、生物武器制造、劳动力市场混乱以及监控权力等问题。

这篇于周一发表、长达6000多字的文章，描绘了一个乌托邦式的AI愿景——

60

扎克伯格6000字文章中提到"超级智能"一词的次数

将AI描述为一种个性化的"超级智能"，并使用了该词60次。

"有人认为，超级智能本身或少数控制它的专家应决定什么对人类最有利。我们不同意，"扎克伯格写道。

文章的核心论点是支持可免费下载的开放权重AI模型——如Meta所开发的这类模型——并反对政府监管。

扎克伯格的立场使他和Meta与行业领导者OpenAI和Anthropic区别开来。这两家前沿实验室已发布专有AI产品，并主张尖端模型应由开发公司严格控制。

硅谷正围绕如何监管AI发展展开激烈辩论。随着Anthropic和OpenAI在行业中迅速崛起，Meta等竞争对手对其主导地位日益警惕，并试图将其开放模型定位为替代方案。

扎克伯格将Meta对开放权重AI的追求描述为一种更民主的技术版本，能在用户（无论是国家、企业还是个人）之间创造"权力平衡"。他的计划还涉及让用户决定模型应具备的"价值观"，而非由公司编码固定的防护栏和信念。

"如果超级智能的力量掌握在少数个人、企业、政府或AI手中，那么自然会导致对其他所有人不利的结果，"扎克伯格写道。

科技领袖们已形成一种惯例，发布关于AI的广泛且略显哲学化的论述，这些文章往往兼具公司及产品的营销功能。Anthropic的达里奥·阿莫迪、OpenAI的萨姆·阿尔特曼、Palantir的亚历克斯·卡普以及风险投资家马克·安德森均撰写过关于该技术优劣的长篇宣言。

扎克伯格还呼吁加速建设AI基础设施，如数据中心。他表示Meta将设立一项基金，加大对数据中心附近社区的投资。

他称监管将导致中国在AI竞赛中超越美国，并声称中国在基础设施建设方面已具优势。"任何延缓美国模型发布的政策——哪怕仅一个月——都可能给美国领导地位带来重大风险，同时让外国模型抢占先机，"他说道。

文章中的许多政策计划缺乏细节，或重复了AI将带来丰富财富和繁荣的既有论调，如宣称每个人都将拥有"发明超能力"来创办新企业。他描绘的未来也与Meta的产品紧密相连，如其智能眼镜。

"每个人都将拥有一个极其强大的个人助理，它理解你、你的目标以及你关心的一切，"他说道。"你可以通过任何设备与你的助理互动，包括你的眼镜。"

扎克伯格基本上回避了裁员、自主武器和政府监控等问题。他表示，执法部门和军方已经拥有比普通人更强大的情报收集能力，而这种情况将随着人工智能的应用持续下去。

新征服时代前线的卓越报道

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15

房产 vs 土地：市政税、印花税及新首相的财富替代方案

菲利普·伊曼

住宅房产是英国最大的财富储备，长期以来一直是主张对住房征收更多税收的人的目标。对于安迪·伯纳姆而言，房地产是一颗诱人的“果实”，他正寻求通过对其征税来为社会保障体系改革和更高的国防开支等财政优先事项提供资金。然而，如何对房产或其所在的土地征税，数百年来一直困扰着经济学家和政治家。

目前房产如何征税？

市政税、印花税和资本利得税（CGT）是英格兰房产的主要税种。所有居民根据1991年房产价值缴纳市政税，并按A至H的系列税级划分——同时在高端增设多个税级，以落实雷切尔·里夫斯的豪宅税。

苏格兰、威尔士和北爱尔兰的房产税由权力下放的地方政府管理，采用不同的体系——威尔士使用2003年的房产估值。此外，英国的房东必须为租金收益缴纳所得税，而企业则根据其房产的租金价值缴纳营业税。

英国的房产税收收入在经合组织（OECD）国家中居于首位。英国预算责任办公室估计，2025-26财年市政税收入将达£50亿，营业税£34亿，房产交易税£17亿。

与威廉三世时期的窗税类似，市政税被广泛认为是一项失败的税种，或至少已过时，因此左右翼政客均呼吁对其进行改革或废除。这是一种累退税，低价值房产的税负更重，且税率在全国各地不一。印花税适用于房屋销售，对高价值房产征收更高比例，而许多低价房屋交易则免税，因此具有累进性。约10%的主要住宅所有者拥有第二套住房，这些房产在出售时需缴纳印花税和资本利得税。

£510亿

根据英国预算责任办公室预测，2025-26财年英国市政税收入估计

£5.5万亿

2022年英国居民拥有的房产总价值（扣除抵押贷款后）。60岁以上人群拥有其中超过一半的产权

为何呼吁改革房产税？

2022年，英国居民在扣除抵押贷款后拥有约£5.5万亿的房产，伯纳姆的顾问暗示首相有意通过全面改革市政税并废除印花税，推行基于房产价值的单一年度税来获取部分财富。

对英格兰所有住宅进行重新估值将是一项庞大的任务，估值办公室需雇佣大量员工，但预计人工智能将在此过程中提供巨大支持。

市政税的批评者认为，当人们因高市政税而不愿迁往房价低但税负重的贫困地区时，会损害经济。今年，万兹沃思的D级市政税账单为1英镑，而同级别的莱斯特郡房产需缴纳75英镑，仅略低于多塞特最高D级税额43英镑。

基于土地或房产估值的单一固定税率将有利于贫困地区。它还能为政府提供稳定的收入来源，因为无论经济状况如何，该税种都必须缴纳，而印花税和资本利得税在经济衰退期间则大幅减少。

可选方案有哪些？

经济学家倾向于土地税，因为对房产征税会阻止业主进行提升其价值的改进。伯纳姆批评了那些囤积土地的房地产开发商，因为在建成之前无需缴纳任何税款。土地囤积是首相希望终结的弊病。

税收政策协会（Tax Policy Associates）的计算显示，以1.28%的税率征收土地价值税（LVT），取代市政税和住宅印花税后，约三分之二的家庭税负将减少，而三分之一（主要为富裕地区）的家庭税负将增加。

该机构创始人丹·内德尔（Dan Neidle）表示，在此方案下，D级房屋（平均价值为35.8 万英镑）将被征收2,551 英镑，而目前平均市政税账单为2,267 英镑，潜在的印花税费用为7,933 英镑。H级房屋将成为最大输家。内德尔称，一套平均价值260 万英镑m的H级房屋，业主目前支付4,081 英镑，但在LVT制度下，这一费用将飙升至30,534 英镑，不过若出售房产，20 万英镑的印花税账单将被免除。

土地税支持者表示，随着时间的推移，税率百分比可以提高，从而让政客得以废除其他税种，直至最终取消所得税和国民保险，由土地税承担所有支出。

另一种选择是比例财产税——每年按房产价值征收单一固定税率。"更公平份额"（Fairer Share）运动提出，这一税率可设定为0.48%，第二套住房则加倍。据报道，雷切尔·里夫斯（Rachel Reeves）在2025年曾考虑用“比例”财产税取代印花税。

第三种可能性是加强交易税——取消主要私人住宅减免（允许自住房产免缴资本利得税），并在出售任何房产时征收资本利得税，即使该房产是在数十年前以远低于现价的价格购买的。

有哪些反对意见？

从实际操作来看，全面改革市政税可能需要数年时间，并可从高端住宅逐步推行。牛津大学学者约翰·穆尔鲍尔教授（Prof John Muelbauer）已与财政部官员讨论过在估价办公室完成里夫斯启动的豪宅税估值项目后，对高端住宅按价值百分比征税。较低税级的房屋则可从1991年的估值数据逐步更新，直至所有房屋均按百分比税率征税。

居住在大型高价住宅的老年选民可能无法负担更新后的市政税或LVT方案下的更高税负，但多数经济学家表示，他们可以推迟至房产出售时再缴纳。内德尔表示，这种让步表明，全面转向LVT并取消印花税将在短期内导致政府收入大幅下降，而改革的初衷是增加收入。

不过，尽管财产税制度变革会导致部分群体受损，“更公平份额”组织认为，0.48%的比例财产税将降低大多数家庭的税单，同时将税负转移至高价值房产和第二套住房。

其他国家如何对房产或土地征税？

在法国，所有房屋和土地业主必须缴纳“房地产税”（taxe foncière），这是一种基于房产“可租赁价值”的地方税，该价值由位置、建筑类型、舒适度和面积等因素决定。第二套住房业主还需缴纳“基于当地政府和土地登记处定义的房产租赁价值”的居住税（taxe d'habitation）。

大卫·斯奎尔斯谈……英格兰足球联赛球迷的受虐人生

英格兰和威尔士各地的足球受虐狂们本周可以期待英格兰足球联赛（EFL）的回归，或者用它的正式名称来说，就是"电线联赛"。对于大多数这些俱乐部而言，它们的存在本身就是一场持久的挣扎，因为它们不得不与那些真正的联赛超级俱乐部以及其他联赛的奇葩现象——比如邻居偷窥你的手机，或者首相的煽情大片——争夺关注……

不过，英格兰足球联赛（EFL）并不缺乏引人入胜的故事情节。比如哈尔伍德流浪者（电线联赛）的组织者们是否通过灰色停车或其他手段，直到最后一刻才为南安普顿与米德尔斯堡的季前热身赛敲定了安排。还有西汉姆联，在缺席英超17年后重返顶级联赛，就像老相识回归了一部肥皂剧。

这与真正的英格兰足球传统和这些俱乐部自身的节俭传统相符。很少有人会主动选择支持这些俱乐部。它们是通过出生或某种无法调整的特质强加给我们的。电线联赛的球迷经常因此在公共场合遭受羞辱和嘲笑。

和许多其他低级别联赛俱乐部的铁杆球迷一样，本周末我将满怀期待地关注联赛的揭幕战，尽管这意味着半夜爬起来，在屏幕前无偿守候，就像卡梅伦·霍宁在观看一场模糊不清的比赛一样。

不过，锤子军球迷们，在足球金字塔底层的生活也并非全然糟糕。在这里，你们不会遇到VAR取消进球、语言学家担任裁判，或者客场之旅的种种不便。你们也可以保留球衣上的博彩公司标志，因为赌博成瘾只会影响前30名俱乐部的球迷。作为一名英乙球队奥恩肖普的球迷，我有时会想，如果当初我没有被全球营销的洗脑，而是追随祖父的脚步支持查尔顿，情况会不会有所不同——但就连他们也曾陷入恐慌。

我住在世界的另一端，远离那些让我背负债务的俱乐部会费。为了自己的心理健康，我尽量不去想念那些熟悉的人、熟悉的页面和熟悉的品牌，但每到这个足球周期的特定时刻，总会有一种特殊的视觉记忆涌上心头。它唤起我内心深处的MARCELLA之情：阳光、阴影，以及当球迷们在看台上相互拥挤时，灯光在售票亭上反射的样子……

至少，如果你的希望在中场休息时就已破灭，而你的TRAVIS CHEBANE在防守BET-FREE'S NIGHT的夜晚表现得一塌糊涂，被另一连串残酷的联赛失利无情击垮，你还可以选择关掉电视，毫无负罪感地去看一些更离奇的节目……

大卫·斯奎尔斯档案 查看我们常驻漫画家的往期作品：theguardian.com / profile / david-squires

17

体育

赛马

训练伤病导致"弓箭回声"意外退役

托尼·佩利

驯马师乔治·鲍吉昨天宣布，他的明星小雄马“回声弓”因伤势意外退役。这匹三岁马在两周前的“光荣古德伍德”赛事中巩固了其欧洲顶尖一英里赛马的地位，在最后一个弗隆（约200米）时从看似不可能的位置杀出，赢得了萨塞克斯锦标赛。

去年在三场青年赛事中保持不败的“夜惊雷”小雄马，在纽马基特的2,000几尼大赛中以一英里的距离证明了自己是同代中的佼佼者，随后在皇家阿斯科特的圣詹姆斯宫锦标赛及古德伍德的史诗对决中两度克服比赛中的困难，以六战全胜的战绩击败年长对手。

“回声弓”被认为即将跻身为数不多的“公众赛马”之列，即一匹正在超越赛马运动本身、在赛马行家之外建立忠实追随者的纯种马。这匹小雄马的受欢迎程度因其骑手的出色表现而进一步提升：

▲ “回声弓”在2,000几尼大赛中与比利·劳纳恩一同获胜

比利·劳纳恩，这位面容稚嫩的20岁小将，凭借迅猛崛起的势头，目前被视为夺得冠军骑师的热门人选。

总部位于纽马基特的鲍吉原本正在为“回声弓”前往法国多维尔参加本周末的雅克·勒马鲁瓦大奖赛做准备，这是通往秋季育马者杯挑战美国顶尖一英里赛马的最新一站，但现已确认这匹马的赛道生涯被无情地提前终结。

这位纽马基特驯马师在X平台上发布的声明中表示：“我们不得不遗憾地宣布，‘回声弓’遭遇挫折，将退役……以不败战绩退役，并赢得2,000几尼大赛、圣詹姆斯宫锦标赛和萨塞克斯锦标赛，足以证明它是一匹多么卓越的赛马。”

格雷格·伍德的推荐

贝弗利赛马场 2.15 And As A Rock 2.45 Real Edition 3.15 King Sharja 3.45 Homesteat（杯赛） 4.15 Princess Nyla 4.45 Under The Radar

索尔兹伯里赛马场 2.30 Forbidden Fire 3.00 Supreme King 3.30 Scaramessa Sicura 4.00 Remi Man 4.30 Halcitas 5.00 Lambore Flies

洛斯阿拉莫斯赛马场 3.27 Eskimo Pie 4.37 Isabella De Vega 5.16 Nut Gita 5.30 A Daughters Love 5.40 Royal Bodyguard 6.07 The Coffee Pod

肯普顿赛马场 6.10 Friendly Force 6.30 Matuar 7.00 Percy's Lad 7.30 Chalk Mountain 8.00 Grey Soul 8.30 Final Night 9.00 Forever Penywern 9.00 Crooked Path（新秀赛）

网球

费里在主场赛事后准备找回真正水平

图迈尼·卡拉约尔

辛辛那提

阿瑟·费里（Arthur Fery）认为，随着他以外卡选手身份意外闯入温布尔登半决赛后首次重返赛场，自己的职业生涯正迎来新的篇章。

费里将在本周的辛辛那提公开赛上时隔一个月后再次参赛，此前他在温布尔登经历了职业生涯中最艰难的两周后，选择了短暂休假和训练调整。

“这是我第一次以这样的方式突破，而且我只能参加四项赛事，所以我对此充满期待，”他说道。

费里以个人职业生涯最高排名第36位的身份来到辛辛那提，尽管这是他首次直接进入一项大师赛（1000）赛事，但他仍以第32号种子身份获得首轮轮空。他在第二轮将迎战澳大利亚选手詹姆斯·达克沃思（James Duckworth）或一名资格赛选手，第三轮可能遭遇5号种子亚历克斯·德米纳尔（Alex de Minaur）。

费里的新排名对这位24岁球员的职业生涯意义重大，因为他现在可以直接进入ATP巡回赛所有常规赛事的正赛。

在经历了如此意外的突破后，最紧迫的问题或许是：他在温布尔登的表现是否真实反映了他的实际水平。费里在整个赛事中展现了坚韧的心理素质和技术实力，在连续五盘大战中逆转击败齐祖·贝尔赫斯（Zizou Bergs）和格里戈尔·季米特洛夫（Grigor Dimitrov），随后又直落两盘击败法网亚军弗拉维奥·科博利（Flavio Cobolli），闯入半决赛，最终不敌亚历山大·兹维列夫（Alexander Zverev）。

然而，这也是一个特殊的情况——在草地赛场、主场观众的助威下，对阵对自己打法不熟悉的选手，这些都为他带来了优势。接下来的赛事将让他真正看到自己的实力与顶尖选手的差距。“我一直相信自己能与顶尖选手抗衡。但现在，有了排名的支撑，这感觉真的很棒。”

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38

体育 板球 Metro Bank 单日杯

斯托克斯效应与晚场戏剧助力英格兰一日杯复兴

伍斯特郡 291

达勒姆郡 214

伍斯特郡以77分优势击败达勒姆郡

阿里·马丁 新路球场

今年夏天，Metro Bank英格兰一日杯堪称一匹黑马。自2021年“百球赛”诞生以来，“贬值”和“二线赛事”等评价便如影随形，但近期这项赛事却悄然复兴。

持续的干旱天气带来了稳定且宜人的比赛条件——但更关键的因素，是“百球赛”的吸引力有所减弱。具体而言，英格兰球员的全员可用性，加上每支特许经营球队增加一个海外球员名额，减轻了各郡50过赛事球队的压力，并略微提升了球队质量。

尽管本·斯托克斯只是一个人，但他加入达勒姆郡阵容也起到了一定作用。无论达勒姆郡去到哪里比赛，球迷都能亲眼目睹这位英格兰巨星的风采；近到可以看清他身上的纹身，或是闻到他巡边时飘来的昂贵古龙水香味。

这当然不是刻意为之，而是斯托克斯6月宣布结束英格兰国家队生涯后的意外收获。由于未报名参加“百球赛”的拍卖，他无法以晚期补报的方式加入该赛事。考虑到这位全能球员对达勒姆郡重燃的热爱，他是否会选择加入仍是未知数。

斯托克斯昨天现身新路球场，他的球队希望锁定淘汰赛阶段的席位，而卫冕冠军伍斯特郡则需要一场大胜来提升净胜分，力压达勒姆郡跻身B组第三。主队队长杰克·利比也在瞄准他的第五个一级A类赛事（List A）的个人百安，以追平世界纪录。

利比最终以46分出局——国内连续四场百安的纪录只能暂时作罢——但他的球队仍然艰难取胜。问题在于，这场胜利还不够大：他们在拿下291分后，原本需要将对手控制在205分以下。达勒姆郡在38.5轮中以214分全数出局，此前一度跌至199分仅剩9人在场，最终晋级八强。

尽管主队略感失望，或是客队更衣室在汉普郡于德比郡输掉一场胶着战后松了口气，但这一天依然充满活力。现场约3,000名观众或许并不显眼，但他们全情投入，并在球员退场时起立鼓掌。

新路球场在阳光下宛如天堂，尽管在比赛进行到第32轮、主队以162分失去6个球员时，一度看似要上演一场虎头蛇尾的比赛。此时，汤姆·泰勒从第7顺位登场，打出职业生涯最高的86分（8个四分球，3个六分球），为队友的防守提供了更多资本。

除了从南方勇士队归来、以开局手身份砍下82分的本·麦金尼，达勒姆郡在追分阶段略显僵硬。斯托克斯上场后仅得7分，被泰勒以内旋球击中三柱门，又一次露出对球场的无奈表情。但最终，随着比赛内的较量趋于白热化，达勒姆郡的下半序球员还是勉强完成了任务。与一些关于郡级赛事和“百球赛”更“家庭友好”氛围的刻板印象相反，现场观众涵盖了各个年龄层。招待帐篷内正在举办“女士日”慈善筹款活动，而一群群热情的年轻球迷则在场内四处寻找签名。

最抢手的签名自然是斯托克斯的，但几乎任何身着全套装备的球员都会被要求签名或合影。部分会员更希望在盛夏时节举办的是郡冠军赛，但50过赛事确实为球迷提供了全方位的享受。

对于那些对“百球赛”（The Hundred）及其（不受欢迎的）广泛影响抱怨不休的人来说，去年这项赛事的转播权出售所带来的资金，帮助了像伍斯特郡这样的郡县板球俱乐部。尽管新路球场每年遭遇洪水的问题仍需长期解决，但俱乐部已在过去一年内清偿了约400万英镑的债务。“这给了我们喘息的机会，”俱乐部首席执行官阿什利·贾尔斯表示，“尽管我们仍需保持精明，某种程度上这也增加了我们的压力，因为再也没有借口可找了。”

公平地说，伍斯特郡此前并没有太多借口，去年他们正是凭借足智多谋赢得了这项赛事的冠军。从他们为捍卫卫冕冠军所做的努力来看——尽管最终未能如愿——这种精神依然充沛。

▲ 索尼娅·邦帕斯托希望带领切尔西重返欧冠

切尔西对阵皇家社会，欧洲荣耀悬于一线

汤姆·加里

切尔西将在女子冠军联赛第三轮资格赛中对阵皇家社会，需在两回合比赛中获胜才能晋级该赛事的主赛阶段。

这支2021年亚军、六次欧洲半决赛球队因上赛季英格兰女子超级联赛仅获第三名（为2019年以来最低联赛排名）而不得不参加资格赛，但她们仍是本场对阵西班牙球队的热门。

切尔西本可能遭遇阿贾克斯、国际米兰、法兰克福或奥地利球队圣珀尔滕。由于种子排名限制，她们无法在本阶段与皇家马德里、沃尔夫斯堡、尤文图斯或巴黎圣日耳曼等豪门球队交手。

所有18支参加主赛阶段的球队将获得至少€505,000（431,500 英镑）的保底奖金，此外每赢一场主赛阶段比赛可额外获得€60,000，每平一场可得€20,000，同时根据最终排名获得€10,000至€180,000不等的奖金，每提升一个名次奖金增加€10,000。

此外，最终冠军将在淘汰赛阶段获得总计€1,050,000的奖金——其中包括€500,000的决赛胜利奖金——每场淘汰赛均有六位数奖金。

切尔西将在主场进行首回合比赛，比赛定于8月26日举行，次回合将于9月2日在西班牙进行。

切尔西近年来一直是欧洲冠军的有力争夺者，过去四个赛季中有三次进入半决赛，但上赛季在激动人心的四分之一决赛中不敌同城死敌阿森纳。

皇家社会位于圣塞巴斯蒂安，上赛季在西班牙顶级联赛中排名第三，仅次于皇家马德里和巴塞罗那。资格赛抽签分为两个部分，其中“冠军路径”专为各国联赛冠军设立，而“联赛路径”则包含亚军和季军球队，如切尔西。

在资格赛早期阶段淘汰苏格兰冠军哈茨的凯格队将对阵PSV，而本轮最引人注目的对决则是阿贾克斯对阵皇家马德里。

淘汰赛抽签

（所有比赛时间为上午11点）

四分之一决赛

周五 兰开夏 v 杜伦，老特拉福德；约克郡 v 诺丁汉郡，约克

半决赛

周日 莱斯特郡 v 约克郡 / 诺丁汉郡，格雷斯路；米德尔塞克斯 v 兰开夏 / 杜伦，拉德莱特

决赛

9月20日周日 待定 v 待定，特伦特桥

▲ 本·斯托克斯自从从英格兰队退役后，在一日杯中为杜伦队表现不一 ALLAN MCKENZIE / SWITZ COR / SHUTTERSTOCK

弗林托夫打出兰开夏首个百安

罗基·弗林托夫在一场一日杯大胜萨默塞特的比赛中打出了自己在兰开夏的首个百安，并将在周五的四分之一决赛中主场迎战本·斯托克斯的杜伦队。

这位18岁的前英格兰全能球员安德鲁·弗林托夫之子在陶顿用65球打出了个人首个百安，帮助客队创下了443分的最高一级A类赛事团队得分。弗林托夫击出8个四分球和4个六分球，萨默塞特队随后在39.2轮中以269分全数出局。队长乔治·鲍尔德森和汤姆·阿斯平沃尔各自拿下4个三柱门，兰开夏队以174分的优势轻松获胜。

约克郡将在周五的另一场四分之一决赛中主场迎战诺丁汉郡，他们以B组亚军身份晋级。

▲ 罗基·弗林托夫为四分之一决赛对阵杜伦奠定基础

本·科德（3个三柱门，失22分）和多姆·贝斯（3个三柱门，失32分）在球场上表现出色，帮助埃塞克斯队仅得151,分出局，而威尔·本尼森（60分）和詹姆斯·沃顿（51分未出局）则助约克郡以7个三柱门的优势获胜。

诺丁汉郡、米德尔塞克斯、德比郡、格洛斯特郡和沃里克郡也均取得胜利。PA通讯社

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体育 足球

59

英甲联赛前瞻

莱斯特城重整旗鼓后的崛起之路

前英超冠军本应有望冲击升级，但诺茨郡可能面临挣扎，威尔·昂温撰文

竞争者

十年前还曾问鼎英超冠军的球队，如今却沦落至英格兰足球第三级别联赛，这是如何发生的？长期以来，莱斯特城在各方面的管理不善是其核心问题，他们亟需在拉塞尔·马丁的带领下重整旗鼓。多名高薪球员已被清洗，新援引进寥寥，但球队仍保留了足以在这一级别竞争的实力。马丁麾下拥有大量年轻才俊，他们终于有机会在特定情境下获得出场机会，并将得到哈里·索塔尔和斯特菲·马维迪迪的有力支持。

斯托克波特在季后赛决赛失利后迎来巨变，吉米·麦克纳尔蒂接替了长期执教的戴夫·查利诺。新帅以提升球员能力著称，并推行了签约年轻球员的策略。不过，斯托克波特仍是一支运作高效的球队，深谙经验的价值——本·奥斯本在上赛季租借表现出色后正式回归，而伊根·奥康奈尔则以自由转会方式加盟。

新东家入主和阵容大换血让谢菲尔德星期三的前景难以评估，但签下路易·巴里已释放出明确的信号。能否最大限度发挥这名前锋的潜力，将在很大程度上决定球队的最终排名。

杰克·威尔希尔已在卢顿站稳脚跟，并深谙这一级别比赛的高强度要求。卡西·帕尔默的永久转会和卡勒姆·马歇尔的加盟将大幅提升球队的攻击力。雷丁的情况似乎更趋稳定，他们聘请了前阿克灵顿主帅约翰·科尔曼担任利亚姆·理查德森的助教，这一举措可能被证明是明智之举。

在季后赛半决赛失利后，布拉德福德一直在微调阵容以求提升。卡勒姆·康诺利的加盟是一笔精明之选，而亚当·菲利普斯将在中场核心位置贡献良多。普利茅斯降级后失去了前锋洛伦特·托拉伊（转投布里斯托尔城），但汤姆·克莱弗利相信现有阵容仍有足够实力，并将进球重任交给了威尔·埃文斯。

希望之师

马丁·德鲁里（Martin Drury）在哈德斯菲尔德迎来了自己的首个高级主教练生涯，并围绕自己组建了经验丰富的团队，如艾伦·尼尔（Alan Knill）。从桑德兰租借来的马蒂·扬（Matty Young）以及签下的阿什利·弗莱彻（Ashley Fletcher）为球队两端都带来了升级。米尔顿凯恩斯（MK Dons）在升级后迅速行动，引入了多名在该级别证明过自己的球员；瑞安·温特尔（Ryan Wintle）、科恩·布拉马尔（Cohen Bramall）、丹·巴拉瑟（Dan Barlaser）、萨姆·西尔韦拉（Sam Silvera）和萨姆·农贝（Sam Nombe）的加盟绝非凑数。

维冈竞技和布莱克浦冲击升级的前景似乎渺茫，两队的转会操作均未显示出跃升势头。拉蒂克斯（维冈竞技）专注于引进年轻球员，而海边人（布莱克浦）则几乎未有大动作。丹尼尔·斯滕德尔（Daniel Stendel）重返巴恩斯利，肩负着激发年轻球员潜力的重任，其中包括雷耶斯·克利里（Reyes Cleary）这样的明星球员。全职主教练阿隆·拉姆塞（Aaron Ramsey）在动荡中的牛津联将如何表现，令人期待又充满不确定性。弗兰基·肯特（Frankie Kent）签约不到一个月便因前十字韧带受伤，对球队是一大打击，更因他是俱乐部在英格兰足球联赛（EFL）实施转会禁令前仅完成的两笔引援之一，球迷对球队迅速重返上游的期望因阵容深度不足而降低。

莱顿东方不希望再次陷入保级苦战。芬恩·史蒂文斯（Fin Stevens）、约瑟夫·奥洛武（Joseph Olowu）和艾萨克·海登（Isaac Hayden）的加盟将为球队注入品质与防守硬度。多姆·巴拉德（Dom Ballard）的离开带走了大量进球，但俱乐部迅速以创纪录的转会费从格里姆斯比签下贾泽·卡比亚（Jaze Kabia）作为补充。迈克尔·达夫（Michael Duff）在维康比的帅位上站稳脚跟，有望在史蒂夫·库克（Steve Cook）这位免签后卫的基础上有所建树。查理·古德（Charlie Goode）和哈维·怀特（Harvey White）的离开对斯蒂文尼奇是一大损失，但他们拥有聪明的主教练亚历克斯·雷维尔（Alex Revell），他将乐于迎接挑战。在英格兰职业足球中，米克尔·阿尔特塔（Mikel Arteta）是唯一一位任期比奈杰尔·克拉夫（Nigel Clough）更长的主教练，曼斯菲尔德希望长期稳定是成功的秘诀。要么如此，要么依靠大卫·麦戈德里克（David McGoldrick）和迈克尔·史密斯（Michael Smith）组成的锋线组合——两人年龄总和达72岁。

彼得伯勒一直难以预测，他们拥有众多潜力巨大的年轻天才，但这并不总能转化为该级别的成功。唐卡斯特在重返英甲后，目标是巩固中游排名，从斯托克城租借的门将汤米·辛金（Tommy Simkin）是一笔令人印象深刻的签约。

挣扎者

诺茨郡的夏季转会操作与其基于数据的引援模式一致，但签下两名从英乙降级的球员等举措表明，这支升级附加赛冠军球队将面临苦战，尤其是在卖掉明星前锋阿拉萨纳·贾塔（Alassana Jatta）之后。英乙冠军布罗姆利正经历飞速崛起，如今与多支规模更大的俱乐部同场竞技，却缺乏相应的资源。伯顿在连续两个赛季仅以一位之差惊险保级后，深知现实残酷。科里·阿代（Corey Addai）的加盟提升了门将位置，但马修·丹尼斯（Matthew Dennis）能否取代杰克·比斯利（Jake Beesley）的前锋角色仍存疑问。

剑桥联以自动升级身份回归，并签下多名熟悉该级别的球员，以辅佐天才球员本·奈特（Ben Knight）。AFC温布尔登在平静的夏季转会后，能保级即可满意，但对杰登·斯托克利（Jayden Stockley）的进球能力有信心。

周六揭幕战（除注明外均为下午3点开球） 巴恩斯利 vs 布罗姆利、布莱克浦 vs 维康比、布拉德福德 彼得伯勒、伯顿 斯蒂文尼奇、剑桥联 维冈竞技、哈德斯菲尔德 AFC温布尔登、莱顿东方 谢菲尔德周三、曼斯菲尔德 唐卡斯特、诺茨郡 莱斯特城（12.30）、牛津联 米尔顿凯恩斯（12.30）、普利茅斯 斯托克港、雷丁 卢顿（12.30）

斯彭斯或将离开热刺，国米考虑2650 万英镑万英镑报价

埃德·阿伦斯

托特纳姆热刺准备放行杰德·斯彭斯加盟国际米兰，这位英格兰后卫的转会费预计约为3000万欧元（2560 万英镑）。

斯彭斯曾在世界杯上首发4场比赛，包括对阵阿根廷的半决赛，但在利物浦后卫安迪·罗伯逊加盟后，他在热刺的位置进一步下降。上赛季初，他在伦敦北部签下了一份为期四年的新合同，但据信他渴望加盟这支意甲冠军球队，因为德斯蒂尼·乌多吉和佩德罗·波罗预计将成为罗伯托·德泽尔比本赛季的首选边后卫。

关于这位26岁球员的转会费谈判仍在进行中，国际米兰正在寻找丹泽尔·邓弗里斯的替代者，后者今夏加盟了皇家马德里。但个人条款方面据信不存在问题，双方可能达成协议，国际米兰支付的转会费仅略高于热刺在2022年从米德尔斯堡签下斯彭斯时支付的2000 万英镑。

国际米兰还与热刺就克里斯蒂安·罗梅罗的潜在转会进行了谈判，但这位阿根廷后卫看起来即将以€40m的转会费加盟马德里竞技。双方尚未就转会费达成一致，但罗梅罗预计将转投西甲，尽管包括英超冠军阿森纳在内的其他球队也对他表示了兴趣。

周一，热刺——他们今夏已在新援身上花费近2.4 亿英镑，包括以创俱乐部纪录的9250 万英镑m签下桑德罗·托纳利——确认米基·范德文签署了一份为期五年的新合同。“俱乐部的发展方向非常明确，而我想成为其中的一部分。我对未来充满期待，”这位荷兰后卫说道。

与此同时，水晶宫正在与阿斯顿维拉商谈，希望以租借形式重新签下埃万·盖桑德，租期为一个赛季。这位科特迪瓦前锋上赛季下半程曾效力于塞尔赫斯特公园球场，并帮助球队在5月赢得了欧洲协会联赛冠军，尽管水晶宫今夏早些时候决定不激活买断条款。这家南伦敦俱乐部还预计将完成从圣吉罗斯联合队签下阿南·哈利利（2100 万英镑）和从皇家盐湖城签下扎维尔·戈佐（1100 万英镑）的交易。

▲ 斯彭斯将离开热刺，尽管一年前刚刚续约

足球简讯

利物浦

香克利精神组织要求贝佐斯交易透明化

利物浦球迷组织“香克利精神”已致信利物浦俱乐部，强调“俱乐部的所有权和控制权对我们所有人都至关重要”，亚马逊创始人杰夫·贝佐斯所在的财团据信即将完成收购俱乐部30%的少数股权。贝佐斯是全球第三富豪，他所在的财团还包括Facebook联合创始人爱德华多·萨维林，由印度钢铁大亨拉克希米·米塔尔的女婿阿米特·巴蒂亚领导。

“香克利精神”致信利物浦，要求更多透明度并希望召开会议讨论潜在变化。“我们重申，考虑到导致巴黎圣日耳曼收购俱乐部的事件，谁拥有俱乐部以及他们如何管理——将利物浦及其支持者的利益放在首位——对我们所有人都至关重要，”声明中写道。“最新报道称30%的股权出售及收购财团的组建意义重大。我们目睹了其他俱乐部类似的股权出售，导致俱乐部运营和足球事务发生显著变化，进而做出许多球迷不愿看到的决定和行为。”PA通讯社

转会窗口

森林以3420 万英镑m签下迪奥曼德

诺丁汉森林已从体育俱乐部签下科特迪瓦后卫乌斯曼·迪奥曼德，转会费据报道为3420 万英镑。这位22,岁的中后卫与森林签订了一份为期四年的合同，俱乐部还拥有续约一年的选项。富勒姆则以据报道3000 万英镑m的转会费从南安普顿签下中场谢伊·查尔斯。22岁的查尔斯签订了一份为期五年的合同，俱乐部还拥有再延长12个月的选项。PA通讯社

英格兰足球联赛

PFA就薪资帽问题向高等法院提起诉讼

英格兰职业球员协会（PFA）已就英格兰足球联赛一级联赛（League One）的薪资帽规则变更，向高等法院提起诉讼。该联赛俱乐部于5月批准了现有薪资规则的修改，但PFA认为并未与所有相关方进行适当磋商。PA通讯社

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40

体育 足球

▼ 约翰·麦金（前排中）在2025年欧冠四分之一决赛中为维拉攻破巴黎圣日耳曼球门 NICK POTTS / PA MEDEA

欧足联超级杯

“有人说我们已触及天花板，我们证明他们错了”

约翰·麦金对“全新阿斯顿维拉”感到兴奋，他和主教练乌奈·埃梅里相信球队能与最强者竞争

本·费舍尔 萨尔茨堡

乌奈·埃梅里在今天超级杯对阵巴黎圣日耳曼前夕走进红牛竞技场一间闷热房间时，几乎立刻能察觉到一件事。经过一个夏天的变动，维拉主帅显得极为放松，对球队能够消化一系列重磅离队充满信心。他开玩笑说自己的英语有所进步，还模仿队长约翰·麦金的样子，坐在会议厅主席台上逗乐。

埃梅里当时心情愉悦，但也保持警觉，对第四个完整赛季开始时记者提问的频率和语气十分敏感。“你们问到教练和球员的变化，但麦金很聪明，他的回答非常精彩，”埃梅里微笑着说，“他2018年来到这里时，球队还在英冠，此后每年都有变化，但俱乐部一直在进步。如果我们与曼城、切尔西、曼联、阿森纳和利物浦等俱乐部相比，我们正在与他们竞争。我们还没有他们的实力……但终会有的。”

埃梅里的热情表达，对担忧其任务艰巨的维拉球迷来说无疑是一剂强心针。维拉已出售摩根·罗杰斯、尤里·蒂勒曼斯和卢卡斯·迪涅，后者回归巴黎圣日耳曼，并可能在对阵旧主的比赛中完成二次首秀。如果阿森纳认真求购埃兹里·孔萨，维拉将再次面临考验，孔萨与奥利·沃特金斯、埃米利亚诺·马丁内斯一同在世界杯后仍在休假。三名关键教练组成员也已离队，包括定位球教练奥斯汀·麦克菲。但正如麦金所言，埃梅里作为球队的核心仍在坚守。

麦金的回答掷地有声，当被问及对新赛季的期望时：“与过去几个赛季类似。我认为无论什么比赛，我们始终能与英格兰乃至欧洲的最强者竞争。我们会面临挑战。变化很多，但看看英格兰其他俱乐部，也有大量变化：教练更迭、球员流动。

“但我们仍然保留了核心——同样的主教练、同样的方法、同样的进取心。几个赛季前，很多人认为我们已触及天花板，但我们证明他们错了。我们仍然保持着同样的饥饿感和渴望，去取得更多成就。我们的任务就是让新球员融入，并让他们像过去几个赛季的球员一样相信自己。我对‘全新阿斯顿维拉’的前景感到非常兴奋。”

当然，维拉并不希望失去罗杰斯。切尔西以1.17亿英镑签下这位英格兰中场，而两年半前埃梅里曾建议维拉以800万英镑（800 万英镑）从米德尔斯堡引进他。蒂勒曼斯的情况也类似，他在加盟初期表现平平，但最终

“无论什么比赛，我们都能与英格兰和欧洲的最强者竞争”

◀ 乌奈·埃梅里曾率三支不同球队五夺欧联杯冠军，但从未赢得过超级杯 DABBO BANDI / AP

巴黎圣日耳曼 vs 阿斯顿维拉

今日 20:00

● 巴黎圣日耳曼

预计首发：4-2-3-1, 萨法里诺、扎巴尔尼、马尔基尼奥斯、帕谢、门德斯、内维斯、维蒂尼亚、费尔南德斯、姆巴耶、马亚拉、库拉茨赫利亚 替补：舍瓦利耶、隆戈尼、贝拉尔多、鲁伊斯、登贝莱、阿尔代阿什、德乌埃尔、迪涅、埃尔南德斯、姆巴耶、扎伊尔-埃梅里、恩詹图 伤疑：登贝莱、德乌埃尔、哈莱米、埃尔南德斯、鲁伊斯、扎伊尔-埃梅里 伤病：无

● 阿斯顿维拉

预计首发：4-2-3-1 里佐利、凯利、林德洛夫、托雷斯、马特森、戈麦斯、卡马拉、麦金、布恩迪亚、加拉乔、亚伯拉罕 替补：马丁内斯、孔萨、明戈、巴克利、卡马拉、沃特金斯、托雷斯、吉莫-基西巴、博加德、贝利、金-朱尼尔、西塞、内德尔科维奇、格松德、巴拉森、亨宁斯、马乔、阿利松、沃特金斯 伤疑：孔萨、马丁内斯、麦金、沃特金斯 伤病：马赞比、德拉马

比赛地点：萨尔茨堡红牛竞技场 裁判：奥马尔·阿尔坦（索马里）

电视转播：TNT Sports 1、HBO Max 电台转播：BBC 5 Live

埃梅里的核心阵容之一。维拉免签了蒂勒曼斯，但又以3500 万英镑m的价格将这位29岁的球员出售。迪涅同样表现稳定，从3800 万英镑m引进的伊恩·马特森手中重新夺回了左后卫位置。

埃梅里深谙此道，但听他谈论维拉近几年获得的杠杆效应尤为有趣。其中最令人难忘的夜晚之一，是他们16个月前在维拉公园球场与巴黎圣日耳曼激战的四分之一决赛次回合，3-2的胜利中，詹路易吉·多纳鲁马三次精彩扑救，阻止了维拉将比赛拖入加时赛。埃梅里最终双膝跪地，因为在比赛还剩28秒时，威廉·帕乔挡出了马特森的必进球。

“英超是世界上最好的联赛，阿斯顿维拉如今可以拥有更好的品牌定位，”埃梅里说道，“我非常、非常、非常高兴俱乐部与我们同心协力。[我非常高兴]看到我们正在变得更好，保持着在英超的稳定性……俱乐部正在付出巨大努力，与我保持同一方向。他们正在扩建维拉公园球场，以期在下个赛季容纳50,000名球迷。我们通过场上的出色表现增加预算，有时出售一些球员，并保持一贯的稳定性，同时期待高水平的发挥，就像我们或多或少正在做到的那样。”

埃梅里曾执教巴黎圣日耳曼两年，深知其中运作方式。巴黎圣日耳曼已不再仅仅是一支足球队，而是一个品牌：看看他们在伦敦牛津街的大型商店便知。巴黎圣日耳曼首席执行官维克托里亚诺·梅莱罗曾表示，巴黎圣日耳曼在球场上要与皇家马德里等豪门竞争，场外则要与洛杉矶湖人、法拉利等品牌比肩。

萨尔茨堡是维拉追求成功之路上的最新一站，随行的有6,000名维拉球迷。体育场外墙上贴满了麦金等人在伊斯坦布尔庆祝欧联杯夺冠的照片。“我感到舒适、快乐，比以往更加严格要求自己，”埃梅里说道，“我们想要更多。我们不会止步于此。”

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●●●

▼ 马蒂亚斯·贾斯勒加盟纽卡斯尔，此前球队已出售3名主力球员 李·斯米切克特斯

11

贾斯勒呼吁纽卡斯尔球迷“保持乐观”

这位前阿尔阿赫利主教练表示，这家沙特老板的俱乐部在出售球员后正处于“过渡阶段”

路易丝·泰勒 圣詹姆斯公园球场

马蒂亚斯·贾斯勒被形容为“火爆人物”和“摇滚明星”，但他在纽卡斯尔的正式“亮相”展现出的性格，比宣传中更为谨慎和保守。

就在昨天下午3点整，这位38岁的德国人走进了圣詹姆斯公园球场拥挤的媒体室。在登上讲台前，身着一套低调优雅的开领西装、配有丝质口袋巾的贾斯勒深吸一口气，跳下台阶，挨个与在场人士握手。这一举动彬彬有礼，颇显风度。

回到讲台后，他对从沙特阿尔阿赫利转投英超的兴奋之情，被一种现实主义所冲淡——这家俱乐部刚刚出售了安东尼·戈登、桑德罗·托纳利和布鲁诺·吉马良斯这1名最优秀的球员。

“正如你们所说，现在是一个‘真空期’，”埃迪·豪的继任者用流利的英语说道，“他们都是出色的球员，性格鲜明，经验丰富。显然，我们正处于过渡阶段。我的工作是尽力做到最好。我相当乐观。我们有雄心壮志，这也是我决定来到这里的最重要原因。但这不会一蹴而就。我确信这将是一个成功的故事，但我们现在需要时间。”

与英格兰主教练托马斯·图赫尔的定期交流，有望帮助他尽量减少文化冲击。“我们有很长时间的联系，”他说，“我年轻时在斯图加特踢球时，托马斯是我的青年队教练。他非常出色，我真的很钦佩他。”

“他是一位非常特别的教练，我期待与他保持联系，并从他那里获得关于这个联赛的见解。这肯定是我要利用的资源。但同样重要的是建立自己的观点，因为每位教练都是独立的个体，有自己的看法，有时球员会被固定思维束缚。对我来说，保持中立很重要。”

这种挑战既定假设的意愿，以及拒绝对标签照单全收的态度，暗示了促使纽卡斯尔加拿大籍首席执行官戴维·霍普金森将贾斯勒称为“火爆人物”和“摇滚明星”的特质。

这位前RB萨尔茨堡主教练的足球风格——“积极进攻、强度高、快速推进，当然，还要成功”——符合“摇滚明星”的标签，而纽卡斯尔球迷则用一首20世纪70年代末的欧洲迪斯科热曲向他致意。

当年西班牙女子流行组合Baccara凭借《Yes, Sir I Can Boogie》登上排行榜冠军，而上周六在瓦伦西亚友谊赛中，纽卡斯尔的客场球迷则高唱：“哦，贾斯勒，我会摇摆 / 你试一次，就会求更多。”

贾斯勒说：“我的所有工作人员都说，他们期待赛后在酒吧里听到这首歌。让我们拭目以待！我听过一次，笑了。球迷们已经非常认可我，我真的很开心。昨天我在城里散步时，球迷的欢迎让我感动，那种感觉非常美好。”

当他回忆起上个月接到的一个电话，询问他是否有兴趣接替豪时，他露出了“灿烂的笑容”。但在抵达纽卡斯尔的首次训练营——位于西班牙南部拉曼加——仅48小时后，贾斯勒对未来的挑战规模已有清晰认识。

由于需要遵守足球财务规则，俱乐部转而购买具有高转售潜力的年轻球员——今夏签下的五名球员中，有4名年龄在20岁或以下——短期前景依然不明朗。

“在这个行业待的时间够长了，你无法做出任何承诺，”当被问及本赛季的目标时，雅斯勒说道，“现在做出承诺没有意义，因为一年后情况会如何我无法预知。但看到消极面也没有意义。今夏球队还会有更多调整。我们还有时间。我想说的是，保持乐观。”

如果纽卡斯尔与本菲卡关于签下23岁边后卫Amar Dedic的谈判能够顺利达成，雅斯勒谨慎乐观的情绪将进一步高涨。Amar Dedic曾在萨尔茨堡与雅斯勒共事，能胜任左右两个边路。

“我两天前参观了圣詹姆斯公园球场，”雅斯勒说，“当我和助理教练第一次踏上这片球场时，我们相视而笑，鸡皮疙瘩都起来了。这真的很特别，一个令人惊叹的球场。我迫不及待想看到它座无虚席的样子。”

“7月底接到电话，得知埃迪很可能离任时，我没有任何犹豫或疑问。我当时就笑了。”

特朗普：不要罢免“出色的”因凡蒂诺

唐纳德·特朗普警告国际足联（FIFA），如果罢免詹尼·因凡蒂诺作为世界足球管理机构的负责人，将是一个“严重的错误”。

因凡蒂诺因其失败的计划——将男子世界杯及其他赛事的股份出售给私人投资者——而面临压力。但在其Truth Social平台的一则帖子中，特朗普表示罢免国际足联主席将是一个代价高昂的举动。

这位美国总统写道：“如果国际足联以任何理由考虑更换主席詹尼·因凡蒂诺，那将是一个严重的错误。

“他是一位出色的主席，刚刚主持了史上最成功的世界杯，其成功程度是以往的四倍。如果他离开，国际足联将再也无法取得如此成功或盈利！”特朗普的数据未经证实。

欧洲足联（UEFA）及另外两个足球联合会已就自行组织赛事展开初步讨论，以应对对国际足联主席的强烈反对。欧洲足球管理机构、亚洲足球联合会（AFC）和负责加勒比海、北美及中美洲足球事务的中北美及加勒比海足球协会（Concacaf）指责因凡蒂诺“欺骗”，尽管据了解，他们希望给予因凡蒂诺辞职的机会，让其体面离任，不寻求在明年3月的选举中连任，但他们希望将自身与这场危机隔离开来。

因凡蒂诺曾简短道歉，为其提议成立“FIFA前进企业”（FFE）一事——该公司将负责国际足联赛事的商业和运营事务，并计划向私人投资者出售约20%的股份。但由欧洲足联、亚足联和中北美及加勒比海足协领导人签署的公开信敦促国际足联对因凡蒂诺的计划进行独立审查。PA通讯社

塞费林举行会谈以加强欧洲足联团结

● 续前页

明年。然而，周一发布的联合声明与蒙塔利亚尼今年在温哥华举行的国际足联大会上的讲话有着强烈的呼应，他在会上表示：“坦率地说，领导力不是关于权力。”

自“FIFA前进企业”丑闻爆发以来，欧洲足球高层首次面对面聚首，未来两天将在萨尔茨堡（今日将举行欧洲超级杯决赛）举行多场会议。欧洲足联主席亚历山大·塞费林将与欧洲足球俱乐部主席纳赛尔·阿尔赫莱菲举行会谈，旨在加强欧洲大陆的团结，要求国际足联高层进行变革。

欧洲足联继续坚持其抵制国际足联赛事的承诺，因其未收到关于当前危机成因不会再次发生的理想保证。

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体育 欧洲田径锦标赛

田径锦标赛因“天价门票”和空座位遭遇抨击

肖恩·英格尔 伯明翰报道

基莉·霍奇金森的教练及BBC解说员史蒂夫·克拉姆带头对伯明翰欧洲田径锦标赛高昂的门票价格导致观众稀少表示担忧。

球迷们还批评亚历山大体育场内的高昂食品价格，一份烧烤猪肉卷售价£18.50，一份德式香肠热狗£15，一瓶水则要£3.95。

官方数据显示，周一晚观看艾米·亨特赢得100米金牌的现场观众超过13,000人。但大多数观察者认为，23,000人容量的体育场看起来仅半满。这一时机尤为尴尬，因为伦敦申办2029年世界田径锦标赛的团队将于周五进行最终陈述。

比赛开幕时，主看台的A类门票售价£110，B类门票£90。然而，这些座位的上座率反而高于售价£60（C类）和£40（D类）的更便宜座位。

“离谱的价格，”亨特的经纪人尼克·哈维尔在她周一晚精彩夺冠后写道，“真遗憾。”

作为BBC首席田径解说员兼前世界1500米冠军，克拉姆也在周一晚承认观众人数不足。“不得不说，观众人数有点令人失望，”他说道，“尤其是后直道那边，看台上几乎没什么人。”

在伯明翰市中心，也几乎看不到这场盛事的迹象，而£60和£40区域的大量空座位让一些人质疑伯明翰2026年是否做足了吸引普通观众的工作。球迷需支付£22.50使用停车换乘服务——不过，有一个更便宜的£17.50停车步行选项，步行距离为45分钟。

霍奇金森的教练珍妮·梅多斯在X平台上发文承认了这些问题：“听到球迷反映门票价格高、停车问题，甚至有人不知道比赛正在进行。”

伯明翰2026年组委会发言人为门票价格辩护，并表示50%的门票定价在£30及以下，成人票最低仅£10。“伯明翰2026年对锦标赛的门票销售情况感到非常满意，远超预期目标，”发言人表示。

“周五、周六和周日晚上的场次即将售罄，其他多个场次也接近满座。观众仍有机会以极具性价比的价格参与锦标赛，包括周五上午以£6.31购买的‘蒙多’儿童票——以撑杆跳运动员蒙多·杜普兰蒂斯的世界纪录命名——而一个四口之家最低只需£30.即可入场。”

然而，田径解说员索尼娅·麦克劳克林在X平台上发文，代表许多人表达了对高昂价格的不满，比赛最后三天的最高票价将涨至£150。

“看到这样的价格着实有些震惊，”她写道，“运动员理应得到更好的待遇。这项运动在没有足球竞争、免费电视转播的黄金时段，却因观众稀少而显得冷清。”

在她的帖子下，有人质疑为何不将空座位免费赠送给田径俱乐部和其他体育俱乐部的青少年。另一位球迷表示：“Not even Cheltenham competes with this.这可能是我见过的体育赛事中最离谱的价格。”

还有人对比赛的晚结束时间提出质疑——最后一场比赛在晚上9.50后结束——并质疑家庭观众是否适合步行一英里到最近的火车站，或乘坐巴士返回停车换乘点。

► 空荡荡的看台成为伯明翰亚历山大体育场第二天比赛的背景 迈克·埃格顿 / PA图片

格拉夫与阿祖包揽英伦双雄，霍奇金森在阴影下闪耀

罗梅尔·格拉夫在奥运冠军轻松通过800米预赛后夺得100米冠军

肖恩·英格尔

在马塞尔·雅各布斯的右臂上，有一个罗马斗兽场和角斗士的纹身：这是对他战斗精神的提醒，以及这座意大利首都对他意味着什么。但在欧洲100米决赛的激烈角逐中，他的身体却出了问题。

这让罗梅尔·格拉夫和杰里迈亚·阿祖得以抓住机会，为英国赢得令人震惊的金银牌。格拉夫的夺冠成绩为10.09秒，阿祖以10.16秒摘银。德国选手欧文·安萨获得铜牌，成绩为10.19。雅各布斯则一瘸一拐地跑完最后一名。

格拉夫是一位出生于牙买加的英国人，戴着墨镜，本赛季最好成绩为9.97秒。但在重大赛事的高压环境下取得这一成绩，堪称一场巨大的冷门。

2024年，他曾因背部骨折发炎而无缘奖牌。但这位26岁的选手一直在与教练迈克尔·阿菲拉卡一起改进短跑技术和心理素质。

女子5000米比赛中，意大利选手纳迪娅·巴托克莱蒂在最后20厘米发力，横扫全场。“比赛非常讲究战术，但随后我打出了制胜一击，”巴托克莱蒂说。她以15分37.84秒（57.）的成绩赢得了这场慢速比赛。西班牙选手玛尔塔·加西亚获得银牌，落后超过两秒，另一位意大利选手米科尔·马约里摘铜。

但英国选手汉娜·纳特尔却令人失望，她在最后一圈时还处于领先位置，最终滑落至第五名。

“感觉非常好。我认为这是我预赛中跑得最快的一次。”

基莉·霍奇金森 英国

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13

与此同时，基莉·霍奇金森在欧洲锦标赛800米预赛中轻松晋级，跑出了她在预赛中的最快成绩——随后她笑着解释了为何首次在比赛中戴墨镜。

“外面阳光很大，”她开玩笑说。“我只是想避免皱纹，不想太早用上肉毒杆菌。”

这位奥运800米冠军以1分57.28秒的成绩轻松完赛，显示出她目前的绝佳状态，为周五晚上与瑞士新星奥德丽·韦罗及多次奥运和世锦赛奖牌得主费姆克·布勒德斯-博尔的对决做好了准备。

“感觉真的很好，”霍奇金森说。“我认为这是我预赛中跑得最快的一次。但我能感觉到身后的选手在推进。老实说，这种节奏更符合我的训练水平，所以感觉还挺舒服的。我不得不稍微放慢了一点。不过现在我休息一天，准备半决赛，感觉不错。”

这位24岁的英国选手透露，她抵达伯明翰前在葡萄牙的训练营中跑出了个人最好成绩，她和教练特雷弗·佩因特会用这个成绩来评估她的

欧锦赛今日看点

本土选手马特·哈德森-史密斯（a）有望第三次赢得男子400米冠军（晚上8.50），并着眼于自己的遗产。“我想留下印记，向世界展示我们是一个短跑强国。”埃米莉·纽纳姆有望在女子400米栏比赛中（晚上9.08）获得奖牌，尽管斯洛伐克的埃玛·扎普莱塔洛娃是夺冠热门。

上午赛程

• 10.35 男子十项全能100米（预赛）
• 10.40 女子铁饼（资格赛）
• 11.05 女子400米（第一轮）
• 11.20 男子十项全能跳远
• 11.40 女子200米（第一轮）
• 12 女子铁饼（资格赛）
• 12.20 男子800米（半决赛）
• 12.45 男子十项全能铅球
• 12.55 男子400米栏（半决赛）

晚间

• 6. 6.40pm 男子十项全能跳高
• 7. 7.45pm 女子链球（决赛）
• 8. 7.55pm 男子110米栏（半决赛）
• 9. 8.20pm 女子200米（半决赛）
• 8.40pm 男子三级跳（资格赛）
• 8.50pm 男子400米（决赛）
• 9.08pm 女子400米栏（决赛）
• 9.22pm 男子十项全能400米
• 9.47pm 男子110米栏（决赛）

电视转播：BBC One，10.30-1.15pm；BBC Two 7-8pm，BBC One 8-10pm

◀ 罗梅尔·加韦率先冲线，领先杰里迈亚·阿祖和德国选手欧文·安苏布

在重大赛事前保持状态。"葡萄牙的比赛非常顺利，"霍奇金森说。

"我非常开心，也很兴奋能展示自己的状态，希望能发挥出我应有的水平。奖牌总是最重要的，它们能创造传奇。希望这将是我连续第五个冠军。"

接下来是明天的半决赛。如果她能晋级，决赛当天（周五）将不会戴墨镜。"不会，因为那时已经快晚上10.30了，我想看清一切，"她笑着说。

韦罗同样展现出色状态，她以1:57.83的成绩看起来轻松自如。布勒德斯-博尔也表现不俗，在从400米栏转项后以1:59.96的成绩顺利完成比赛。

当然，韦罗曾在6月的斯德哥尔摩击败霍奇金森，创造了历史第三快成绩，她并不担心在主场面对英国最强对手。

体育简讯

游泳

拉姆齐-皮蒂无缘巴黎奖牌

英国队的亚当·拉姆齐-皮蒂在昨晚的欧洲水上锦标赛男子100米蛙泳决赛中遭遇首败，最终以第五名无缘奖牌。意大利选手尼科洛·马丁嫩吉以58.58秒的成绩夺冠，伊万·科扎金和西莫内·切拉苏奥洛分获二、三名。拉姆齐-皮蒂此前曾16次夺得欧洲锦标赛金牌，此前从未在预赛、半决赛或决赛中失手。"难以置信。这是艰难的一年，"马丁嫩吉赛后对Olympics.com表示。"我全力以赴，因为我想展现我的骄傲。"卫报体育

高尔夫

苹果加入公开赛转播权争夺战

苹果TV已加入争夺高尔夫公开赛美国转播权的行列，这是该流媒体平台进军体育领域的最新举措。《卫报》获悉，苹果已与R&A就公开赛转播权进行初步洽谈，目前NBC与公开赛的美国转播协议将于2028年到期。正式招标程序将于2017年明年初启动，R&A还预计苹果的竞争对手Netflix和亚马逊也将参与竞标，对传统广播公司构成重大挑战。NBC自2017年起获得公开赛直播权，当时击败了原持权方ESPN，签下了为期12年的协议，但如今似乎面临失去这一赛事的风险。NBC的公开赛转播权由Versant媒体公司共同持有。马特·休斯

橄榄球联赛

埃奇尔赛季报销

利兹队边锋阿尔菲·埃奇尔因股四头肌受伤将缺席本赛季剩余的超级联赛比赛。埃奇尔此前因大腿问题缺阵，在对阵韦克菲尔德的比赛中触地得分后受伤，但仍坚持完成了比赛。PA通讯社

▲ 亚当·拉姆齐-皮蒂在巴黎100米蛙泳决赛中获得第五名

赛果

足球

欧冠联赛

第三轮资格赛：次回合 伊拉迪普·甘特 3-56, 2 联盟（总比分0-5）；奇贾 2-0 阿卡迪-亚美尼亚（总比分3-2）；卡拉特 0-1 索菲亚列夫斯基（0-2）；卡兹纳·扎尔吉里斯 1-2 萨格勒布迪纳摩（1-7）；里昂 3-0 布拉格斯巴达（4-2）；NEC 2-1 奥林匹亚科斯（加时，总比分3-1）；萨巴赫 4-0 AGF（5-2）；布拉迪斯拉发斯洛万 2-0 马尔代夫（4-1）；格拉茨风暴 0-1 费内巴切（0-3）；贝尔格莱德红星 0-2 海牙 / 贝尔谢巴（0-3）

欧联杯

第三轮资格赛：次回合 伊比利亚1999 2-1 拉梅（加时，总比分2-1）

赛程安排

• 足球（除非另行注明，均为下午1:30开赛） 盖茨超级杯 巴黎圣日耳曼 vs 阿斯顿维拉（下午3点） 盖茨坎伯诺尔德联赛 第三轮资格赛：次回合 哥本哈根（3）vs 德布勒森（0）（下午3点）；GKS卡托维兹（0） 特拉维夫哈普尔（2）（下午3点）；维也纳快速（4） 帕德（1）（下午3点） 俱乐部卫报杯 阿森纳 坎普，拉科鲁尼亚 皇家马德里（下午3点）；马拉加 富勒姆（下午3点）；曼联 利兹；纽卡斯尔 埃弗顿（下午5:30） KDM进化杯 联赛阶段 汉密尔顿 凯尔特人二队（晚上7.45pm） 板球 女子板球超级联赛一日赛 费达德 阿富汗，西梅翁（凌晨1.58.45am） 女子百球挑战赛 伯明翰凤凰 南伦敦，埃奇巴斯顿（下午3点）； 威尔士火焰 伦敦精神，索菲亚花园（上午11.30am） 男子百球挑战赛 伯明翰凤凰 南伦敦，埃奇巴斯顿（下午3.30pm）； 威尔士火焰 伦敦精神，索菲亚花园（下午3点）

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泰恩河闪耀 纽卡斯尔的 雅伊斯尔谈论 “空缺”问题，因 顶级球员离队

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黑马崛起 斯托克斯如何 为今夏的 一日杯注入活力

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反叛联盟

因凡蒂诺的对手 制定计划以取代 国际足联体系

独家报道 马特·休斯 尼克·埃姆斯 萨尔茨堡

詹尼·因凡蒂诺的反对者正在合作制定一个新的框架，以管理世界足球，取代他们认为自他10年前接替塞普·布拉特担任国际足联主席以来，国际足联所采用的庇护体系。

自从因凡蒂诺的计划——出售世界杯21%股份——两周前公布以来，欧足联、中北美及加勒比海足联和亚洲足球联合会多次呼吁对国际足联的治理进行独立审查，但均被因凡蒂诺忽视。如今，反对者们已开始自行采取行动。

一位了解讨论情况的消息人士表示，这三个足联正在制定一份政策文件，展示世界足球管理机构未来可能的发展方向。

参与者被授权提出根本性问题，例如国际足联的具体角色应是什么、应如何构建以及应采用何种治理模式。资金在成员协会之间的分配也是一个关键考虑因素，特别是如何最有效地利用国际足联估计50亿美元（37亿英镑）的储备资金。

如果因凡蒂诺拒绝参与，这一新框架可能会在明年的主席选举中被挑战者采用，甚至可能成为一个分裂组织的模板。

周一发布联合声明后，欧足联、中北美及加勒比海足联和亚足联表示，他们已开始初步讨论，如果与国际足联领导层的对峙持续，将组织新的赛事。

目前，下个月的U20女子世界杯可能在没有欧洲球队参赛的情况下举行，因为欧足联坚持其成员将抵制该赛事，除非国际足联迅速启动对世界杯出售风波的独立审查，并提供具有法律约束力的保证，确保此类举措不再重演。

中北美及加勒比海足联主席维克多·蒙塔利亚尼被视为此时挑战因凡蒂诺主席职位的最可能人选——尽管他6月在接受《卫报》采访时表示，他目前的重点是连任中北美及

ANDREW BOYERS / REUTERS

阿森纳向曼联和切尔西报价刘易斯-斯凯利

杰米·杰克逊

迈尔斯·刘易斯-斯凯利已被报价给曼联，作为潜在的左后卫人选，阿森纳希望收回当初为布鲁诺·吉马良斯向纽卡斯尔支付的7500万英镑中的部分款项。

据悉，切尔西也已获悉这位19岁球员的可用性。刘易斯-斯凯利在上赛季随米克尔·阿尔特塔赢得英超冠军，但这家西伦敦俱乐部是否会引进他尚不明确。

刘易斯-斯凯利在2025-26赛季仅首发5场联赛，各项赛事出场36次，去年夏天签下了一份为期五年的合同。他的预计转会费被认为在4500万英镑左右。这一价格在曼联今夏迄今的支出范围内，此前他们以3500万英镑从阿斯顿维拉签下尤里·蒂勒曼斯，并以4800万英镑加200万英镑附加条款从切尔西引进安德烈·桑托斯。曼联目前正在权衡是否引进这位青少年球员。

纽卡斯尔的刘易斯·霍尔仍是曼联的首要目标，但——在失去吉马良斯、桑德罗·托纳利（加盟热刺）和安东尼·戈登（加盟巴塞罗那）后——纽卡斯尔新任主帅马蒂亚斯·贾斯勒坚持认为这位21岁的英格兰球员不会离队。RB莱比锡28岁的左后卫大卫·劳姆是曼联可能考察的另一位人选。切尔西今夏在转会市场上已相当活跃，斥资超过3亿英镑引进多名新援。马克森斯·拉克鲁瓦和马尔科·帕莱斯特拉分别被引进以加强防线中路和右路，而摩根·罗杰斯则以1.17亿英镑的身价成为西伦敦俱乐部的标王。

然而，哈维·阿隆索的球队在左后卫位置上出现空缺，此前马克·库库雷利亚以5200万英镑的价格加盟皇家马德里。20岁的约雷尔·哈托曾在世界杯上代表荷兰出场，是库库雷拉在左后卫位置上的替补。

国米洽谈2560万英镑引进斯彭斯

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[数据参考] 以下原文数字因单位格式转换可能未在译文中完整体现（供参考）：10844.19、53891.88、66920.22、5847.90、100000、358000

Police chiefs call on Burnham to keep PC Harper's killers in prison

Unions fear plan could risk release of other offenders by mistake

Peter Walker Rajeev Syal Caroline Davies

Andy Burnham is facing an unprecedented mass call from police chiefs to block the early release of PC Andrew Harper's killers, as unions warned his

emergency plan to create more space in prisons risked causing confusion or prisoners being freed by mistake.

A letter signed by 50 police leaders across the UK, including every chief constable in England and Wales, called on the prime minister to do everything in his power to stop the killers benefiting from a programme designed to free up prison spaces, saying there was "a profound strength of feeling across policing" that this should not happen.

Burnham said earlier he recognised "the depth of public concern"

about the proposed early release of Harper's killers and announced a change to the early release scheme, intended to exclude prisoners convicted of the most serious offences by freeing up new prison places.

In their letter, released late last night, the leaders, who included Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, Greater Manchester chief constable Stephen Watson and National Crime Agency director general Graeme Biggar, said: "When the state asks people to run towards danger on behalf of the public, they should be able to trust

that the justice system will stand behind them when the worst happens. PC Andrew Harper's case also raises a wider question.

"When someone is sentenced for an exceptionally serious offence, how much confidence can victims, bereaved families and the public place in that sentence if subsequent changes to release arrangements result in an offender being released significantly earlier than originally anticipated?"

The question extends "far beyond policing", they said, adding "families

across the country are now facing the distress of learning offenders may be released earlier than they understood when sentence was passed". The letter added: "Officers and staff understand the law must be applied as it stands. But they will question what message this sends about the value placed on their service and sacrifice when they put themselves in harm's way to protect others."

Earlier, unions had warned that Burnham's plan to stop the early release of PC Harper's killers, Jessie Cole and Albert

PHOTOGRAPH: GETTY IMAGES

In the five years since the Taliban returned to power, they have tightened their grip on Afghanistan. Here a dozen women and girls, at great risk, document their lives for the world to see. Special report Pages 18-21

Tice using 'nasty tactics' to intimidate journalists

Guardian staff

Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, has been accused of using "nasty tactics" in an attempt to intimidate journalists and deflect attention from his own financial affairs after issuing a legal threat to the Guardian.

In a letter sent from his lawyers, a Guardian correspondent was singled out for her reporting on a series of Tice's financial transactions that were referred to the National Crime Agency.

Tice is now suing the NCA, claiming that the information could only have come from an officer within the agency.

In a separate letter to the Guardian, Tice's lawyers made clear they would seek disclosure of documents that could reveal the details of sources.

John Whittingdale, a former Conservative culture secretary, condemned the move,

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The Guardian Wednesday 12 August 2026

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New Forest wildfire Firefighters say blaze could last for days as UK braced for fifth heatwave Page 12

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US dollars fund Europe's rightwingers, which is an odd way to just America first Arwa Mahdavi Page 3

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Hitchcock's 'golden calf' Bruce Dern, 90, treats Xan Brooks to stories from a lifetime in Hollywood Page 8

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Quick crossword Back of Life & Arts

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Contact For missing sections please fill out the form at theguardian.com/missingsections or call 0800 839 100. For individual departments, call the Guardian (web/issue) 020 3353 2000. For the Reader's editor (correspondent & clarifications or specific editorial content), call 020 3353 4736 to leave a voice message, or email guardian.madavi@theguardian.com. Letters for publication should be sent to guardian.lantern@theguardian.com.

Guardian News & Media, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9XJ, (0)25 3313 2000. Fax (0)25 7617 2114. In Manchester: Centurion House, 129 Downgate, Manchester M3 3RR. Telephone (646) 5237-7613. 18000. The Guardian lists a list of very powerful, well-designed evidence there or guarantee their authenticity or accuracy. Back issues sold and provided by Historic Newspapers. historic-newspapers.co.uk/old-newspapers/guardian. Published by Guardian News & Media, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9XJ, and at Centurion House, 129 Downgate, Manchester M3 3RR. Printed at Newsprinters (Broxbourne) Ltd, Great Cambridge Road, Waltham Cross, EN8 8DY, Reach Oldham Ltd, Hollowood Avenue, Chadderton, Oldham OL5 8EP, Discovery Point, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee SE4 6SL, and by Visit Times Print Facility. 4000 Kingswood Road, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24, No. 15, 3RD, Wednesday 12 August 2026. Registered as a newspaper at the Print Office (0)26 0261-3077. Secure Messaging (bignits): RQIC + RBrXix 4dLVDy 2V02; rzCEN kDsRAu vmkxG1pHUA

News

Tice issues legal threat to Guardian over stories about his finances

● Continued from page 1

saying: "The essence of a free press is that journalists can use verified information from sources without being forced to reveal who they are. This betrays a failure to understand how important that principle is to journalism."

The peer Margaret Hodge, a former Labour MP and anti-corruption campaigner, said: "It is never acceptable for individuals to seemingly abuse our laws to silence investigative journalism and close down public criticism. That's why we need to urgently reform our laws to stop rich people using their wealth to close down legitimate scrutiny."

Jemimah Steinfeld, the chief executive at the Index on Censorship, added: "This has the appearance of an attempt to force a journalist to break the golden rule: that sources must be protected.

"This has been vital public interest reporting by the Guardian. The sources of such journalism are sacred. If the facts are incorrect, then they can be challenged, but the sources should not be chased down.

"This appears to be a tactic designed to not only silence journalists but those who talk to them. It is a nasty tactic and we should all be concerned."

Theo Bamber, the chief executive at the News Media Association, said:

£250 off energy bills for homes near UK's new power pylons

Jillian Ambrose

Households living near new power pylons will have £250 a year taken off their energy bills as the government prepares to push ahead with more than 40 grid upgrade projects.

The government has promised hundreds of thousands of homes living within 500m of new grid infrastructure a saving of up to £2,500 on their energy bills over 10 years in return for "hosting vital infrastructure" that will help the UK transition away from fossil fuels.

One of the biggest grid upgrade drives since the 1960s will mean

"Robust protection for journalists' sources is absolutely fundamental to ensuring that reporters can scrutinise authority and hold the powerful to account on behalf of the people impacted by their actions and decisions."

He added: "The use of legal threats by an individual or organisation trying to force journalists to disclose their confidential sources is an attack on this important principle, and one that must be resisted at every turn."

Tice and Reform's leader, Nigel Farage, have been under intense scrutiny in recent months because of a continuing investigation into their financial affairs.

The Guardian revealed in a series of detailed reports that Reform UK received a secret £1m donation via a fundraising vehicle run by Tice and that a secret £5m gift was made to Farage shortly before he announced he would stand in the 2024 general election.

The Guardian also revealed that these and other transactions were reported by bankers to the NCA over fears they could involve laundered money. Throughout its reports the Guardian has referred to financial industry sources.

Tice has suggested in a document filed at the high court that the Guardian's award-winning City editor, Anna Isaac, could not have had sources at multiple banks.

communities in more than 40 locations will be eligible for the payments as the government hopes to prevent a backlash against increased building of pylons and substations.

Michael Shanks, the energy minister, said the multibillion-pound upgrades, which will be paid for through home energy bills, were "a vital part of how we deliver secure, homegrown energy and unlock economic growth across the country".

Shanks said: "It is a moment of national renewal - upgrading what was built largely in the 1960s for the modern age and is our route to bringing down electricity bills for households across the country.

"It's vital we build again as a country, and we are determined those communities which host pylons should benefit, which is why we're bringing down the energy bills of those hosting this vital national infrastructure."

Grid companies are expected to spend up to £27bn over five years in order to build the new networks and power lines needed to carry renewable electricity, often generated

▼ Richard Tice's lawyers wrote to the Guardian over reporting about transactions referred to the National Crime Agency PHOTOGRAPH: LEON NEALGERTS

In legal correspondence sent directly to Isaac, Tice's lawyers suggested he was seeking to unmask sources based on his own assessment of the reporter's work.

Farage has also issued proceedings against the NCA.

A Guardian News and Media spokesperson said: "Richard Tice's legal threat against the Guardian appears to be a calculated attempt to deflect attention away from legitimate questions about his financial affairs and the funding of Reform UK.

"Instead of providing answers to those questions, he seems intent on intimidating journalists and seeking to expose sources.

"The Guardian will oppose these attacks on the freedom of the press and will not be deterred from public interest-driven investigations into politicians and the parties they represent."

Farage previously claimed - without providing any evidence - that the details of the £5m gift must have come from Russian spies hacking his phone.

The Guardian described Farage's claim as "absurd" and "an attempt to deflect attention from legitimate scrutiny of his financial affairs". The spokesperson added: "Nigel Farage is once again hiding behind a baseless attack on the media rather than facing up to scrutiny from journalists and politicians."

offshore or in more remote parts of the country, to urban areas with high electricity demand.

The government confirmed the sweetener for local communities near these projects after ruling out proposals to run the new cables underground. It said research, commissioned by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, found that "building pylons remains the most cost-effective way of upgrading Britain's outdated electricity networks".

The eligible households can expect to receive their energy bill discounts, which will begin next year, automatically every six months via their energy supplier.

Constraints in the grid network mean that wind and solar farms are paid to stop generating electricity if there is not enough demand in the local area to absorb the power. The electricity system operator also pays gas plants to fire up to meet demand, and buys electricity imported from the continent via high-voltage power cables. These payments are expected to total £3bn by 2030.

Miniature human organs to reduce use of animal tests in drug trials

Ian Sample Science editor

Miniature human organs and other tissues are to be grown from human cells in a drive to improve medicine testing and reduce the number of animals used in drug development.

Scientists will use the clumps of tissue to learn how diseases vary between patients, helping them identify which treatments are best for different people based on the pathology underlying their condition.

It marks a shift away from the use of animals as models for human disease, towards what researchers believe will be more accurate tests.

"It's going to have a major impact on the numbers of animals used and the way we develop new drugs in the future," said Matthias Zilbauer, a clinical professor of paediatric gastroenterology at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. "We're not saying there won't be any animal use in the near or foreseeable future, because there are still certain issues that cannot be tested in these new models, but the reduction is very real."

Researchers have been growing tiny clumps of human organs, known as organoids, for more than a decade. Pieces smaller than a millimeter can mirror features of full-scale organs and tissues, including how they falter with disease and respond to drugs.

Using organoids grown from diseased human tissues, scientists can investigate whether new drug candidates reverse pathological changes in all or a subset of patients, and identify ineffective drugs early.

Historically, over 90% of drugs that clear animal testing go on to fail in human trials. Medicines regulators now encourage other approaches.

"A lot of human diseases either do not occur in animals or occur in a different way," said Zilbauer. "We want tests and models that can tell us which treatments work."

The new work will be run from a research hub in Cambridge, funded with £20m from the Medical Research Council, part of a plan to hasten the reduction of animals in research.

Last year, there were 2.54m animal testing procedures in Britain, down 3.8% on 2024. More than 90% used mice, rats, fish and birds, but it's used specially protected species such as cats, dogs, horses and monkeys.

▲ Scientists say organoids can help reduce the use of animals in testing

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Wednesday 12 August 2026 The Guardian

National

▼ Donald Trump arriving in Turkey on the new Air Force One for the Nato summit (below) last month PHOTOGRAPHS: JONATHAN ERNST/REUTERS

In plane sight: Trump 'switched jets by hiding in airport catering container to dodge Iran threat'

Coral Murphy Marcos Maanvi Singh

Donald Trump departed on a secret military flight from Turkey to Britain last month amid an extraordinary ruse - prompted by an Iranian assassination threat - that involved hiding the president in an airport catering container, according to reporting from the Washington Post and the New York Times.

The operation took place when Trump was in Ankara for a Nato summit with world leaders, according to the Post.

The president reportedly boarded the old Air Force One jumbo jet in view of television cameras, but then he was secretly shuttled to a smaller plane via an airport catering truck which is typically used to load meals and other supplies preflight, a US official told the Post.

An official also confirmed the operation to the New York Times. The Guardian has reached out to the White House and the US Department of Defense for comment.

Trump's actual location was concealed from journalists and some White House staff. A US official told the Post that a credible threat to Trump involving Iran set the "deception operation" in motion.

The administration previously claimed that Trump left Turkey on 8 July on the former Air Force One. The president had also announced on Truth Social that he would use the "former Air Force One" rather than the plane that flew him there, a new Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar.

The trip to the Nato summit was the first international trip for the plane in its new role and took place as hostilities escalated with Iran, which

► Trump was meant to depart on the old Air Force One but was taken from the jet in an airport container PHOTOGRAPH: ALEX BRANDON/AP

'There are many enemies of America who have their sights on [Trump], and we use every tool at our disposal'

Steve Cheung The White House

Scientists develop first fully British chocolate in 100 years

Helena Horton

Elizabeth II was the only person in history to have ever eaten a chocolate bar made with 100% British ingredients, after she was given one as a six-year-old in 1932 by the confectioner Rowntree's.

But now, others could repeat the experience after scientists at the University of Reading created a bar made with cocoa beans grown in Berkshire.

The bar was crafted to celebrate the university's 100th anniversary. Maha Khan, a master's student, harvested, fermented and processed the beans at the university's food department. She said: "It has been amazing to follow the entire chocolate-making process, from pod to bean to bar, without leaving Reading.

"I hope this shows people just how much work goes into the chocolate we enjoy, and how important it is to protect cocoa farmers and communities around the world."

Khan said the chocolate was "delicious", adding that it had a very rich flavour: "It was also really interesting to taste the raw cacao before it gets processed - the beans are coated in a white flesh that tastes like lychee and isn't something many people in this country get to try."

The university hopes this can highlight the importance of its work in preserving different varieties of cocoa, which could be resistant to changes in weather caused by climate breakdown, as well as pests and diseases made more common by global heating. Reading has more than 300 types of cocoa plant at its international cocoa quarantine centre, which handles 97% of the world's international movement of cocoa plants.

▲ Maha Khan created the bar from cocoa beans grown in Berkshire

borders Turkey. The plane's speedy upgrades have triggered questions over its cost and security,

Before departing from Ankara, Trump said on Truth Social that he would use the older, baby blue Air Force One plane "for old times' sake" to RAF Mildenhall in Britain while the new plane stopped at the same base so US service members stationed there could tour the aircraft.

A similar operation took place in 2000, when Bill Clinton used an unmarked executive jet to fly into Pakistan while sending his formal Air Force One as decoy.

On this occasion, the journalists who thought they were travelling with Trump on the older Air Force One reported being advised to keep their window shades in the press cabin closed. The Post said some White House staff also believed the president was onboard.

When asked later by reporters why they had to keep their shades shut during the flight, Trump said it was because they were "probably on a dangerous flight". He went on to say: "But if I go, you go. Right?"

Trump flew to Britain in a C-32A - a military version of a Boeing 757 - arriving at about 10.20pm local time with the older Air Force One and media arriving minutes later, the Post reported.

The New York Times reported: "Mr Trump was brought by vehicle from the plane that he had arrived on to the older Air Force One, boarded it through a different entrance and strode down the step from the upper left-side door as he would typically do, according to [a] US official."

Trump's travelling press pool reported that he climbed down the stairs of the older Air Force One at 10.56pm local time.

He gave members of the press a peace sign but did not walk over to talk to them. He greeted service members before walking to the Qatar-donated plane.

When asked about the revelation of a secret flight on a third plane, the White House provided a statement from Steve Cheung, communications director, saying the Qatari-donated jet has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the president and his staff.

"As the president has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats," Cheung said.

Trump's new media move Page 33 →

Members of the public with a sweet tooth hoping to taste the chocolate may find themselves disappointed - the bar is a limited edition, with only six made so far. Khan said that there were hopes to ramp up production of the bars, but this depended on the availability of the beans: a single cocoa pod can take as long as six months to grow.

She hopes to give one to the Princess of Wales: "We haven't decided yet who will get to eat the chocolate. As the last British chocolate made was eaten by the future queen in 1932, it would be fitting if the next bar was a gift to another future queen, the Princess of Wales, who, like the chocolate, was also born in Reading!"

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News

▼ Researchers from Nasa and a San Francisco museum prepare for the eclipse in Burgos, northern Spain PHOTOGRAPH: SANTIOTERI/EPA

'It will be spectacular'

Millions in Spain set out to find best view of total solar eclipse

Ashifa Kassam Madrid

The online forums are abuzz as people debate potential cloud cover and trade tips on top viewing points. Hours before wide swathes of Spain were set to experience the country's first total solar eclipse in more than a century, the excitement was palpable.

"It's going to be spectacular," said César González, an astronomer and science communicator at the Madrid Planetarium. "A total solar eclipse is one of the best spectacles in nature."

His plan was to wake up early today and drive north towards the Spanish city of Burgos. "And the first isolated field I find, where I can see the horizon and the sky is clear, that's where I'll stay. I'll spend the whole day there waiting," he said. "There are no words to describe it to another person who has never felt or seen a total solar eclipse."

Officials have estimated that as many as six million people could

flock to the eclipse path today, which stretches 200km from A Coruña in Spain's north-west to the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. A small strip of Portugal and parts of Greenland and Iceland will also experience the rare total eclipse.

Tens of millions more will be watching across western Europe, with the path of the eclipse virtually blocking out the sun in many countries, including the UK, France, Belgium, Switzerland and northern Italy.

But Spain is poised to experience some of the best views in mainland Europe, said González. "The band of affected land [to watch the totality] is very small," he said. "It will be seen in parts of Greenland and Iceland, where the visibility conditions due to the weather are much worse. So the only country in the whole world where it is possible to contemplate the total eclipse in good conditions is Spain."

An estimated 460,000 people have travelled to the country to take in the celestial alignment, with hotels reporting bookings made months in advance from as far afield as Japan and the US. More

than 300,000 of them are expected to head to the towns and villages of rural Spain as they seek the best spot to experience the less than two minutes in which the moon will cast a shadow on the Earth.

"I'm so excited to see it," said Angela Jones Rieksts from the eastern Canadian city of Halifax. She spoke to the Guardian as she was making her way to Burgos with her 21-year-old daughter.

Her first experience of a total solar eclipse had been closer to home, in the Canadian city of Miramichi. "I was just absolutely awestruck," she said. "It felt almost like God's eye was staring back at me from heaven."

The experience brought her to tears and turned her into a self-professed "eclipse chaser", she said. "When it was over, I said to myself: 'I have to see this again.'"

Her enthusiasm has been echoed across much of Spain; most opticians and pharmacies have reported selling out of solar

Solar eclipse: 12 August 2026

eclipse glasses. The airline Iberia said it would share live images from a charter flight aimed at viewing the eclipse from 10,000 metres above sea level. Even Madrid's Prado Museum published a video that used AI to reimagine how the eclipse would transform the light of its masterpieces.

Officials across Spain have long worked to prepare for the event, readying for up to 1.5m additional car journeys. With weather alerts forecasting temperatures of up to 40C and a high risk of wildfires, more than 24,000 police officers are set to be deployed.

For France's Stéphanie Racco, the journey to see today's eclipse has been months in the making. "I read the news around December," she said. "I said: 'OK, I have to go.' Because the last eclipse I saw was in 1999, north of Paris. And it was fantastic and something I want to share with my kids."

Last Thursday, she and her eight-year-old twins set off from the Côte d'Azur, leisurely making their way to Salou, a resort town south of Barcelona. She was surprised to find that her family were outliers among the scores of other tourists. "I think I'm the only one in this hotel who has come just for the eclipse," she said with a laugh.

As those around her flocked to the nearby beaches and aquatic parks, she was focused on researching where to head. "Salou could be a good spot, but I'm not sure because I'm seeing a lot of clouds," she said, explaining that she was ready to drive out for a few hours into the countryside if needed. If all failed, however, she was ready with a backup plan. "I just saw that next year there will be one in Egypt," she said. "So maybe if I miss this one, I'll try again."

Astronomical prices

Hotels raise rates

Hotel prices have surged in key European cities as hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to see the first total eclipse visible from the continent this century.

Iceland's capital, Reykjavík, has seen one of the biggest jumps in room prices, being one of the few accessible locations to see the full eclipse before this evening.

Tourists there have been shelling out 97,528 Icelandic Króna (£587) on average to secure a room, a 98% jump compared with the same day last year, according to data from the travel and hospitality data group Lighthouse Intelligence.

Spain is also steeling itself for an influx of tourists, as one of the best places on the European continent to view the total solar eclipse. The finance ministry said on Monday that it expected 460,000 overseas tourists to visit specifically to see the eclipse.

The rate for a room in A Coruña in the north of Spain was up 135% compared with last year to €390 (€330) on average, while prices in Mallorca, where the eclipse is expected to be visible on the horizon at sunset, were up by 24% at about €338. In Santiago de Compostela and Bilbao, hotel room prices have risen 34% and 67% respectively.

Accommodation in small towns and villages in the eclipse's path, as well as makeshift observatories set up by local enthusiasts, have been booked for months. There have been reports of US travellers taking part in house exchanges with people living in Spain's Castilla y León, one of the best regions to view the eclipse.

However, authorities in Spain are worried about an increased risk of fires, with 1.5m more car journeys than usual expected today. They have warned that extraordinarily dry conditions mean the smallest spark could lead to forest fires, while traffic could end up blocking access for emergency vehicles if fires break out in rural areas.

Authorities will undertake a massive police operation and safety campaign, with plans to deploy 35,000 officers to help minimise risks. Virginia Barcones, the secretary general for civil protection and emergencies at Spain's interior ministry, said: "We've had an extremely tough summer in Spain, with yet another series of major forest fires. That's why we must restrict any kind of activity that could generate a spark."

Parking on hard shoulders or close to dry vegetation has been banned, as have barbecues and fireworks. The València region has closed its natural parks and banned walks on rural footpaths.

Three large wildfires have been burning in the provinces of Huelva, Segovia and Huesca. Fires have already scorched about 200,000 hectares this year. Kalyeeena Makortoff

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Not just tea and drizzle Survey identifies real British values

Page 7

AI artists 'blocked' Spotify to identify fake performers

Page 9

National

Paid leave for new fathers in police doubles to two weeks

Alexandra Topping

Political correspondent

Paid paternity leave for police in England and Wales is to double, after the Guardian revealed that officers were "mocked and ostracised" for taking time off to spend with their babies.

The home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has increased the amount of paid leave for fathers in the police from one week to two across all forces, doubling the current provision.

Before the change, only a quarter of forces offered two weeks' full pay, resulting in only 40% of officers taking the second week compared with 88% of those working in the forces where it was paid. Back-office staff in the Metropolitan police were entitled to proportionately nearly three times as much paternity pay as officers on the frontline.

The policing minister, Sarah Jones, said: "Police officers work tirelessly

to protect the public, so it is right that new fathers are better supported to spend time with their families. By expanding police paternity leave, we are recognising the importance of family life."

The government is now coming under increased pressure to improve paternity leave across the public sector, which campaigners argue offers poor and patchy leave for fathers.

The win for police officers has galvanised a campaign for better paternity leave for military fathers, with Lady Penn tabling an amendment to the armed forces bill that would triple paternity leave to six weeks for those serving.

A government-led tri-forces survey last year found that families in the armed forces were separated for more than three months on average in the past year. A survey of 450 serving parents for the campaigning group The Dad Shift found that more than 95% agreed the current paternity offer was

not enough. "We ask so much of our military families," said Penn. "The least we can do is give new fathers the chance to properly support their partners and bond with their babies."

Campaigners, backed by MPs on the women and equalities select committee, are pushing for a change to give fathers six weeks of paternity leave at 90% of pay. The UK, with only two statutory weeks of leave, paid at £194.32 a week, has one of the worst paternity leave offerings in Europe.

Recent research found one in three UK fathers took no paternity leave after the birth of their child.

'A massively positive step and great news for policing fathers'

Joel Brady

Police inspector

An 18-month government review of the UK's parental leave system is expected to report later this year.

Joel Brady, a police inspector who was part of the campaign, said the policy change would give thousands of fathers in the police more "precious time" with their babies.

"This is a massively positive step and great news for policing fathers who want to be there for their partners and involved in their children's lives," he said. "I'm optimistic that the government will now listen to dads and increase the amount of leave available to all of us."

It comes as more than 20 organisations wrote to Andy Burnham urging him to commit to the men and boys' agenda, which had gathered pace under Keir Starmer, to improve rights for fathers and boost gender equality.

In November the first men's health strategy for England was launched, and Starmer tasked the then deputy prime minister David Lammy to lead work across government to improve outcomes for men and boys.

The group said: "Taken together, these developments represent something more significant than a series of individual policies. They represent the beginning of a new consensus: one that rejects the false choice between supporting men and supporting women."

▲ Davis is best known for playing receptionist Dawn in The Office

The Office star Lucy Davis says she has stage four cancer

Nadeem Badshah

Lucy Davis, the actor best known for playing Dawn Tinsley in The Office, has said she has incurable stage four breast cancer.

The 53-year-old said she was diagnosed a year and a half ago and the disease has metastasised to her bones, including her spine, right hip and ribs.

Davis, who is the daughter of the comedian Jasper Carrott, said it was "too late" for chemotherapy. She wrote on Instagram yesterday: "As of now, I'm trying to live out whatever might be left of my life in as fun a way as I possibly can.

"I always like to find the teachable moments in anything negative that happens. And cancer has not disappointed in that regard; there's a lot I have learned from it, and I'm grateful for that.

"As some of you will know, the pain can really be something else. Standing and walking for too long a time can be hard, and I need to use a wheelchair sometimes (so if you see me toddling around in one, feel free to give me a push!)."

Davis said one of the most important things that has helped her is humour, asking her friends and family to poke fun at her "as much as possible" and to not treat her like a "sick person".

"There's nothing that will make you feel more unwell than being treated as if you're unwell," she said. "I'm not scared of whatever comes next. I'm at peace with it. I'll see my Gracie [late dog] sooner than expected, and for me, leaving my physical body just means going home. Any and all grieving is for my family; it's far harder for them than for me."

Davis rose to fame playing the receptionist Dawn in the original version of The Office. She also played Hayley Jordan on BBC Radio 4's The Archers for nearly 10 years, and appeared in the 2004 comedy Shaun of the Dead.

She said she would like to keep working as an actor, a job that is one of the "biggest joys" of her life.

PHOTOGRAPH: TEMELADE ADELA/AN/ REUTERS

Columbus discovers Liverpool The Nao Santa María, a replica of Christopher Columbus's flagship from his voyage to the Americas, sails into Albert Dock in Liverpool yesterday. The ship was built between 2017 and 2018 to commemorate the 525th anniversary of the 1492 expedition. It is also a floating museum and will be open to visitors during a tour of European cities.

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National Politics

Continued from page 1

Bowers, and other serious offenders could increase the risk of some more dangerous prisoners being released by mistake.

It was also announced yesterday that probation staff had voted overwhelmingly to go on strike due to what they said were unrealistic workloads, in another setback for the prime minister's proposals.

While the vote by members of Napo was not directly connected to the early release plans, the probation officers' union has previously criticised the proposals as rushed.

After an uproar about the proposed release of Harper's killers, Burnham said that he had instructed the justice secretary, Alex Norris, to find more prison spaces so the pair and other serious offenders would not be freed.

Writing on Facebook, Burnham said places could be provided by removing foreign offenders more quickly, finding a way to release lower-risk prisoners stuck in jail on indeterminate sentences, and "making greater use of the entire prison estate including using the female estate for male offenders".

Downing Street had said on Monday there was no feasible way of exempting just a handful of prisoners from the scheme to block the

▲ Angela Rayner, the housing secretary, and Andy Burnham chat to a member of the public in Ilkeston, Derbyshire yesterday. The PM is touring the UK to sound out the public on policies and says he is in 'listening mode' (MOTOGRAPH: TOFF SHEPWEAR)/NECTERS

release of Cole and Bowers, who were sentenced to 13 years for Harper's manslaughter. Under the scheme, they were due to be freed in January.

Tom Wheatley, the president of the Prison Governors' Association, said further changes to the scheme could lead to prisoners being wrongly released. "Mistakes are more likely due to having to recalculate sentences against a very tight deadline," he said.

Wheatley said removing overseas prisoners was likely to be difficult as many would resist this and a number did not have proper documentation. He said victims would also want to be sure anyone sent back to home countries would serve their full sentence.

Mark Fairhurst, the national chair of the Prison Officers' Association, said placing men in women's prisons would require investment and retraining. "Repurposing women's prisons to accommodate male prisoners is not something that can simply be achieved by changing the sign above the door," he said.

The Ministry of Justice said it was disappointed by the Napo strike vote and it would continue to engage with the union. Officials in Norris's department are understood to be working at full speed on detailed and workable plans to free up spaces by September.

When the early release scheme was announced, there were exemptions for prisoners convicted of rape, serious child sexual abuse and grooming offences but not manslaughter, prompting pressure to block the release of Harper's killers, including from police and his family.

Officials initially said it would be unrealistic to just block the release of Cole and Bowers and that exempting all manslaughter cases risked not creating enough prison spaces to ease the crisis. But in his Facebook post, and speaking to reporters on a later visit to Derbyshire, Burnham said he was aware of the strength of public feeling about the plans.

"It's my job to speak up for the public on this issue," he said during the

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Analysis

Rowena Mason

Will prime minister's everyday fixes approach be enough to win the support of the voting public?

It was last year that Martin Lewis, the money-saving guru, advised the government to find "100 small things that piss people off" and set about sorting them out.

That approach has been adopted almost immediately by Andy Burnham since entering office, as he began his programme of "everyday fixes" to tackle problems that can be dealt with through minor policy tweaks.

Labour strategists say the philosophy behind this is to show that Burnham notices the frustrations of people's lives, and that he will be decisive about improving these issues.

This started with scrapping VAT on electricity bills and capping bus fares. His latest policy assault is on garish signs on the high street and everything from excessive vape and betting shops to subscriptions that auto-renew without warning.

It is applying to politics the "broken window" theory of crime that suggests clamping down on smallscale antisocial behaviour like littering can help discourage more serious crime.

As much as anything, Burnham's moves against rip-off Britain

should be a warning to companies that the government is paying attention to their behaviour towards voters, as he mulls over how far to go with a programme of increasing public control over essential services.

The intention is a long way from Keir Starmer's promise to be a government that treads more lightly on people's lives, as the new PM has bet that voters want leaders who are active about everyday frustrations as well as embarking on major structural reform.

Burnham's instinct to show the public that he is prepared to act on their behalf is a sound one, according to Peter Kellner, the pollster and former chair of YouGov, who has written recently about the difficulty of winning round "ungrateful voters":

"Probably the best any government can do in the short run - short of some educational programme about where our taxes go - is gain the perception that they as politicians are on the voters' sides. This is the key to the Burnham bounce."

However, there is also a risk for Burnham that hailing small changes as achievements will veer into the dreaded territory

of consumer gimmicks that was warned against by American strategist David Axelrod.

The former Obama adviser, who was drafted in to help Ed Miliband's 2015 campaign, memorably branded Labour's approach on the cost of living in that election as: "Vote Labour and win a microwave." In other words, it was a consumer retail offer of short-term bargains without an overarching inspiring message to pull it all together.

Another cautionary tale can be found in the fate of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Together they targeted price gouging and unfair consumer practices. But while the overall economy began to improve under Biden, voters never gave the US government credit for small changes like holding down medicine and expanded child tax credits because they were unhappy about the lasting effects of food and housing costs inflation that has had an effect globally.

It will be a test for Burnham how far he can reap the rewards of dealing with consumer frustrations at a time when he has little room for bigger giveaways to help with the cost of living when the economy is barely growing.

Burnham must also avoid a third possible peril: the potential for mockery if the issues seem too inconsequential for a PM to be bothering with - in the vein of John Major's "cones hotline" for people to report nuisance roadworks.

The new PM seems aware of these pitfalls. He is openly flagging the policies as small wins while promising bigger structural change in the longer term on social care and public ownership of utilities.

Polling so far seems to suggest that voters are tentatively impressed and moving back towards Labour.

How to improve prison capacity

MoI considers three options

The justice secretary, Alex Norris, is examining three options for increasing prison capacity. How feasible are they?

Early release of foreign prisoners

There were 10,134 foreign nationals held in prisons across England and Wales at the end of June, according to the latest figures. There are major obstacles to removing them.

Andrew Neilson, the director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: "Reciprocal agreements will have to be drawn up with many of the countries involved and they take time to draw up."

Tom Wheatley, the president of the Prison Governors Association, said: "Many of them don't want to go, and quite often they are undocumented." He added that "many victims will want to see that justice has been served", which is difficult if someone is sent to a foreign country.

Emptying women's prisons

Norris could steer women away from prison for lower-level

offences. Turning the biggest women's prison - HMP Binnarefield in Ashford, Surrey - into a male jail would free up more than 500 spaces. But Wheatley said there would be difficulties in quickly converting womens' prisons. "Many women's prisons would not meet the security measures needed for male prisoners," he said.

Releasing "lower risk" offenders serving Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences

IPP sentences were introduced for dangerous offenders whose crimes did not warrant a life sentence. Though abolished in 2012, the law was not retrospective and so more than 2,200 people remain trapped in prison despite having served many years past their initial tariff.

Neilson said: "Around 70% of IPP prisoners are in Category C or D prisons so the system does not see them as a great risk. But identifying them and then putting in place the structures to be able to help people who have been in jail for many years would not be quick fix." Rajeev Syal

visit. "I take that duty very seriously indeed, and I'm confident that there's more that can be done, and will be done to address public concern."

He said he understood "the depth of public concern about the potential early release of those involved with the killing of PC Andrew Harper - and I share it".

He wrote: "I am increasingly confident that a more focused approach along these lines will allow us to reduce the number of people released early and, in the case of the most serious offenders like those convicted of the killing of PC Harper, prevent their early release altogether."

Harper, 28, was fatally injured when he got caught in a strap attached to the back of a car and was dragged down a country road as the killers fled the scene of a quad bike theft in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, in 2019.

Cole and Bowers, two of three men sentenced over the police officer's death, are due to be released halfway through their 13-year sentences, having been convicted of manslaughter in 2020. A petition demanding an intervention has nearly 900,000 signatures.

The early release changes were part of the Sentencing Act passed earlier this year that cut the minimum amount of time many offenders would have to spend in prison.

'The thing that binds us'

Survey finds unity on core British values

Alexandra Topping

Political correspondent

You may think it's a commitment to buying a round, the ability to chat at length about the weather or make a proper cup of tea.

But when it comes to what makes people proud to be British there is a consensus across all ages, demographics and political groups and tea, pints and the weather don't get a look in.

Hard work, fair play and community are the values that voters - no matter which political party, age group, social class or region they come from - instinctively believe capture what it means to be British, according to a large-scale study of values by the research firm Public First.

"When you talk to people across Britain it's clear they have a shared set of values - if fairness is Britain's moral compass, hard work is its character and community; the thing that binds us," said Olivia Walsham, the director of social policy at Public First.

But the research found that while most voters could agree on this core set of values, they were deeply pessimistic about finding common ground: more than 65% of respondents felt that in a post Brexit-era Britain is more divided than ever. As Andy Burnham embarks on a summer "listening" tour of the UK and vows to "bring back hope", the research suggests he has his work cut out with fewer than one in three people feeling

▲ Buying a round may seem like fairness in action for British people

'The values that unite [British people] haven't disappeared, but no one is speaking to them'

Olivia Walsham

Director at Public First

hopeful about the UK's future, and seven in 10 feeling things have got worse in the last five years.

Three-quarters of the public believed British people shared a common set of values - ranging from 70% of Reform UK voters to 83% of Labour-leaning voters. In the study, which polled 6,000 adults and spoke to 300 people in focus groups, participants were asked to choose which values they thought were the most important - forcing them to make trade-offs.

Working hard topped the list of qualities the public associated with British people, with 70% describing hard work as a British value. Community was also key, with 80% of people agreeing Britain is at its best when neighbours look out for one another. Contributing to society boosted positive views: 62% of those who had volunteered in the last month said they were optimistic about their local area's future, compared with 25% of those who had never volunteered.

Unsurprisingly for a people that can't pass a queue without joining it, the notion of "fairness" or waiting one's turn was the clearest shared value. Asked for examples of what described British life at its best, citizens referenced queuing, the NHS, fair play, taking turns, treating people equally and the expectation that everyone should play by the rules.

The report exposes deep seated division, especially on immigration. Half of respondents said immigration had had a negative impact on the UK, while only one fifth said diversity of people and cultures made them proud to live in the UK.

Sunder Katwala, the director of British Future, said the report showed British people had become not only more divided, but more "discomforted by how divided we feel". In a political landscape in which no political party was polling at higher than 25%, politicians were more likely to appeal to their base using divisive language, he added.

"There are some glimmers of hope in this research," he said, "people are looking for a unifying sense of what we share, but actually appealing across the board to those people it's quite challenging."

Burnham's advisers may take heart from the report's findings that messaging around shared values were better received when framed positively, rather than through grievances, with "messages that talked about British values in affirmative terms consistently outperforming those that were rooted in a sense of loss".

"The values that unite us haven't disappeared but no one is speaking to them," said Walsham. "Politicians should start by recognising people's everyday values - fairness, hard work and community."

Trevor Pears, the chair of the Pears Foundation which funded the report, said people were desperate for initiatives such as the Big Help Out project, which draw millions of volunteers. "We need many more opportunities for people to come together, help one another and strengthen the communities they're part of," he said.

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National

Man found guilty of harassing Labour MP on the tube

PA Media

A 63-year-old man has been found guilty of harassing the MP Stella Creasy after he was "abusive and aggressive" on a tube train.

Clifford Wilby, of east London, saw the Labour MP for Walthamstow on 15 July last year on a Victoria line train between Walthamstow Central and Finsbury Park station, Westminster magistrates court heard yesterday.

Wilby then blocked Creasy's ability

to leave the tube carriage and started talking to her about knife crime and her "failings as a member of parliament", and filmed her, before members of the public intervened, the court heard.

Other passengers had asked him to stop and had moved in between them, before Creasy left the carriage.

Wilby and Creasy had first met on a Zoom meeting in 2024 in her capacity as an MP, which was ended due to Wilby's behaviour, Sarah Madden, prosecuting, said.

Creasy, giving evidence from

behind a screen, said that during the incident last year she had ended up backed against the door of the carriage and had been holding her hands out as a gesture "to say stop" at Wilby. It was at this point others on the train had intervened, and she had left by another door while he was distracted.

The deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram found Wilby guilty of using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm, or distress and adjourned sentencing until 8 September. "The defendant says: 'I did

not intend to cause her harassment, alarm or distress,'" Ikram said.

"The prosecution have persuaded me that I can infer and the only reasonable inference that can be drawn from the evidence is that he wanted her to feel threatened in the circumstances, that he intended to cause her alarm or distress.

"She made her own position very clear, she said that 'I repeatedly asked him to stop, he didn't, he was abusive and aggressive' and it's clear from the defendant's own words, he did not care."

Cambridge professor who reported alleged bullying wins tribunal

Daisy Ayliffe

A Cambridge University whistleblower who alleged bullying of female staff inside the university's Institute of Astronomy has won a tribunal against his employer.

Prof Wyn Evans told a tribunal hearing in June the institute suffered from "a bad history of misogyny". Evans claimed one woman in the department was "hounded out of a job", another had been "left a frightened woman", and a third had faced "aggressive professors".

The tribunal found that after raising concerns, Evans was "subjected to a prolonged, nearly two-year investigation by the university", even though the allegations against him "contained scant particularisation, and no evidence to support them".

The tribunal said its job was not to "conduct a public inquiry into alleged bullying or misogyny within the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge" but concluded it was "satisfied that the claimant genuinely believed there was a problem within the institute about the way female administrators were being treated".

It found that Cambridge "did not even want to consider" Evans' complaints under its whistleblowing policy and described "an institutional mindset" that viewed the professor of astrophysics as "a source of difficulty and continuing reputational risk due to his protected disclosures which might damage the institute and the university".

The judgment comes at a torrid time for senior leaders at Cambridge, where academics are calling for an independent inquiry into the circumstances that led to Jason Arday being appointed as the university's

▲ The tribunal said an investigation into Prof Wyn Evans was 'baseless'

youngest professor. Arday, who was appointed in 2023, stepped down earlier this month amid allegations of plagiarism and embellishing his CV.

After the tribunal, the employment judge Mark Graham found serious failures in Cambridge University's handling of complaints by Evans, with 11 of 14 alleged detriments upheld against the university or individual respondents, including the vice-chancellor, Deborah Prentice.

The investigation into Evans was found to be "contrary to natural justice". The tribunal ruled that it was "baseless (as nothing had been provided to support it) and it had been filed in retaliation ... and was therefore likely malicious and vexatious".

It added: "By contrast, a number of the claimant's detailed concerns or complaints were dismissed out of hand without a proper process."

The tribunal also concluded that senior figures at Cambridge relied on correspondence and processes prepared for them by HR or administrators.

The vice-chancellor attended the tribunal in person in June and claimed she had drafted a response to Evans "with the assistance of" the then-university registrary Emma Rampton. The tribunal rejected the vice-chancellor's evidence. "We find that it was written solely by Ms Rampton and then presented to the vice-chancellor as a fait accompli. Professor Prentice had very little to do with it, save for putting her name to it."

Evans has said the tribunal judgment raises questions about the vice-chancellor's fitness for office. "Cambridge University has lost the whistleblowing tribunal, with vice-chancellor Deborah Prentice among the respondents found to have retaliated against a whistleblower," he said.

"That comes on top of serious concerns about her leadership during the Jason Arday crisis. Taken together, these events raise a fundamental question: is Deborah Prentice actually in control of the university she is supposed to lead?"

In a statement, the University of Cambridge said: "We acknowledge the employment tribunal's judgment of 10 August 2026 and are carefully reviewing it. We will now take time to reflect on the findings in detail."

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National

9

Jemima Knight and her sister Harriet, in Lee, North Devon. Harriet, 34 weeks pregnant, and Jemima, 18 weeks pregnant, now face a two-hour journey when they go into labour as a result of the maternity unit at North Devon district hospital, above, being suspended PHOTOGRAPHS: ZIM WILEMAN/ THE GUARDIAN

Doctors at remote Devon hospital get 'crash course' after maternity unit shut

Steven Morris

Doctors at one of England's most remote hospitals have been given a "crash course" in birth emergencies as fears grow that the safety of women and babies may be put at risk after its maternity unit was shut.

The unit at North Devon district hospital (NDDH) in Barnstaple has been suspended indefinitely owing to staff shortages, leaving pregnant women facing a journey of at least an hour and a half to reach the nearest

maternity facility when they go into labour.

Women have said they may be forced to give birth without medical help at home or even in a layby as they try to get to hospital in Exeter, more than 50 miles away, on roads often choked with traffic in the summer months. Some have said they will move from the area to give birth.

A doctor at the hospital has now revealed that emergency staff at the NDDH have been given training in dealing with difficult births if mothers cannot get to Exeter.

The doctor, who asked not to be

named, said: "I'm hoping that we won't see such emergencies and women will birth their babies without a problem ... but there is a potential that we will see women who can't make it to a maternity unit who have to be diverted to the hospital."

The doctor said there had been a "crash course" in learning how to deal with potentially fatal emergencies such as shoulder dystocia, where the baby's head emerges but its shoulder is stuck behind the mother's pubic bone, or postpartum haemorrhage.

"It has been an intense time and we're all pretty shocked," they said. "We're capable but they've thrown us into a potentially very serious situation. There's a risk to the public.

"The emergency department and its staff are familiar with dealing with emergencies without the direct help of specialities but it's the unfamiliarity of an obstetric emergency or neonatal collapse and having no one nearby on site to assist that is confronting."

Royal Devon university healthcare NHS foundation trust has described the unit's suspension as temporary, but cannot put a date on when maternity services at the NDDH may return.

'We're capable but they've thrown us into a potentially serious situation'

Anonymous doctor North Devon hospital

The doctor said: "This has the potential to put a lot of strain on the emergency department. It has to deal with a high volume of patients, especially over the summer when the tourists come. It also has to deal with a large elderly population."

Some staff are worried that the hospital is being downgraded. The doctor said: "It feels like they are slowly stripping away services and moving them. It's like they're dismantling our hospital. That's not fair on the public or on staff. This has hit staff morale as people are questioning what this means for the future of our hospital."

Jemima Knight, who is 18 weeks pregnant, lives two hours from the nearest hospital - and her last birth

took only two hours. She said: "This is my third baby. My first required a hospital transfer in an ambulance and luckily that transfer was only 20 minutes. I do not know what the outcome of that birth would have been if the transfer time had been two hours.

"Even if I knew this labour would be longer than two hours, anyone who has ever had a baby knows that being strapped into a car seat in August heat in the holiday traffic whilst in active labour would be a horrific, dangerous and traumatising experience akin to torture. No woman should ever have to go through that, and that is what the hospital trust are asking us to do."

She said she was considering relocating her family to Bristol, where they could stay with relatives for her birth. "The travel time proposed for us is like suggesting that it would be appropriate to close a hospital in Bristol and tell the pregnant women they have to go and give birth in London."

Knight is also worried for her sister, Harriet Knight, who is 34 weeks pregnant. Jemima said: "A safe and respectful birth is a fundamental human right, and that right has been removed for hundreds, potentially thousands, of women in Devon."

A special Devon county council meeting later this month will discuss the closure. The council leader, Julian Brazil, said: "This closure is extremely concerning. It is not a decision which would be countenanced in other parts of the country and we should not accept second-rate NHS provision here."

The trust has said it is trying to recruit extra consultants and doctors but has not been able to hire enough to run a safe service.

A spokesperson for the trust said: "We carefully considered all options but the greatest risk was continuing to provide births without sufficient medical staffing."

The trust said it recognised that some women were vulnerable and it had put in place a range of support, including help with transport and finances.

Spotify plans to label AI artists in crackdown on fake performers

Dan Milmo

Global technology editor

Spotify is to label AI artists and exclude them from algorithm-generated recommendations as part of a crackdown on fake performers.

The world's largest music streaming platform is creating a label for AI-generated artist identities called "AI personas" that will appear

on the artist profile and on track listings on playlists.

From next month, AI-generated artists such as the Velvet Sundown will carry the label and will be blocked from personalised recommendations by default. The aim is to differentiate deepfake artists from real performers who might lose out on streams to artificial rivals.

Spotify said in a statement: "True artist-fan connection can only be built

on a foundation of trust and authenticity. In music, that means listeners need to be able to trust that the artist behind the music is who they say they are. That's more essential than ever in the age of generative AI."

Last year Spotify revealed it had removed 75m spam tracks from its platform over a 12-month period as AI tools created a flood of fake music. Spotify's legitimate catalogue stands at 100m tracks.

Spotify said it would allow music creators to reveal if their identities were AI-created and would then label them as an AI persona, but it would not rely on self-disclosure alone. It said it would use human review and

117,000

The number of monthly listeners the AI-generated group the Velvet Sundown, above, has on Spotify

AI investigative tools to determine if artists were fake.

Although the new rule technically applies to AI "identities", Spotify said AI-generated profiles were a front for AI-made tracks as well.

Last year there was a debate about the origins of the Velvet Sundown - a 70s-style US rock band - before the band's social media channels confirmed the subterfuge.

The group was described as an AI creation "somewhere in between" human and machine. The group has 117,000 monthly listeners on Spotify but no clear AI labelling, though the artist profile describes the four-piece as a "synthetic music project".

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National

Sweden orders British man with dementia to leave in 10 days

Lisa O'Carroll Senior correspondent

A 74-year-old British man who has been living in Sweden for 25 years and needs round-the-clock care for dementia has been given 10 days to leave the country after he lost a post-Brexit migration court case.

The deportation order comes after a Swedish court ruling in July that the government's drive to reduce immigration trumped the needs of a man in full-time care.

"The state's interest in regulated immigration outweighs Horace Mason's interest in continuing to reside" in Sweden, the migration court of appeal ruled in July.

The Mason family's trauma echoes that of Joyce Thomas, a 78-year-old widow who the Guardian revealed on Monday was also facing deportation because of late Brexit paperwork despite living in Sweden for 21 years.

Mason's son, Carl, was told by the British embassy on Friday the authorities had given him until 20 August.

"It made me feel sick. We've been trying to keep as much information from him as possibly because with the illness he is confused and worried.

But I had to tell him on Friday what had happened and there was just a thousand questions: 'What is going to happen? Are the police going to come and take me away? Are they going to kick the door down?'

"I had dinner with him again today [Monday] and it was the same: 'What is going to happen now? Where am I going to go in England? Are they going to arrest me and put me in prison?'

"It's inhumane," Carl said.

The UK government said it was aware of the case. "We are supporting Mr Mason and his family and are in contact with the Swedish authorities about his case."

Mason's case comes two years after another Briton, Kathleen Poole, also suffering dementia, was threatened with deportation before she died in a care home.

Mason moved to Sweden from Hinckley in Leicestershire to be close to his son and grandchildren in about the year 2000.

"He is elderly and extremely vulnerable," Carl said. "He has advanced vascular dementia and vascular

parkinsonism, together with other serious health problems. He is immobile, requires help with virtually every aspect of daily life and is in full-time residential dementia care in Sweden. He is not capable of simply travelling to Britain and starting a new life independently."

When Horace's mental capacity deteriorated, a court appointed a trustee to have power of attorney over his affairs. "That is when all the problems started," Carl said.

An application for residence was made in December 2021 but was

'He is extremely vulnerable. He is not capable of travelling to Britain and starting a new life' Carl Mason Horace's son

rejected last November by the migration agency on the grounds "he had not submitted documents demonstrating that he met the requirements for the right of residence" and would have to leave the country.

An appeal of this decision was also rejected but the family then appealed to a higher court, the migration court of appeals, under Sweden's Aliens Act, which permits foreign nationals residence under "particularly distressing circumstances".

The family submitted new medical evidence including his "extensive need for continuous supervision and round-the-clock care" and also argued their father had rights under article 8 of the European convention on human rights.

On 23 July, the court ruled that after considering various laws, the deportation could stand. It assessed that dementia care existed in the UK, and that he had a daughter in the UK, although the court heard private medical evidence that she was unable to look after her father as Carl does.

"Upon balancing the state's

◀ Horace Mason with his son Carl, who has been battling to keep his father with his family in Sweden PROTOGRAPH: THE MASON FAMILY

interest in regulated immigration against what has emerged regarding Horace Mason's private life and his adaptation to Sweden, the migration court concludes, on balance, that his deportation appears proportionate in relation to article 8," the ruling said.

Carl said: "I just can't see why they think that deporting a vulnerable citizen is in anybody's benefit. It's just beyond me." Carl is running out of time to keep his father (who is known as George) close to him and his two grandchildren, who are dual British-Swedish nationals living in Sweden.

He is mounting a further challenge to take the case to the European court of human rights in Strasbourg and has launched a fundraising page, Stötta George, to cover the estimated legal costs of 50,000 kronor (£3,900).

David Milstead, who heads up the Swedish branch of the grassroots campaign group British in Europe, has spent years drawing attention to the plights of British nationals in Sweden affected by Brexit.

He said the hardline approach of the Migrationsverket was out of kilter with the rest of the EU. Of the 14,233 applications to remain in Sweden after Brexit made by the end of 2024, 27.5% (3,918) were rejected, a refusal rate three times higher than any other member state and higher than the EU average of 3-4%.

Under the UK-EU withdrawal agreement, all EU nationals living lawfully in the UK and British citizens living in an EU or European Economic Area country before Brexit were entitled to stay in those countries.

Milstead said: "The Swedish authorities resemble the proud parent at a military parade insisting that everyone except their own child is out of step. For applications made on time and after the deadline, Sweden's approach to the withdrawal agreement ignores key protections in that treaty and is highly restrictive compared with other countries. As a consequence, lives are still being ruined."

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National

Burnham pledge 'threatened by prisoners freed to rough sleep'

Rajeev Syal

Home affairs editor

Andy Burnham's pledge to end rough sleeping in England is under threat from a failure to find accommodation for a growing number of newly released prisoners, a charity has said.

Analysis by the social justice charity Nacro found that nearly one in six people leaving jail in England and Wales last year were released into homelessness, reaching the highest rate for five years.

Between April 2025 and March 2026, 15,155 people freed from prison had no housing - equivalent to 300 people every week and an 18% increase on the previous year.

In his first speech as prime minister, Burnham promised to eradicate rough sleeping in England, allocating

an extra £340m of funding over three years. Since then, he has been forced to sign off the early release from October of about 5,000 prisoners.

Enver Solomon, the chief executive of Nacro, said the proportion of prison leavers released without accommodation had increased every year for five years, from 10.6% in 2021-22 to 15.9% in 2025-26.

"To deliver on the prime minister's pledge to end rough sleeping, there must be an urgent focus on reducing homelessness after prison," he said.

"The consequences are clear: three in four people released to rough sleeping reoffend within a year, compared with just over a third of those released into accommodation. A safe home isn't just somewhere to sleep - it's one of the strongest foundations for reducing reoffending."

Prisons and the probation service

have a duty to refer offenders to a local authority if they are at risk of homelessness, which means either living on the streets, squatting or relying on night shelters.

The total number of people released from prison has been rising, in part because of early release schemes, but the proportion released into homelessness has outpaced this.

More than 1,300 women were released into homelessness or rough sleeping in 2025-26, a 27% increase on the previous year. Regionally, south-central England - which covers Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire - has the highest rate, at 20.7%, followed by the East Midlands at 19.1%, and the east of England at 18.4%. Wales has the lowest at 11.1%.

In his annual report last month, Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector

of prisons, found that many prisons reported up to 30% of prisoners had no settled address, that prisoners were often released directly from court without access to services, and that short sentences and recalls often lasting 14 days had made housing planning difficult.

A report in December by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government found there was inadequate training and awareness of prisoners' needs among housing staff, that support was often fragmented and that much of the available accommodation was substandard.

In the national plan to end homelessness, published last December, the government committed to halving the proportion of offenders on probation who became homeless on their first night out of prison.

A government spokesperson said: "We're working with local councils and charities to halve prison leaver homelessness by 2029. More broadly, the prime minister has announced a new national effort to end rough sleeping, backed by investment of an additional £340m - taking overall funding to record levels."

Stage review

Romcom hits full speed as couple air their dirty laundry

Spin Cycle

Underbelly Bristo Square, Edinburgh

★★★★☆

More power to her for peppering this account with several adroit jokes - even if they elicit more rueful smiles than laughs

Amanda Knox retells her awful story of wrongful imprisonment through the lens of motherhood PHOTOGRAPHS: MERRY MACLEDDY THE GUARDIAN

Edinburgh comedy review

Knox recounts trauma with defiant spirit

Amanda Knox: Cartwheel

Gilded Balloon Teviot

★★★★☆

Brian Logan

Welcome to the most controversial show on the fringe!" Some audiences

will diagnose self-regard in that intro by rookie standup Amanda Knox. For others, as for Knox herself, it merely acknowledges the continuing efforts to silence her.

But then, Knox is "the human version of the blue/gold dress", a canvas on to which we all project guilty, innocent - or weird. Her innocence now proved, it's the last of these charges she takes on in this fringe outing, retelling her oft-

told tale through the lens of new motherhood.

Is it a disgrace that she's telling it at all? Classifying Cartwheel as comedy may be a misstep; it risks looking insensitive and inaccurately describes the show.

But, judging by the evidence, Knox would be damned whatever she did. Now at least she can tell her story in her own way.

If we are here for an insight into what it's like to be Amanda Knox, we get it, as episodes from the 39-year-old's "extremely prolonged and public trauma" are recounted while folding children's clothes and maintaining a dialogue with the voice of her four-year-old daughter.

How can she tell her kids about her wrongful imprisonment? As a

Dr Seuss story: "Knox the fox in a box with locks"? How to react when her baby's birth is greeted with online abuse? Becoming a mum has refined Knox's understanding.

More power to her for peppering this account with several adroit jokes - even if they elicit more rueful smiles than laughs. She's an inexperienced comedian, this isn't a "show" - but she performs this telling of her story well.

I found its spirit of defiance stirring, I found it respectful to the memory of her murdered roommate, Meredith Kercher, and as well judged an effort by Knox to reclaim her awful story as we have any right to expect.

Until 17 August

Kate Wyver

Names go missing like lost socks in this laundry-based, amnesia-laced romcom. With crackling chemistry

but a holey structure, Zofia Zerphy's Offie award-winning story of a queer meet-cute asks what you hold on to once a relationship is over, and whether it's ever better to forget the mistakes you both made.

In the liminal space of a launderette, with their encounter framed by a washing machine's 50-minute timer, Kitt (Zerphy) and Noel (Rhiannon Bell) talk over each other at full speed. "How will you use your 50 minutes?" Kitt asks.

Kitt is the rich, confident American, more privileged than Noel, the messy, Northern Irish, non-binary stranger. Except they don't feel like strangers. With Bethan Rose's direction making the most of the small stage, the pair lean close, unpacking the ways they've been shaped by past relationships, and admitting they've both dated someone very like the other. In fact, they could swear they've met before.

As memories are tumbled up, this breezy romcom devolves into an airing of dirty laundry. Occasionally slipping into shouting matches, the story sings when they admit their feelings slowly, almost side-on, like Noel inspecting Kitt as if she's one of their sculptures, tracing a tingling line from wrist to shoulder on her skin.

The memory-loss set-up creates a thrilling puzzle, but it's never pieced together. Without this structural scaffolding, the mystery loses its momentum. Their attraction is evident. We just need to understand the rules of their memory-muddled world to feel our 50 minutes is well spent.

Until 31 August

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12

News Climate crisis

Firefighters in 'real struggle' to tame New Forest blaze as UK faces the hottest summer on record

Sandra Laville

The battle to contain a large wildfire spreading across the New Forest will go on for several days, experts have said, as wind changes and a desiccated landscape fuel the flames.

Late yesterday, smoke was still billowing over the deserted A31, the main tourist route across the New Forest national park where tens of thousands of families are on holiday, while a helicopter flew above.

Firefighters said they were trying to contain several hotspots

across more than 247 acres of dried heatbland as winds swirled over the area. One source at the scene said: "They are really worried that as they dampen down the top, the peat underneath is still alight and spreading the fire. It is too dry, too windy, and it is a real struggle."

July was the busiest month on record for wildfires, the National Fire Chiefs Council said yesterday. Its services have responded to 966 wildfires this year, including 458 in July alone.

Parts of England are bracing for a fifth heatwave of the summer this week as climate breakdown makes extreme heat, drought and wildfires

more likely. The Met Office said the UK was on course for its hottest summer on record by average temperature. On Monday, authorities declared almost three-quarters of England officially in drought.

Hampshire fire and rescue service said it was facing many challenges in the New Forest, including maintaining a water supply and dealing with changes in wind direction. It said it was trying to mount a larger-scale attack on the blaze. Britain owns no dedicated water-bombing aircraft as used by fire crews in Europe.

"Thanks to the firefighters, we are managing to contain the fire," it

said. "We have been using a mix of fire engines and off-road vehicles to damp down and cool the edges of the area ... to prevent spread and escalation. The police drone is being used to enable us to prioritise hotspot areas and manage flare-ups."

Roads, including the A31 dual carriageway, will remain shut until at least Thursday, Hampshire's fire service said, adding that "significant" repairs were needed to the surface, barriers and fencing.

The Fire Brigades Union said it was calling for the recruitment of 5,000 more firefighters to cope with the extreme climate conditions.

◀ Firefighters battle a wildfire in San Martin de Valdeiglesias, west of Madrid, one of many huge blazes that have engulfed much of Europe and claimed thousands of lives during the current heatwave

PHOTOGRAPH: AP PHOTO/MANG FERNANDEZ

A perfect firestorm

Why is Europe heating up faster than elsewhere?

Damian Carrington Environment editor

The world is getting hotter as carbon pollution from the burning of fossil fuels traps ever more heat, but Europe is heating up twice as fast as other continents. The consequences are increasingly deadly, with tens of thousands of heatwave deaths so far this summer.

Why is Europe most affected by global heating?

Land requires less heat than the vast and deep oceans to warm up, so all continents are warming more quickly than the seas. But Europe is particularly vulnerable for four reasons: changed weather patterns, its closeness to the Arctic, less snow and less air pollution.

As a result, Europe is now 2.5C hotter than before the mass burning of fossil fuels, almost

'The awful costs of this climate crisis are reaching national emergency levels'

Simon Stiell UNclimatechief

double the global average rise of 1.4C. Temperatures in Europe have risen by 0.56C a decade since the mid-1990s, compared with 0.42C in North America, 0.36C in Africa and 0.27C in South America.

How have Europe's weather patterns changed?

Shifts in how the atmosphere circulates over Europe have led to more frequent and intense heatwaves. This includes the worst ever heatwave, recorded in June, in which a vast area of hot air was trapped under a "heat dome".

Scientists are still investigating the role of global heating in causing changes in atmospheric circulation, but a link seems increasingly likely.

Dr Samantha Burgess, the deputy director of the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, said: "We see statistically significant changes in surface pressure patterns and other measures of circulation when we look at trends over the last 40 or more years, and on this timescale they are more likely associated with climate change than natural variability."

The association may be the result of a changing jet stream, the fast, high-level wind that has a powerful influence on Europe's weather and is itself affected by rising temperatures.

Why is the Arctic important?

The Arctic is the fastest warming

region on the planet, despite having no land. This is because the polar ice cap, which normally reflects the majority of sunlight back into space, is rapidly melting. As a result, the darker ocean exposed by the melting absorbs more heat, which then melts more ice, a vicious circle. With a large proportion of Europe relatively close to the Arctic, temperatures are therefore rising faster.

What about snow cover?

Most of Europe had snowfall in past winters. This reflected the sun and kept the continent cooler, but the climate crisis is shrinking snow-covered areas.

In March 2025, 31% below the 1991-2020 average. That lost area is roughly the size of France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria combined and was the third lowest since records began in 1983.

▲ People on the Moutchic beach in Lacanau, south-western France, watch clouds of smoke rise into the sky from a nearby wildfire

PHOTOGRAPH: MAXIMILIEN LAMY/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

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13

Firefighters have been at the scene since Sunday evening when a lorry caught fire on the A31 at Ringwood at about 5.21pm, sparking the blaze.

Each summer, millions of tourists camp, hike and cycle in the New Forest national park.

This year the human-caused climate crisis, which is driving extreme heat, has turned Hampshire's green heartland – which has not had rain for 59 days – into a landscape more akin to Arizona.

A high-pressure water pipe has been stretched five miles along the empty A31 dual carriageway from a stream near the village of Burley to the blaze, where more than 120 firefighters from stations across the country continued to try to contain the burning.

Debbie Tann, the chief executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: "It is just dry tinder across the whole forest. It has spread quickly because of these dry conditions. The New Forest is one of the

most important habitats in Europe. It has so many rare species in the heathland – reptiles, adders, lizards, and birds like nightjars. This is going to have a devastating impact."

Sue Oatway, who lives in Burley, said people had come together to support the firefighters, many of whom are volunteers, collecting food and drink for them.

On a community WhatsApp group, firefighters thanked the "amazing community" for the support.

Outside Oatway's home, New Forest ponies sheltered from the heat under brown, dried-out trees amid withered bracken.

Oatway said: "I have never seen it so dry here. Someone posted a world map today on a social media group. I knew about the wildfires in Canada and Europe, but the scale of them in the United States I didn't know. They are everywhere, and now here on our doorstep."

With the A31 closed, tourist traffic was forced on to back roads through

▼ Ponies in the New Forest national park seek shelter from blazing sun in the shade of firefighters' vehicles

PHOTOGRAPH: MARTIN GODWIN

the forest, causing jams on narrow lanes. Holidaymakers were continuing to try to enjoy their break but as the battle to contain the wildfire entered its fourth day, the reality of the threat was becoming clearer.

Jason Bunsell had been camping

with a friend at Ashurst when the fire began. "We were coming back on our bikes and saw this big thick black cloud above, we thought it was a storm," he said.

"Then we got back to our campsite and my wife sent a message to

me saying: 'How far are you from the fires, are you all right?'"

Tourism is the largest single industry in the local economy. But the threat of fire spreading and the impact of air pollution have prompted appeals for tourists to stay away.

Forestry England, which manages about half of the national park, said the operation to contain the fire could last for several days. Its spokesperson, Esta Mion, said: "We are very much asking people to stay away ... it's unpredictable. We just don't know how long this incident could go on for."

Emma Howard Boyd, the chair of the independent National Heat Risk Commission and a professor in practice at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, said: "The government must now act with urgency to prepare the country for a hotter climate, cutting emissions while investing in the resilience of our homes, infrastructure, farms and public services."

Why does a reduction in air pollution affect temperatures?

Air pollution kills millions of people globally every year and so Europe's record of cutting toxic air levels in recent decades is unequivocally a good thing.

However, cleaner air is also unmasking the impact of the rise in CO₂ pollution in the atmosphere.

Air pollution particles can reflect the sun's rays, meaning the heat

does not reach the ground. Fewer particles means less reflection and more heat trapped by greenhouse gases. Lower pollution might even be connected to the increase in blocking weather patterns.

How important is each of the four factors above?

The short answer is that scientists do not yet know, but they aim to have an estimate next year.

Europe is the fastest warming continent

Temperature anomalies for continental regions relative to a 1991-2020 baseline

Source: Copernicus, CSU/CMWF

Burgess said: "What we can say is that the importance of each factor must vary with season, with proximity to the Arctic important in autumn and winter, and circulation changes since the late 1970s of greater statistical significance in summer."

The drop in air pollution is most marked in winter because of the declining use of coal to heat homes, and snow cover, obviously, is a winter issue. Winter warming in Europe in recent decades has been strongest in the north, while summer warming has been strongest in the south-east.

What are the consequences?

The rapid heating is leading to ever more deaths and more intense wildfires and droughts. Storms, intense rainfall and floods are also being supercharged by the extra heat in the climate system. All of these deeply affect lives and livelihoods across the continent and will continue to worsen until emissions reach net zero.

Rapid cuts in CO₂ pollution and the rollout of measures to protect citizens are urgently needed.

The UN climate chief, Simon Stiell, said in late July: "The awful costs of this climate crisis – both human and economic – are now reaching national emergency levels. What needs to be done is clear: leave coal, oil and gas behind faster, scale up renewables, and protect people."

Productivity

Heatwaves 'likely to have cost economy over £4bn'

Heather Stewart

Economics editor

Repeated debilitating heatwaves this summer are likely to have cost the UK more than £4bn in lost economic output by the end of July, new analysis shows.

The green thinktank Verdant previously suggested June's unusually hot weather had an economic cost of £2.36bn. Updating its assessment to include last month's high temperatures, it found a £4.4bn hit to output.

As temperatures soar again this week, Verdant's director, James Meadway, said: "The economic costs of climate change are already with us, and set to worsen in future years. Action by the government to protect workers and businesses from the severe effects of extreme heat is well overdue."

The direct economic costs arise because workers across many industries become less productive in heatwaves, while infrastructure and equipment overheats and has to be shut down.

This week's amber weather warning for extreme heat in England from the Met Office follows four previous heatwaves in the UK this summer, in May, June and July. The forecaster has said the UK is on course to record its hottest summer ever.

Verdant is calling for the government to bring in maximum working temperature rules; and be ready to step in to compensate workers when

£25bn

Potential annual cost to UK by 2030 if heatwaves continue to intensify, according to the Verdant thinktank

they are forced to cut their hours because of extreme heat.

The report also pointed to the need for investment in urban redesign to create cooler green spaces in the UK's towns and cities.

Verdant's estimates excluded indirect losses such as the cost of fighting wildfires, and additional electricity consumption from running fans and air conditioning. The largest effect was likely to have been felt in London and the south-east, where temperatures had been highest, the thinktank said. If heatwaves continued to intensify at the same rate as in the last decade, it suggested the annual economic cost could rocket to more than £25bn by 2030.

Verdant relied on cross-European estimates by the insurer Allianz, which suggested that for every degree above 30C temperatures rose, workers' output per hour declined by 3%.

The Grantham Research Institute at the London School of Economics last month suggested there had been a £1bn-plus loss of output during June's heatwave alone as a result of workers cutting back their hours or being unable to be as productive as usual in the high temperatures. In a survey of 2,000 people, the institute's researchers found 3.6% of respondents did not work at all during the week of 22 June due to searing temperatures; while 87% reported at least one health-related impact, from disrupted sleep to dizziness.

Economists have increasingly warned about the mounting economic costs of extreme weather events - including the risks of higher inflation due to rising food prices, as production is hit by droughts, floods and wildfires.

Paul Nowak, the general secretary of the TUC, said: "Unions are calling for rules that require employers to take action to reduce temperatures when they exceed 24C, and for work to stop when temperatures reach 30C, or 27C for strenuous jobs."

London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, recently pointed to the impact of this year's extreme heat as evidence that Labour should take on net zero sceptics and stick to its climate targets. "The climate emergency is here – and no one can say they didn't see it coming," he wrote in the Guardian.

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National

15

'Just keep calm' Wildlife expert shares her office with wasp nest

Safeerah Ahmed

When wasps began streaming through a rusted gap in her office door one June morning, Eilish Rothney's first instinct was the same most people would have: get rid of them. The reserve manager for the Trinity Broads, part of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, had discovered a wasp colony taking up residence in her office, a converted shipping container.

"They just built the nest inside my door," she says. "My first thought was: 'Oh no, I have to get rid of that now.' But then I realised: 'Wait, why? Why do I have to do that?'"

Two months on, Rothney is in a co-working arrangement with the nest, which is now more than a metre tall and swallows an entire bookshelf of ring binders. It has papered the inside of her office in what she calls "lovely layers of colours", with thousands of chewed wood pulp cells stacked like the world's strangest filing system.

Rather than evict her new colleagues, Rothney adapted. She opened the window to give the wasps a clear flight path. "I just stroll past like I'm a browsing cow, calmly going about my day," she says. "The wasps were fine with me being there. The longer I was there, the more I felt relaxed being alongside them."

It's like the colony itself is a living organism' ... the nest in Rothney's office, a converted shipping container PHOTOGRAPH: ELISH ROTHNEY

The queen lays eggs continuously, while worker wasps forage and bring food back to feed the larvae. That, in turn, exudes a sugary liquid that the adult workers drink. Rothney describes a low purring sound rising off the nest, which she believes comes from thousands of wings beating to keep the colony cool. "It's almost like the colony in itself is a living organism," she says.

She says she isn't worried about

▲ Eilish Rothney wants people to be 'more tolerant of nature generally'

being stung - "it wouldn't be a whole lot worse than mosquito bites" - and her advice for anyone less enthusiastic than her is: "Insects learn that certain individuals won't harm them. Just keep calm, they will sense that and won't feel threatened."

Rothney traces her convictions about wildlife back to an ecology field trip at university, and to what she describes as "a kind of poetry and beauty in understanding the intricate relationships between everything". She says she has become increasingly frustrated by how easily the label "peut" becomes a green light for extermination. "It's fair enough if people don't like wasps," she says, "but we need to move away from things just being killed out of convenience. We cause a lot of damage with that approach."

She is quick to defend the wasps which interfere with picnics every August, too. By late summer, the larvae stop producing their sugary secretion, leaving the adult workers suddenly cut off from their main food source, she says.

"The poor things are starving. It's not a battle between them and me. They're desperate. Let's provide them with that sugar and maybe draw them away from someone's real ale in the evening. All I want is for people to be more tolerant of wasps, and of nature generally. I'm proud to be working where I am, and it's our 100th anniversary this year - so maybe the wasps are celebrating too!"

As the weather turns this autumn, Rothney says, the queen will stop laying, the males and worker wasps will die off, and next year's queens will leave to hibernate alone. By winter, the nest will be empty.

"It'll be sad when they leave. I do feel motherly towards them," she says. "It'll be odd when they're gone, because even the noise itself is amazing."

And when the nest is empty? "I'm going to try to take it apart very carefully when they leave so I can see what it looks like inside."

Until then, the shelves belong to the wasps.

Trade in human remains risks 'real mummy's curse'

Daniel Boffey Chief reporter

A growing global trade in mummified human remains has been described by academics as "a real mummy's curse" that poses a serious health risk to its enthusiasts and the postal services they use.

Research into the secretive buying and selling of centuries-old human body parts including hands, feet and heads found alarming risks from dormant micro-organisms and the toxic materials used to preserve the remains. A peer-reviewed academic article published in the International Journal of Cultural Property and online by Cambridge University

Press, paints what the academics behind it call a "bleak picture".

An examination of 128 online posts on Meta platforms, e-commerce sites and auction houses found numerous cases of mummified remains on sale that showed clear signs of biodeterioration. But sellers provided no safety guidance and often used the postal service to transport parts to buyers, it was found.

"Over half of the sample, 51.6%, consisted of heads in varying states of completeness and preservation, including whole or partial mummified heads, skulls or crania with soft tissue and/or hair, and tsantsas, so-called shrunken heads produced by the Shuar people of northern Peru/eastern Ecuador," the article states.

Mummification practices, whether artificial or natural, involve complex chemical and physical processes intended to delay decomposition. A range of toxic materials and substances have been employed over time to preserve tissues, including heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury and lead. These remains can harbour a wide variety of dormant micro-organisms despite centuries of desiccation. Dormant fungal spores can become airborne when moved or disturbed, which pose health risks to the living, the academics warn.

Inhalation of aspergillus spores was blamed for the deaths of 10 out of 12 of the conservation scientists who opened the tomb of King Casimir IV of Krakow, in modern-day Poland, in the 1970s, the paper notes. It is believed the same infection may have led to the death of Lord Carnarvon, the chief financial backer of the exploration of Tutankhamun's tomb.

Kirsty Squires, a professor of human bioarchaeology at the

▲ Dormant fungal spores can become airborne when disturbed

University of Staffordshire, who worked with Dario Piombino-Mascali, Clara Urzi and Damien Huffer on the research, said traders appeared to have little awareness of the dangers.

The study found that it was not just those trading in human remains who were in danger. The academics write: "Given that postal and courier companies are being used to transport mummified human remains, warehouse workers, drivers, transportation hub workers and customs officials are all at risk."

▲ Meta's Mark Zuckerberg with the glasses, which can record video

Courts ban Meta glasses amid rising anti-'spyware' backlash

Matthew Weaver

Courts in England and Wales have joined a number of restaurants, theatres and pubs in banning Meta glasses amid a mounting backlash against what has been described as "spyware".

Last month courts in New York announced a ban on the glasses, which can record video footage while being worn. Now His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), which is responsible for all criminal, civil and family courts in England and Wales, has made it clear Meta glasses will be confiscated from anyone entering its judicial buildings.

A spokesperson said: "There are clear restrictions on taking images or videos within courts and tribunals, which is why the use of Meta glasses is prohibited."

Taking images or videos in court buildings is prohibited in the UK without official permission, and can be prosecuted as contempt of court. While lawyers and members of the public are allowed to enter courts with smartphones, the HMCTS made clear that no such exception would be made for smart glasses.

A source said: "Users who bring Meta glasses into courts or tribunals will have them confiscated on entry and they will be returned when the owner leaves the building." They said smartphones were allowed on the condition they would not be used for recording court procedures.

Earlier this year, a claimant was accused by a judge of wearing smart glasses in the high court and getting "coaching" through them while giving evidence. Laimonas Jakštys was told to remove the glasses during a case over the directorship of a property company. Jakštys denied using the smart glasses to receive answers, and denied they were connected to his phone.

Last year Meta sold 7m pairs of the glasses.

A spokesperson for Meta said the company did not want to comment on the court ban. They said that when the glasses were recording, a pulsing light was visible to people in the vicinity, and that frequently updated tamper-detection technology was deployed to stop users covering this light during recordings.

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18

News Afghanistan

'Hear our voices'

A day in the life of 12 Afghan women and girls surviving under Taliban rule

In the five years since the Taliban's return to power, the walls have been closing in on the women and girls of Afghanistan. To mark this grim anniversary, a dozen women and girls have, at great risk to their safety, documented their lives for the world to see

The soldier stripped of her uniform

Herat province

Every day I wake up to the silence of dawn. I feel as though I am still holding my weapon. I lie on my bed for a few moments, taking deep breaths. With every awakening, I make a promise to myself: if my husband manages to return home safely today, I will thank God even more.

My name is Parasto* and I live in Herat. For six years I served here as a soldier. Within a few days of taking the city, the first thing the Taliban did to me and my female colleagues was hold a meeting and demand that we hand over our uniforms. When they took that uniform, I felt as though I had lost something grand that belonged to me; it was a profound pain.

Because my husband and I served with the previous government, the Taliban have summoned him several times to question him about how many Taliban he killed, or how many I killed. We have been threatened with death many times, through phone calls and messages.

In the early days, many of my colleagues fled. The Taliban arrested two women whose names I do not wish to mention, and nothing is known of their fate. Where are they? Are they alive? We tried to smuggle ourselves over the border to Iran but were turned back by border guards. Today, we still keep our bags packed and waiting in case we have to flee.

Now, my morning begins with chores. I wake, light the fire, make breakfast, prepare my children for school and my husband so that he can search for a day's work. I stand by the house gate until they leave.

After the gate closes, the house sinks back into silence. I pull the curtains closed again so no one knows who lives here.

I spend the days alone in the heat of this house. Sometimes, to keep my mind off the past, I sit behind the sewing machine, thread the needle, stitch the fabric slowly. It is a way to pass long hours of loneliness. The weather is also getting hotter every day, as if fire is raining from the sky.

At night, before my eyes close, I think of the days when I would prepare myself for the next day's shift. I had so many dreams of serving this country more, but the times do not allow me to. I still dream that I am wearing my uniform and going to duty. When I wake up, it takes a few moments to realise none of it exists any more. As told to Goharshad

The undercover journalist

Northern provinces

The fear of being exposed is constant. Every time someone knocks on our gate, I panic. Whenever I hear the sound, I immediately hide my laptop under my mattress because of what is held on its screen.

I am an undercover journalist in one of Afghanistan's northern provinces, working under an alias. My writing days unfold in a 12 sq metre room, with a small desk, a mobile phone and a laptop.

Coffee is my therapy. Every morning, as soon as I get out of bed, the first thing I reach for is a cup of coffee. I pick up my phone to check the latest news in Afghanistan. I open my pseudonymous email account to see what assignment my editor has left.

I have already lived through two house searches by Taliban officers. Since then, every knock at the gate fills me with dread. What if it is the Taliban? What if they enter the house while I am working on a report about a killing, interviewing a transgender person or writing the account of a survivor of violence? A thousand scenarios race through my mind and fear consumes me.

The job of a journalist is to meet people and record their stories, but every time I do so, it holds the risk that I could be betrayed. Last week, I went to interview a woman with a disability who had experienced domestic violence. She lived on the outskirts of the city, so a friend accompanied me. To reach her house, I had to change taxis twice. The trip was filled with anxiety because she lived in an area where restrictions are especially severe: women wear burqas, and it is unacceptable for a woman to move around without a male guardian.

We walked along dusty alleyways, winding through narrow turns. It was a small, impoverished house with barely any light. As I spoke to her, the entire time I was terrified. I had never met her before; she had been introduced to me through someone I trusted. I did not know what kind of place I was walking into or whether I could trust the situation.

When I returned, I told my editor that we should not publish yet. I feared the Taliban could use the city's expanding network of security cameras to trace my movements and identify her, or me. This is the reality of working under Taliban rule: reporting in a near-total suppression of press freedom is extraordinarily difficult. By Sophia Malek

The neighbourhood baker

Kabul

Every day, my sister Marzia and I wake at 4am. We light the oven. This is how our day begins.

My name is Fatema*. I am 32 years old and a mother of six: four sons and two daughters. Me and Marzia, who herself has eight children, run a small home bakery in a corner of Kabul.

Women from all over come to us with dough they have prepared the night before, asking us to bake their bread. This work has been our only stable source of income

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during these five difficult years. My eyebrows and eyelashes have disappeared because of constant exposure to the heat of the fire. My eyes burn. My knees ache at night, and I no longer feel the burns on my hands. Work is good, but I never wanted such a hard life and such difficult work for my daughters.

I pray my morning prayer while the oven is heating up. After the prayer, women begin arriving one by one. Some come from distant neighbourhoods, carrying with them fear and worry.

They say: "The Taliban were in such and such alley today." Sometimes they arrive silently, hand over their dough and wait.

We bake the bread, and they return home with fresh loaves.

As I work, I always remember my mother. She taught my sister and me the art of bread making and was a wise woman. She encouraged me to attend school so I could learn the Qur'an, and she taught me sewing, baking and caring for my children.

All these skills have helped me survive. I still light the oven the way my mother taught me. But the wood, which used to cost 60 afghanis a bundle (70p), has risen to 110 afghanis. Now we use almond shells as fuel. They're cheaper, but their bitter smell stays with me until the end of the day.

We charge six afghanis for each batch of bread. On good days, we might earn about 1,000 afghanis (£11) but usually half of that. My family of eight and Marzia's family of 10 survive on this.

My eldest daughter is now 12 and my youngest is eight. Beyond how difficult the work itself is, my biggest worry is that I cannot do anything for their education. I don't have enough income to send them abroad to study, and I have no hope that conditions inside Afghanistan will improve soon.

I wanted my daughters to study and have a more informed and comfortable life. What if they end up like me? A difficult life with very limited choices.

By mid-morning, I can take a break, take off my work clothes, wash my hands and face, eat breakfast and rest a while. In the afternoon, I light the oven again and the work continues until 7pm.

When women come and share stories about their lives, I realise that the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan have never been easy. With the arrival of the Taliban, they have become a living hell.

As told to Tarana Mohammadi

The 12-year-old blogger Undisclosed

I wake up to the sound of my parents' laughter. In the living room, my mother spreads out her flower-patterned tablecloth and prepares breakfast.

For me, she makes a boiled egg because she knows I love them. I am 12 years old, preparing for my sixth-grade exams - the last I will be allowed to take.

After breakfast, my sisters and I go to our room, where my older sister gets lost in old books and notebooks, studying and writing. She dreamed of becoming a writer whose books would be read around the world. But the Taliban buried

that dream inside her. My other sister reached 10th grade before she had to leave. Now she sits for hours, searching social media for scholarships and journalism training programmes.

I know that soon the fate that came to my sisters will come for me. I will also remain trapped in this room, our forced refuge for years. Even at night we do not dare pull back the curtains for fresh air, fearing the Taliban or suspicious neighbours. What if someone says: "Three young girls live in this house and move around freely inside it"?

On the shelf where we keep our clothes, there is no colour left except black. I put on my black dress, scarf, mask and chador. I must wear my chador even in this scorching heat. Two classmates were arrested and expelled from school for failing to wear it correctly.

Finally, I reach the school gate, surrounded by girls. The teacher enters the classroom and places a preparatory exam paper in front of us. But I stare at the exam paper and ask myself: what should I write? What future am I studying for when that path no longer exists?

Every day after school, I go straight to that same room and record my blog. I talk about life, recite poetry and speak about girls whose books have remained closed for years, women prevented from living an ordinary life.

My mother brings her phone to record me. I receive encouraging messages from women and girls who relate to my words. But whenever I publish a video, relatives come to our home and fill my father's ears with criticism. They say: "Your daughter has grown up. The honour and dignity of the family will be destroyed. Why is she blogging? Why is she speaking out against the Taliban?"

Every time I hear this, I feel like more walls are being built around my life. One greater fear stays with me: that someone might reveal my identity and location to the Taliban. Today, perhaps the Taliban see my videos and do not know who the voice behind them is. But what happens if they find me?

Sometimes I imagine that if one day I can return to seventh grade, if I can place my books on a desk again and hold my pen without fear, the first thing I will write will

be the story of these days. I am a 12-year-old girl. Hear our voices before our silent rooms become filled with buried dreams. We are still here.

As told to Awa Nikyar

The polio survivor who became a master tailor Undisclosed

Twenty-five years ago, when I was 10, I contracted polio. Because we were a poor family living through war in a remote village, we had no access to doctors or vaccines. My legs bent at the knees and walking was difficult. My body did not grow like those of average people.

As a child, struggling with the muscle pain and paralysis, I realised my life would be different from other people's. I saw my pace in this world was slow, and that I was viewed as a burden. The pain I saw in my mother's eyes made me realise how difficult my life was going to be. She never said it out loud, but I read it in her gaze.

To escape the pain in my mind and body, I would take a needle and plastic scraps to make clothes for dolls. Gradually, I won my mother's trust and she let me hand-sew a dress for her. Her faint smile was a stamp of approval. I still remember the first proper garment I ever sewed: a white cotton shirt and trousers for my father. He made my heart swell with joy, saying: "Bravo, my daughter!"

This talent was a gift from the creator: I had never had a teacher, but I found I could look at anything, replicate its pattern and sew it. One day, one of my sisters showed me a dress by a skilled tailor and asked if I could make one like it. When it was done, seeing I could work like

a master tailor, she promised to buy me a sewing machine - and she kept her promise.

From that day on, my reputation spread by word of mouth, and clients began coming from more and more distant villages.

When clients arrive, their first look is often searching and sceptical. They ask: "Is the tailor here?" I know exactly what they are thinking. When I tell them it is me, they place their orders with looks of disbelief and curiosity. When they see me using a pen and paper to write down measurements, they ask: "How are you literate?"

They have no idea how hard I worked to teach myself to read. I became a student of my own students; in exchange for teaching them tailoring, I had them teach me writing.

I sometimes have so many

orders that I can earn 6,000-7,000 afghani (£68-80) a month, helping to support the family. Since my mother died and my father lost his sight due to old age, I run the household myself. I keep thanking God for giving me the strength to do so. Despite my legs and skeleton being ravaged by polio, I have never looked down on myself. My art has ensured that people do not look at me with pity or condescension; instead, they look at me as their trusted tailor.

As told to Hura Omar

The aspiring novelist Balkh province

If you want to know me, do not start with my name, but with my room's window. Every morning, before the city fully wakes up, I sit in front of it. The road in front of me is just an ordinary street, but to me it is filled with people, and each has a story that no one has yet written. An old man who slowly drags his cane across the asphalt; a girl who clutches her bag tightly to her chest and walks briskly; a child chasing his ball ... Sometimes, before I write the first sentence, I just watch them for a few minutes.

I am Mahtab*. I am 23 years old and I am writing a novel.

I began writing on my own, but now I take online classes as well. One by one, students appear onscreen. Some could be my older sister or even my mother. Every time I see their faces, I think how remarkable it is: here, where the paths to learning grow narrower every day, there are still people who have not given up. Sometimes the internet disconnects, sometimes the power goes out, but none of this stops the class.

Let me tell you about last week: I was missing going to the bookshop, so I adjusted my shawl and set off. The little bell above the door chimed as it opened, and the smell of paper and new books filled the shop. The bookseller smiled and said: "I haven't seen you in a long time." I went straight to the fiction shelf. My fingers slid over the spines of the books, and I was holding one in my hand when, through the glass, a few men in official attire passed by. Instinctively, I held my breath.

Through the glass, I saw girls passing the shop: one holding her little sister's hand; one with a book hidden beneath her shawl; another walking so fast, as if she wanted to get away from the street's gaze. When I stepped out, I held the book tight against my chest.

In a time when so much can be taken from a person, the dream of reading, writing and creating cannot be stolen unless one gives it up. For me, writing is not just putting words together; it is a way to preserve what is being lost: dreams, memories, the voices of people who are still hopeful. Perhaps one day someone will read these writings and know there were people who, despite all the walls, still kept a window open to the future.

When night falls, I sit behind the same window again. I may not be able to change the pain of this city,

Continued on page 20

19

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News Afghanistan

Continued from page 19

but I can remember it, write it down and not let it be lost in silence. As told to Sofia Malik

The cleaner and brickmaker Jawzjan province

My husband used to be the breadwinner in our family. But in 2021, he was in injured in a traffic accident, leaving him unable to stand on his feet or work. From that moment, the responsibility of providing for the family fell on my shoulders.

My name is Leilma*. I am 33 years old. I am originally from Faryab province, but I now live in Jawzjan. I am the mother of four children - three daughters and one son.

Every day, I wake up before sunrise, pray and begin my household chores. I prepare breakfast for my children and husband, send my children to school, prepare food for our cow and goats and feed them, then tie them under the shade of trees so they can be protected from the scorching sun.

Then I head to the hotel where I work as a waitress and cleaner. From 6.30am until 8 or 9pm, I work continuously. On days when there are wedding ceremonies at the hotel, I arrive early, arrange tables and chairs, and serve guests food. Then I clean every part of the hotel with brushes, mops and brooms, and arrange the tables and chairs again. I wash the tablecloths, chair covers and dining sheets, and dry them on the hotel roof. Once they are dry, I collect them, spread them back on the tables and chairs and return home.

For all this work, I earn only 200 afghanis (£2) a day. Although this income is very little and does not cover all our needs, I have no choice but to continue. My children's hopes are tied to my tired hands.

I live with my husband and four children in a very small house with only one room. To be able to build at least one more room, I make raw bricks whenever I have free time.

My brother used to do this work so I know how bricks are made: preparing the soil, mixing it with water to make mud. I spend hours pressing and kneading mud with my feet until it is ready. After that, using a brick-making mould, I shape the raw bricks from mud and leave them under the sun to dry.

Sometimes, there is a wedding ceremony at the hotel while the mud for making bricks is also ready at home, so I cover the mud with plastic and go to the hotel. When I return home at night, I start making bricks again.

My neighbours tell me that if I continue putting so much pressure on myself, I will collapse. But I do not know any other way. My children are all still young, and I cannot bring myself to send them to work. I tell myself: I did not have the chance to study and became a cleaner; let them study and become educated.

As told to Simin Daneshjo

The teacher at a girls' school Daykundi province

My day begins at four in the

morning. After waking, I pray and read the Qur'an until the sky begins to brighten. Then I pick up empty water containers and walk to the nearby spring to collect fresh water.

I have breakfast with my son - tea, sugar and tandoori bread. We live in a remote village in Daykundi province, but unlike many other villagers, our table is not filled with eggs or cheeses.

My name is Sediqa*. I am 41 years old, and I have been teaching at my village's girls' school for 18 years. I studied at this same school.

After the fall of the previous Taliban regime, when Hamid Karzai came to power in 2002 and girls' schools reopened, I was among the first to return. Although I was over 20 years old at the time, I started my education from first grade.

Eventually, I became a teacher. I married a man who promised to support my work and education because I hoped to build an independent life. But after my son was born, he failed to support me, did not allow me to study at university and opposed my going to work.

Then, when the government collapsed and the Taliban took power, my husband left Afghanistan. My son and I were displaced, moving from one

'I look at the moon and the stars. I tell myself everything will change one day'

Leima

24-year-old student

person's home to another. The house I built through years of hardship and with the money I earned from teaching was taken away from me by his family. We eventually settled in a mud house near the school.

In the morning, I prepare dough and go to an area among the trees near my house to gather firewood. I light the clay oven and bake our bread, then leave for school with my son. We each take separate mountain paths and walk to our schools alone. My son walks an hour on foot while my journey takes 45 minutes.

Eighteen years ago, many girls and I gathered at this school under a single tent. There were no professional teachers, our school had no building and the tent was unbearable in the heat and cold - yet we gathered beneath that roof with great enthusiasm and a deep desire to learn.

Today, our school has a building, and classrooms with desks and chairs. But our girls can no longer study beyond sixth grade.

The school uniform has been replaced with large black prayer garments, which education officials come to inspect. The youngest girls are just six years old. Despite their age and the long distances they must travel, they must carry these heavy garments through the difficult journey, enduring the heat and cold.

I teach first grade, and my day ends with the happy laughter of these young girls. Girls who are starting school for the first time are happy, energetic and full of dreams. Being around them gives me a sense of joy.

As told to Nahid Naji

The student locked inside and losing hope Nangarhar province

Sometimes, when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror during the day and see the colour of my face and my hair, I fall silent. I see how much I have truly changed over these past few years. My skin has become pale and lifeless, as if I am fading away; the dark circles under my eyes look frightening. Sometimes, I think the girl I see in the mirror is not me.

My name is Leima*. I am 24 years old, and I was studying computer science at a private university in Nangarhar when the Taliban announced the closure of universities. I was in my room, working on a course project. It was 9pm when I finished studying and saw the news on my phone.

I fell into a state of shock. When my mother and sisters saw me they became silent. They had wanted to hide the news from me, but I already knew. For days, my family and relatives tried to reassure me that the universities would reopen.

When the universities stayed shut, I was left hopeless. My father - who has always supported our education - told me not to worry, that he would find every possible way for me to continue my studies. Eventually, he decided that we should leave Afghanistan and go to Pakistan or Turkey so I could resume my education. But because my younger brother has a physical

All composite images: Guardian Design

disability and is paralysed, we were unable to leave.

Now life has reached a point where no ordinary day is truly ordinary. My mind is so filled with thoughts and worries that even when I'm cooking, tears fall from my eyes without me realising.

This morning I woke up at 2am, recited prayers and sat on my prayer mat, crying. Every night I ask God to make everything right. In the darkness, I go into the courtyard and look at the silent sky, the moon and the stars. It gives me a sense of comfort. I tell myself that everything will change one day.

There was a time when I would

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dress up every day. I would lovingly dye and style my hair, apply my favourite bright lipstick, listen to my favourite music at full volume and dance happily in my room. This morning, after brushing my teeth, I wanted to comb my hair. But my worries are making it fall out: so much hair gathered on the brush that I felt as if every strand had died.

As I sat there, my eyes fell on my old perfumes sitting beside the mirror. I picked one up and sprayed it on myself; for a moment, my mood changed. I felt like the person I used to be years ago.

As told to Hosai Ismail Khan

The prosthetist helping women to walk

Faryab province

My workday revolves around plaster, moulds, plastic prosthetics, scissors, screws, rubber, glue and other tools.

My name is Nazanin*. I am 42 years old and the mother of four children - two daughters and two sons. For the past 21 years, I have worked as a technician in a hospital, making orthopaedic assistive devices, casts and plastic prosthetic limbs for women and children with physical disabilities.

I begin each day with prayer, then wake my two sons, who leave for their classes at 6am. My younger daughter is in second grade, so I take her to school in my rickshaw. My older daughter, however, is 13 and no longer allowed to attend school.

Now she stays home alone. She does all the housework, prepares meals for her father and siblings. She has been at home for two years, and it breaks my heart. No one truly understands a mother's fear. Every time I close the gate behind me, it feels as though my soul remains on the other side with my daughter.

I arrive at work at 8am and check how many orders we have. I produce several casts or artificial limbs most days.

I think about my daughter as I work and wonder what she is doing. How long can she keep herself busy with housework? How much television can she watch? I worry that she might harm herself. I worry that she might lose hope.

Then I tell myself that there are women who need me - who dream of walking independently and

doing everyday tasks on their own. One young woman I worked with was the mother of seven children. Her husband was a farmer and they lived in a remote, mountainous district. Before receiving the prosthesis, she had to crawl to do her daily tasks.

Now she can walk powerfully on those uneven fields. Later, when she visited us to have her prosthetic leg repaired, she told us with great happiness: "I went to the market. I saw the market up close. I work on my land now, and I no longer think about the fact that I once did not have a leg."

In the evening, when my husband returns from work, he comforts me about our daughter. He says: "Are you anxious? Well, this is something that has happened to all girls." He takes our daughters out for a walk and buys them ice-cream or something small. He says: "At least let their faces light up a little."

As told to Tomiris Tamga

The dental assistant who dreamed of being a surgeon

Jawzjan province

Getting to my place of work is never easy. On my way, I pass several mosques and a Taliban-run religious school. When the young men come out, the way they look at me sometimes makes me fearful. Every time I walk that route, I wonder whether I could end up like Farkhunda - a young woman killed by a mob for no reason. The men's stares reveal how deeply they resent women leaving their homes.

My name is Marwa*. I am 23 years old, and once I dreamed of being a brain surgeon. When women were banned from universities, I found

I could study an online course in dental prosthetics. Today I work as a dental assistant in a small private clinic run by a friend of my father's.

When I arrive at the clinic, I push fear aside and focus on my work. Taliban officials and soldiers all come to the clinic. One commander came to have a tooth extracted and asked the dentist about the anaesthetic injection. The soldier with him laughed and said: "Doctor, don't numb the commander. Our commander has spilled so much blood - let him lose a little blood from his tooth as well."

Hearing that, I wondered how many innocent people this man had helped kill, how many families he had left without loved ones, how many women and children had suffered because of him. Every moment, I worried that he might suddenly become angry.

Officials from the ministry for the propagation of virtue and the prevention of vice visit the clinic to carry out inspections. They always ask: "Who is this young woman's guardian and why is she working alone?" I worry they might shut down the clinic or create problems for us. Whenever they arrive, I hide.

This is not the future I imagined for myself. When I was 17 and began preparing for Afghanistan's national university entrance exam, I told myself I would earn the highest score in my province. I had dreamed of becoming a doctor, but by the time exam results were announced the political system had changed and I wasn't able to pursue that. Once, a man who had been my teacher came in for treatment. When he saw me, he said: "You are capable of much more than being a nurse or an assistant. If

circumstances had been different, you could have become a better doctor than many practising today." His kind words meant a great deal.

There are months when I feel hopeless. But then a small sense of hope returns. Maybe the circumstances are not right today, but no one knows what tomorrow will bring. Some girls have lost hope and are searching for a refuge in life. They think if they get married they can find that refuge in their husbands. But I want to be my own refuge.

As told to Atousa Azar

The teacher who fears her students will be married off

Samangan province

People often say that the beginning of the week starts with motivation and energy, but since the day Afghanistan fell to the Taliban and my studies were left unfinished, I have had no motivation to live. Morning and evening, day and night, every day of the week feels the same: dark and heavy.

My name is Fatana*. I am 25 years old and live in one of Afghanistan's northern provinces. When the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, I was a third-year student of law and political science, living in a government-run dormitory.

Since then, I have been prevented from continuing my education. My six-year-old sister and I get into a rickshaw and go to

school - a private school where I have worked as a teacher for nearly two years and earn a monthly salary of 4,000 afghanis (£45). Alongside teaching, I try to encourage my students. I tell them that to achieve success, they often have to work several times harder than boys.

One of my students lost her father to cancer last year, and her family is struggling financially. She is a quiet and sorrowful girl who often keeps to herself. In addition to her regular lessons, I teach her English for one hour every day through WhatsApp.

I cannot escape worrying about her future. I fear that poverty and family pressure could force her into child marriage - a fate that still shapes the lives of many children.

The most painful part of my work at the school is seeing my students graduate from sixth grade. Their sad and hopeless faces on their final days are unbearable for me. Every time I think about those girls, and wonder what conditions they are living in today, my heart aches. I ask myself: how many are holding on to their dreams of education? How many have been forced into marriages they did not choose? As told to Raha Malik

• Names have been changed. This report is a collaboration with Zan Times, a collective of journalists inside Afghanistan who write under pen names for their own safety

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Eyewitness

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▼ Metro Manila, the Philippines Estero (canal) rangers from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources clearing rubbish washed into a river by

heavy monsoon rains. These environmental frontliners safeguard the country's waterways to help prevent flooding in communities PHOTOGRAPH: NOKI, CELIS/REUTERS

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World

Israeli military accused

of starting wildfires in southern Lebanon ‘ecocide’

William Christou Beirut

Firefighters and residents of south Lebanon have accused the Israeli military of lighting wildfires in the region in recent weeks, as forested areas burned down in blazes sparked by Israeli bombing.

Environmental groups described the fires as part of a longstanding Israeli practice of targeting Lebanon's natural environment.

Yesterday, the Israeli military dropped flares in a wooded area outside of Khiam, in south Lebanon, sparking blazes. When firefighters went to extinguish the flames, a drone struck near them, forcing them to withdraw, said Hussein Fakih, the head of the civil defence in the Nabatieh region.

"Most of our missions are now related to fires. There are enormous areas of woodland that have burned. I don't have the exact figures, but in the areas close to the [frontline], around 30-40% of the land has been affected by fires," said Fakih.

The Israeli military has caused fires across south Lebanon, particularly in olive groves and agricultural land in the nearly two-month period since the 19 June ceasefire that mostly ended fighting between Hezbollah and Israel, according to videos and testimony from first responders.

The Israeli military was asked for comment on each of the wildfire incidents, but did not respond.

"They started doing this right after the ceasefire, and there have been incendiary bombs every day," said Fakih. "Small drones come out and drop incendiary materials, [white]

▲ Wildfires started by Israeli soldiers sending flares, drones and even flaming debris slung from trebuchets into southern Lebanon PHOTOGRAPH: AFFIGETTY

phosphorus shells are fired at the woodlands, in addition to flares that they drop during the daytime so the vegetation catches fire."

Firefighters and residents of other areas in south Lebanon describe similar incidences of blazes being started by Israeli munitions and drones in dry scrub and woodlands. On Friday,

Israeli munitions created large wildfires in two heavily forested areas, in Kfarchouba close to the border and between Jezzine and the western Bekaa valley.

The civil defence station chief in the area, Samer Hardan, said a fire was started near Kfarchouba after a drone dropped a munition in woodlands on Friday afternoon. After battling blazes overnight and extinguishing them on Saturday, a second drone came on Sunday and sparked another fire, Hardan said.

Firefighters, who are required to coordinate their movements with the Lebanese army which relays their request to a deconfliction mechanism that includes the Israeli military, were only given permission to go to two spots to fight the fires, and not other areas where fires were raging.

According to environmental groups, the fires are part of a pattern of Israeli attacks against Lebanon's environment. The attacks threaten Lebanon's woodlands and the biodiversity they support, experts said.

"These are long-established woodlands, dominated by productive stone pine alongside oak. They perform critical functions. The wider area is also an important passage and resting ground for migratory birds," said Hisham Younes, the founder of the Lebanese conservation organisation Green Southerners.

Younes described the Israeli attacks as an "ecocide" and as part of a pattern of attacks against Lebanon's environment that has seen the Israeli military degrade south Lebanon's ecosystem with munitions, fires and chemical attacks.

Younes said: "It is not about any

single fire or attack, but a pattern of destruction that progressively erodes the ability of ecosystems to function, regenerate and sustain life. When those cascading effects also undermine livelihoods and people's ability to return to and remain on their land, environmental destruction becomes inseparable from the wider transformation of the territory itself."

Since fighting started on 8 October 2023, when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in solidarity with the

Hamas-led attack a day earlier, Israel has repeatedly targeted Lebanon's woodlands. The Israeli military has said in the past that Hezbollah used these forested areas as cover for its fighters and its tunnels.

Ecologists and rights groups have warned that fires and other forms of widespread environmental destruction would have wider effects on civilian populations.

Israeli soldiers used trebuchets - medieval catapults - to fling flaming

'It is a pattern of destruction that erodes the ability of ecosystems to sustain life'

Hisham Younes Conservationist

● Active fire footprints over the last seven days

10 km 10 miles

Source: Nasa FIRMS VHRS data to 11.00 GMT 11 Aug 2026

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8

Search for survivors

Hundreds dead after quake hits Colombia

Page 27

Asteroid hunters

New Zealand's 11th meteorite discovered

Page 28

29

◄ Rights groups have accused Israeli soldiers in Lebanon of widespread environmental destruction

PHOTOGRAPH: GPO/ SIPA/SHUTTERSTOCK

▲ Israeli forces in southern Lebanon yesterday, where they have burned villages and trees

PHOTOGRAPH: AMMAR AMMAR/AFP/GETTY

debris over the border wall into Lebanon in the summer of 2024, while the Lebanese army published photographs of Israeli drones that carried hoses, which doused forests with flammable materials.

Health and environmental experts raised the alarm in February when Israeli planes dropped herbicides linked to cancer on farms in south Lebanon.

Besides the environmental and health consequences of these fires, residents of south Lebanon have mourned the loss of the green spaces in the villages where they grew up.

On 1 August, displaced residents of the border village of Yaroun discovered that their olive and fruit groves, as well as homes, had been set ablaze by Israeli soldiers who occupied the town.

Pictures of the fires were sent by residents of the nearby Christian

towns of Rmeich and Ain Ebel, some of the few villages near the border that were not emptied out by Israeli soldiers.

"They had already bulldozed the whole village. Then they set fire to the trees. What remained in this particular area were the olive trees - large groves, with very old olive trees. They started there, then the fire spread along the outskirts of the village," said Hafez Ghasham, the mayor of Yaroun.

The residents of Yaroun had already watched in the months prior as all but 20 of the 900 houses in the village were bulldozed by the Israeli military, pooling resources to buy expensive satellite imagery of the village during their displacement.

"Many of these trees, most of them, in fact, were inherited from our grandparents and parents. They have enormous sentimental value. The trees were also an important source of income for the people of the village," Ghasham said.

"They are trying to make the land uninhabitable. They are erasing our entire history, our entire culture, all our memories. Maybe the idea is that after some time, it will look as though nobody had ever lived here - I don't know."

Syrian court

sentences Al-Assads to death in absentia

William Christou Beirut

A Syrian court has sentenced the country's former president Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher to death in absentia for crimes against humanity and war crimes during the 14-year civil war, in which about half a million people died.

The two men fled to Moscow after being ousted by a rebel offensive in December 2024, which toppled the dictatorial regime in 11 days.

The former president and his brother, who commanded the feared fourth division and was considered the regime's top security official, oversaw a brutal crackdown in which government forces killed, arrested and tortured indiscriminately to crush protests that started in 2011.

The court said Bashar al-Assad had been sentenced to death for crimes of "premeditated and intentional murder of more than one person and of children" as well as "torture, arbitrary arrest and crimes against humanity".

It said it would pursue international legal avenues to try to

prosecute the two men, but Russian officials have declined requests to extradite its former Syrian allies.

The court also sentenced Atef Najib, al-Assad's cousin and the former head of political security in Daraa, to death. Najib was responsible for the torture of a group of 15 young boys who had graffitied anti-Assad slogans on a wall in 2011 - an event that kicked off mass protests in the southern Syrian province, which then spread to the rest of the country.

Najib's trial was highly publicised, with pictures of him listening to proceedings while dressed in a prison uniform and held in a cage in court. The Syrian government has presented his trial as a landmark case in its pursuit of transitional justice, something experts say is key to healing divisions in the country.

Syria has experienced explosions of violence in the post-Assad era. About 1,500 mostly Alawite civilians were killed in a wave of retaliatory killings in March 2025 after militants loyal to al-Assad attacked security forces. Al-Assad belonged to the

Islamic Alawite sect, a minority group in Syria, and enjoyed strong support in the group's coastal heartland.

In July 2025, more than 1,700 people were killed in massacres in the Druze-majority province of Suweida, when local fighting evolved into sectarian killings.

Syrian authorities have taken steps towards transitional justice, establishing committees and arresting Assad-era officials in an effort to end intercommunal violence.

Al-Assad became president in 2000 at the age of 34, inheriting power from his father, Hafez. He had trained as an ophthalmologist in London and was not initially supposed to be president, but became the heir after his brother Bassel died in a car accident.

Though styled as a reformer who was supposed to allow some liberalisation in Syrian politics and its economy, his legacy was largely defined by his brutal response to the country's revolution. Under his rule, Syria's security apparatus was given a free hand to arrest, torture and kill civilians on an industrial scale.

◄ Syrians gather at the Palace of Justice in Damascus to celebrate the court's death sentences for former president Bashar al-Assad and his brother Maher

PHOTOGRAPH: OZ ALIERN ALQAIEM/ ANADOLU/GETTY

US rights organisations fight

Trump sanctions against ICC

Alice Speri

Four leading US human rights organisations have accused the Trump administration of using its "crippling" sanctions regime against the international criminal court (ICC) to undermine efforts to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court yesterday, the groups - the American Friends Service Committee, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights Watch and the Open Society Foundations - argued that the administration's targeting of the ICC, as well as of groups and individuals affiliated with it or assisting its work, amounts to a "blatantly illegal attack on international justice".

The lawsuit challenges Trump's February 2025 executive order, which imposed sanctions on ICC officials, judges and others working to support its investigation of alleged Israeli crimes in Palestine - one of 18

investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity the Netherlands-based tribunal is overseeing.

The US state department and justice department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The US government has long opposed and sought to impede the work of the court - of which it is not a party - but those attacks intensified after the ICC prosecutor issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged crimes committed in Gaza.

The US responded by imposing sanctions on ICC prosecutors, judges, three leading Palestinian human rights groups and Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories.

This summer, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, announced a campaign to "dismantle" the ICC.

"The Trump administration took the extraordinary step to not only deny Palestinians and victims of US

torture equal access to justice, but to criminalise and punish them, their lawyers and advocates, and their partners," said Katherine Gallagher, a senior attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights who represents victims before the ICC. "All victims of international crimes - from Sudan and Ukraine to Palestine and Afghanistan - need and deserve to have an independent and strong ICC able to fulfil its mission of ending impunity, without fear or favour."

The individuals placed under US sanctions have been subjected to travel bans, have had their bank accounts closed or frozen, and access to digital services denied. The sanctions have also affected their ability to access services in other countries.

Rights groups not directly targeted - including the four plaintiffs - are also affected by the sanctions, which hinder their ability to represent victims before the court, make submissions to it, or work with Palestinian groups.

"Because of the sanctions regime ... if I continued my work as a lawyer as before, I would have been or could be prosecuted or fined," Gallagher said in a press conference held by the groups yesterday. "I have therefore ceased actively practising before the ICC."

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●●●

World

▼ Rescue teams search for survivors in the rubble of a collapsed building in Cali, Colombia, yesterday

PHOTOGRAPH: SANTIAGO SALDARRIAGA/AP

Rescuers race to find survivors after deadly Colombia quake

Tom Phillips Rio de Janeiro Thomas Graham Bogotá

Colombian rescue workers were racing to find survivors yesterday after the country's deadliest earthquake this century killed at least 240 people and left at least 3,000 missing.

In Cali, one of the worst affected cities, firefighters said they had pulled a 35-year-old man from the wreckage of a collapsed building shortly before 4am yesterday - nearly 24 hours after the 7.4 magnitude quake rattled western Colombia.

"We have found life under the debris ... Every minute counts," the fire department wrote on X alongside a video of a survivor being rescued from beneath a concrete beam.

Yesterday afternoon there was a sudden burst of applause after a 31-year-old woman named as Diana Troncoso was also rescued by firefighters after a 16-hour effort. "Getting out of there is a miracle," her father, Álvaro Troncoso Torres, told journalists from El Pais as he stood beside the ruined building.

Civilians reportedly pulled at least five survivors from a partly collapsed hotel, though elsewhere bodies of some of the city's 95 confirmed victims could be seen lying on the street under sheets.

Colombia's president, Abelardo de la Espriella, was sworn into power in Cali only last Friday. On Monday night he was back in his country's third-largest city telling reporters that 5,000 homes had been destroyed and 188 people were reported missing in the surrounding department of Valle del Cauca.

"We will get through this together," Cali's mayor, Alejandro Eder, told its 2.3 million citizens during a televised meeting with the new president.

De la Espriella, who was elected in June after vowing to launch a major

▲ Top: a rescue worker carries a dog to safety in Cali, Colombia, where 240 people were killed and 40 buildings had collapsed. Above, a couple comfort one

another as workers search the rubble of their home a day after the city was hit by the 7.4-magnitude earthquake PHOTOGRAPHS: SERGIO AGENO REUTERS: SANTIAGO SALDARRIAGA/AP

'Everyone is praising De la Espriella's quick response, but things could go south pretty quickly'

Orlando Pérez Latin America expert

crackdown on illegal armed groups, said more than 1,000 troops were being mobilised to avoid public disturbances amid reports of looting.

The situation in Pereira, a city 130 miles (209km) to Cali's north, appears similarly dramatic, with at least 53 people reportedly trapped in some of the 58 buildings that collapsed. Eleven people are missing, according to the local newspaper El Diario.

On Monday, Pereira's mayor, Mauricio Salazar, broke down in tears as he described the damage inflicted on his city, where at least 66 deaths have been confirmed.

"Pereira is living through a historic and tough situation," Salazar said, his voice breaking as he explained how hospitals were struggling with the influx of patients.

The earthquake, which struck at 7.34am local time on Monday, is Colombia's deadliest since a 6.2 magnitude temblor devastated parts of the same western coffee growing region in January 1999, killing more than 1,000 people.

The natural disaster poses an immediate and severe challenge to De la Espriella, a far-right populist with no previous experience of politics or governing.

The acting leaders of neighbouring Venezuela were castigated by civilians for what many considered their lethargic and incompetent initial response to the twin earthquakes that struck its north coast on 24 June, killing at least 6,300 people. Colombia's earthquake on Monday appears to have caused substantially less damage than Venezuela's far shallower and more destructive earthquakes. But the official reaction appears to have been far more organised, proactive and transparent than in Venezuela.

In the hours after Colombia's earthquake, De la Espriella quickly declared a state of emergency and said he would personally lead the disaster response, making a trip to the department of Chocó before travelling to Cali.

He has sent teams led by various ministers in his recently named cabinet to each of the worst affected areas. Government officials have offered regular updates on the situation. De la Espriella was due to fly to Pereira yesterday.

Experts attribute the two countries' contrasting responses to their different political realities. Venezuela has had more than a decade of authoritarian rule under the recently abducted dictator, Nicolás Maduro, during which time the country's institutions and civil society withered and international aid groups and NGOs struggled to operate.

Critics have voiced fears over a possible authoritarian tack under Colombia's pro-Donald Trump leader. But the country remains a vibrant multiparty democracy.

Christopher Sabatini, a senior fellow for Latin America at the Chatham House thinktank, said those very different systems explained the dramatically different responses to the natural disasters. Sabatini recalled how after June's twin earthquakes, Maduro's authoritarian heirs - who have retained power with Trump's blessing under the acting president Delcy Rodriguez - had gone into "a defensive crouch".

In contrast, Sabatini said Colombia had provided "a quick, sharp, public-facing and immediate response" from officials in what was "an efficient, effective state".

Orlando Pérez, a Latin American politics expert from the University of North Texas at Dallas, also noted major differences in the responses.

"Everybody is praising De la Espriella's quick response. He has reacted in a much more public way and shown leadership," said Pérez. "But things could go south pretty quickly if the initial burst of energy and activity is not followed up with effective reconstruction and recovery."

Beijing expects one-third of its annual rainfall as Typhoon Dolphin strikes

Amy Hawkins

Typhoon Dolphin hit Beijing yesterday as the storm caused flooding in parts of Shunyi district and rains were forecast to intensify overnight.

Although the storm has been downgraded to a tropical depression, several districts in Beijing activated the highest level of emergency flood responses as the city braced for one-third of its annual rainfall, which is expected today.

The ministry of water resources activated a level 4 emergency response and dispatched personnel to badly hit areas in Beijing and the neighbouring port city of Tianjin.

Chinese state media reported that Beijing ordered more than 250 flood-control teams to be on standby and to prepare flood barriers at subway stations, hospitals and elderly care facilities.

From yesterday evening until tomorrow, most parts of Beijing will experience heavy downpours with a cumulative rainfall of more than 150mm in 24 hours, the city's meteorological service has forecast. That compares with Beijing's average annual rainfall of 528mm.

Four districts on Beijing's outskirts activated level 1 emergency flood responses. In the mountainous district of Mentougou in western Beijing, authorities issued the highest level of flood emergency alert yesterday and advised people to stay indoors.

The strongest typhoon to hit China this year, Dolphin has proved unusually resilient, travelling nearly 6,000km (3,728 miles) before making landfall over the weekend, drenching China's eastern coast and bringing with it a sprawling cloud field.

More than a million people were moved to safety across eastern China over the weekend, amid fears of flooding and landslides.

Wenzhou, a coastal city in Zhejiang province, said it relocated more than 900,000 people and opened more than 1,500 emergency shelters. In neighbouring Fujian, 98,900 people were moved.

In Shanghai, 215,600 people were moved from areas considered at risk by Sunday evening.

Early yesterday Dolphin moved over the central Chinese province of Hubei, an auto and hi-tech electronics manufacturing hub and home to more than 58 million people.

Yesterday, the national meteorological centre renewed an orange alert for heavy rain, the second-highest warning level, with north-western Hubei expected to receive up to 250mm in a 24-hour period. Hubei authorities have issued a yellow warning for cities including Xiangyang, Huanggang and Suizhou.

Additional reporting Reuters

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World

Trump targets childhood vaccines in executive order and attacks MMR jab

Melody Schreiber Joseph Gedeon Washington

Donald Trump has signed an order calling for fewer childhood vaccines and recommending that the MMR vaccine is split into three separate injections.

The move is the latest in a series of anti-vaccination policies pushed by the US president and his health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, an anti-vaccine activist who has promoted a link between vaccines and autism that scientists have repeatedly debunked.

Trump's executive order has drawn criticism from medical associations, public health experts and vaccine manufacturers, who say there is no new evidence to justify the changes and that the existing US schedule reflects decades of evidence and the health needs of Americans.

"Together, there could be a possibility they're quite lethal," Trump claimed of the MMR vaccine at the signing of the order on Monday.

Asked if he had evidence that the combined MMR vaccine was "lethal", Trump said: "No. What I've heard is that there are some people who say it is that way."

However, the impact of the executive order may be more symbolic than practical. There are currently no separately licensed vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in the US, and the licensing process takes years.

The order also states that, "to the maximum extent feasible, all childhood immunisations should be administered at separate medical visits". This would put a strain on families and medical providers

▲ Donald Trump holds up his executive order in the Oval Office while Robert F Kennedy Jr applauds PHOTOGRAPH: JIM WATSON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

by creating several additional visits. Studies of babies and toddlers in the US have shown that the use of combination shots increased the likelihood of completing all recommended vaccinations by the age of two.

Both Trump and Kennedy made repeated mentions of autism throughout the signing, claiming

an unproven link between vaccines and the condition. Dozens of studies show no link between the two.

"Today we're proud to officially announce the United States of America's gold standard childhood vaccination recommendations. That has to do with many subjects including autism in particular," Trump said at the beginning of the order signing.

"I've seen proof of it, where they have a vaccination where it looks like the size of a bottle of soda, poured into a little child's body and bad

things happen in too many cases," he later claimed, before adding: "This is an explosion, it's an epidemic," in an apparent reference to autism.

The order was criticised by the Republican senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a doctor who chairs the Senate health committee and shepherded Trump's health agency nominees through, casting the decisive vote to confirm Kennedy.

"This executive order is wrong," Cassidy said. "The president does not have the expertise to make these

changes. Vaccines are overwhelmingly safe. Vaccines are effective. Vaccines DO NOT cause autism ... Parents should listen to their child's paediatrician about vaccines rather than listening to an inaccurate executive order. This is so wrong."

On a press call, a White House official said the order draws on a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) scientific assessment which examined "comparisons of the US to other peer-developed nations" and looked at "where there is consensus amongst our peers".

Vaccine experts say other developed countries that may recommend fewer shots face different disease risks and have different healthcare systems. The official said the number of recommended childhood immunisations would drop "down to 11 diseases", compared with 18 at the end of 2024.

Dr Aaron Milstone, paediatric director of infection prevention at Johns Hopkins Health System, said doctors want to reassure parents there are "many, many, many years of scientific data highlighting the safety of vaccines in children".

The timing of vaccines has also been well studied, he said. "We give vaccines to children even when they're young because we know that's safe and ... we know it's the best time for their body to respond."

Doctors from the American Academy of Pediatrics said the executive order spreads uncertainty and confusion. The potential link between vaccines and autism has also been studied exhaustively - in more than 40 well-designed studies in more than seven countries involving more than five million children, said Dr Andrew Racine, president of the AAP.

"I'm not sure there is anything that has been as thoroughly looked at as this question about whether or not there is a link between autism and vaccines," he said. "And the answer is unequivocally no."

Additional reporting Reuters and the Associated Press

Fragments of a fireball

How New Zealand's 11th meteorite was discovered

Natasha May

Days after a massive fireball flashed through New Zealand's skies last month, Steve Wyn-Harris spotted a small black stone on the ground. The citizen astronomer was on the hunt for meteor debris. He bagged the rock but wasn't too confident, as he says most finds turn out to be "meteor-wrongs".

But when he held the thumb-sized rock next to a fridge magnet, to detect iron and nickel in meteorites, it clicked. Wyn-Harris did the test on a video call

with other citizen scientists and geologists and after the click "we were all yelling".

His discovery marks the 11th confirmed meteorite to be found in New Zealand. Meteorites are the leftover rock that hits the ground after the meteor has burned up entering Earth's atmosphere. Finding the debris in New Zealand can be difficult, a consequence of the country's sparsely populated, rugged terrain.

Wyn-Harris is the director of Fireballs Aotearoa, an alliance of astronomers, geologists and citizen scientists that now has a network of 200 cameras around the country designed to help document meteor showers and recover meteorites. On 28 July, the group and their

cameras tracked a meteor over the North Island and people rushed online to describe the dazzling display and a "huge boom".

Footage indicated there was the possibility of many fragments. After crunching data, including wind speed and flight path projections, the group zeroed in on a promising area. They kept the location secret, worried a public appeal for help could trigger a "meteor rush": a Martian meteorite found in Niger sold for more than $5m (£3.7m) last year, though New Zealand law prohibits such sales.

Wyn-Harris says he found the meteorite near a riverbank while scouting farmland a day before he and the group were due to search the area. "I wasn't so excited when I first spotted and bagged it because I'd only been looking around ... for 40 minutes," he says.

But on the video call later that night a geologist looked at the rock and noted its crust had a meteorite quality. The next day, a team of 11 people carried out a wider search.

Two days after Wyn-Harris's discovery, which weighed 8g, Liam McGovern, a geology PhD student,

◀ The geology PhD student Liam McGovern shows off one of the remnants of a meteor shower over New Zealand's North Island last month

PHOTOGRAPH: FIREBALLS AOTEAROA

found a second fragment, weighing 39g. Over 10 days, the search party discovered four pieces, weighing 75g in total, including a fragment on the driveway of a house.

Wyn-Harris says the meteor's trajectory before it entered the atmosphere indicated it came from the asteroid belt, making it an "ordinary chondrite". The name is "unfortunate, because they're not ordinary," he says. The fragments will be further analysed by the geologist Dr Marshall Palmer. Palmer will give the meteorites an official name and, together, they will become New Zealand's 11th documented meteorite.

Prof James Scott, a geoscientist, says the pieces are "100%" meteorite and they probably share origins with New Zealand's first meteorite discovered in 1863.

"Both likely come from the same parent body, which was an asteroid from near the start of the solar system. That blows my mind. We have two rocks, formed elsewhere in space from a smallish asteroid ... that has been catastrophically destroyed, and yet they land within 10km of each other."

---

World

29

'I miss her dreams'

Thailand mourns youngest victim of mass shooting

Natasha May

Khemmapat Rojwanichkun

Nonthaburi

When the mother and father of the youngest victim of last week's school mass shooting

arrived at the temple north of Bangkok, teary-eyed parents came up to quietly offer condolences before the prayers began in front of the 12-year-old girl's casket. Then, in a moment, the tone changed.

A man arrived and dropped to his knees in supplication, sobbing and bowing his head in the traditional "wai" gesture before the couple who had lost their daughter, Naphat Chaimar.

It was Nithi Yimruang, the father of the 14-year-old boy who had carried out the shooting, pleading for their forgiveness.

Naphat's father, Pongthon Chaimar, helped raise the man up by his arms, but his head remained hung in shame, even as Pongthon accepted the apology.

The girl's parents told Nithi they understood he too was going through a difficult time. His son, Patchat Yimruang, had shot his grandfather and grandmother dead before killing six people and injuring more than 30 at the prestigious Debsirin Nonthaburi school north-west of Bangkok. He then turned the gun on himself.

His father told the Guardian before the funeral service: "I'm experiencing so many emotions all at once. I feel guilty and heartbroken because I've suffered a loss too. I've lost my child, as well as my parents. And seeing the little girl's father being so kind and understanding toward me makes me feel even more guilty."

He still does not understand why his son did what he did.

The teenage boy had used his grandfather's gun in the attack. He had lived with his grandparents ever since his parents separated when he was two years old.

But his father visited him every weekend, and took him to extra tutoring classes. "For me, he was number one. But he was a quiet, reserved child. He didn't talk much and usually kept things to himself. Toward the end, though, he became even quieter than before.

"I used to ask him quite often how things were at school, and he would just say, 'so-so'. I'd ask him

'I feel guilty and heartbroken because ... I've lost my child as well as my parents'

Nithi Yimruang

Father of shooter

how his classes were going, and he'd just say 'so-so'.

"But now, there's no way for me to find out or ask him anymore."

The shooting has resonated across the country, with the king and prime minister leading an outpouring of grief.

▲ Top, the coffin with wreaths from Thailand's king and queen. Above, a picture of Naphat Chaimar at the temple. Left, police attend the shooting PHOTOGRAPHS: ATMIT PERAWONGMETHA/CHANAKARN LAOJARAKHAM/GETTY/REUTERS

Inside the temple, Naphat's coffin is flanked by a yellow wreath from King Maha Vajiralongkorn and a violet and pink tribute from Queen Suthida. They are joined by wreaths from the prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, and several other cabinet ministers.

The palace announced on Sunday the king had granted royal patronage for the victims, their family and relatives. The move means all the injured would be treated as patients under royal care, and royal sponsorship would be awarded for the funeral rites and cremations of those killed.

At the temple, hundreds of mourners - including teachers, parents and friends - fill the room

where Naphat's casket lies as monks chant prayers. The wreaths and chairs spill out into the undercover area outside.

Naphat had been at the school only three months, as part of its newest cohort of grade 7 pupils.

Pongthon said: "What her mother and I miss the most are her dreams.

"After the new school term began, she took part in a dance competition and a Thai traditional costume competition. And toward the end of this month, she was supposed to compete in a cheerleading competition. She really enjoyed expressing herself."

When Naphat's parents heard the news of the shooting, they kept calling their daughter's phone. Later, an officer called to say she was at Phranangklao hospital in a critical condition. Naphat died on Saturday, bringing the total death toll to nine, including the attacker.

Naphat's teacher, who did not wish to be named, remembered her as an entertainer. He said she would not normally have been in the building where the shooting occurred but had gone to get a vaccination with other students.

Pongthon, said he did not blame the school. "I think something like this can happen anywhere. Anywhere in the world."

In brief

Canada

Flight cancelled after child rejects seatbelt

A Canadian airline cancelled a flight from Victoria to Toronto after a child refused to wear a seatbelt. The child was standing in their chair as the 6 August Porter Airlines flight left the terminal and taxied towards the runway, the airline said. Repeated attempts by an accompanying parent and crew to secure the child in their seat failed, so the crew elected to return to the terminal and have the two passengers disembark as "the aircraft could not take off in this unsafe condition", it added. Porter Airlines said passengers were rebooked on a different flight the following day. Olivia Bowden

Russia

Former US marine freed from jail after four years

Russia has freed a former US marine who had been in jail since 2022, after Vladimir Putin granted the ailing American a pardon on humanitarian grounds. Robert Gilman, 32, an English teacher who briefly served in the US marines, was arrested in the city of Voronezh in 2022 for allegedly kicking a police officer while drunk, according to Russian state media. He was later sentenced to four and a half years in prison. Concerns over Gilman's health had grown sharply in recent weeks, and the White House urged Moscow to release him so he could receive treatment in the US. Pjotr Sauer

Turkey

Unpaid miners arrested after protest over wages

More than 80 miners demanding unpaid wages were arrested in front of the Turkish ministry of energy on Monday, their union said. The independent miners' union had called on employees of two coal and silver mines in central and eastern Turkey to protest.

About 100 miners from one of the mines staged a nine-day protest in Ankara in April (pictured below) to demand unpaid salaries.

The protests ended after the announcement of an agreement with their employer but the miners, who say they have been paid, want compensation for forced leave that lasted months. AFP

---

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World

11

Australian PM declines to apologise for 'melons' joke

Josh Butler

The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has rejected calls to apologise to Japan's prime minister over a joke he made about melons on a satirical podcast amid accusations of sexual innuendo.

Government MPs have defended the prime minister after criticism over last month's remarks, which the Coalition opposition described as "grubby". The assistant minister Pat Gorman said: "I don't know why we're still talking about this."

During an interview on the comedy podcast Bush Deep in early July, Albanese spoke about Japan's leader, Sanae Takaichi, giving him a gift of Japanese melons.

Discussing the present, he appeared to make hand gestures in front of his chest, saying "she brought two, as you do". The host Nikki

▲ In a podcast, Anthony Albanese said Sanae Takaichi gave him a gift of Japanese melons, while making hand gestures PHOTOGRAPH: SAXED KIRAN/APF/GETTY

Osborne joked: "She came in looking like Pamela Anderson."

Albanese had not previously addressed the comments, but in parliament's question time yesterday, was asked by the opposition whether he would apologise. In her question, the Liberal MP Mary Aldred described Albanese's comments as "foul-mouthed, classless" and "disrespectful behaviour".

Albanese responded: "I reject the assertion in the question."

He continued: "Australia and Japan have never been closer or more

strategically aligned. And my government has taken our special strategic partnership to new heights."

One Liberal MP interjected: "Why didn't you say that in the podcast?"

Aldred asked again whether Albanese would apologise, to which he again noted various meetings with Takaichi and the close relationship between Japan and Australia.

The melon comments returned as a political issue after The Australian newspaper ran a comment piece on Monday by the former Japanese ambassador Shingo Yamagami, who

claimed Albanese had insulted Takaichi. Yamagami, who left his post in 2023, complained of "crude jokes".

The Australian reported yesterday that Japan's government had sent a diplomatic cable to Australia in July, days after the podcast originally aired, saying there had been "sensationalised reporting in the Australian media" and that they detected no "ill intention" in Albanese's statement.

The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, on Monday demanded Albanese apologise, while his deputy, Jane Hume, said the melon comments were "grubby" and "beneath the office of the prime minister".

Yamagami told News24 yesterday that Albanese should consider visiting Japan this year to meet Takaichi, claiming the issue was a topic of debate in his country. "We need to move on, but I think we need to show mutual respect to each other," Yamagami said.

Labor MPs defended the prime minister. Asked whether an apology was needed, Gorman said: "There is no need for that." The resources minister, Madeleine King, said there had been "sensationalised reporting".

The same podcast interview with Osborne attracted controversy after Albanese nominated Kylie Minogue during a game of "shag, marry, date". The prime minister apologised "unequivocally" for those comments.

Teenagers 'used dating apps for attacks on men'

Guardian staff

A group of Melbourne teenagers allegedly attacked, robbed and sexually assaulted unsuspecting men after using dating apps to lure them to meetings, police said.

Five males aged between 16 and 18 were arrested last week after 11 incidents were reported to Victoria police. The teenagers face charges including armed robbery and intentionally causing injury. Three were charged with sexual assault offences, and one with kidnapping.

Victoria police said 113 attacks on men involving dating apps had been investigated since early 2024, resulting in 47 arrests. "Groups of offenders have been posing as legitimate users of the platforms to lure men into meeting them," police said. "The victims are then allegedly assaulted, robbed, threatened, and subjected to homophobic comments."

Additional reporting Australian Associated Press

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Business

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Nvidia and Wall Street agree $500bn deal for AI hardware

Kalyeena Makortoff

Nvidia has struck a deal with six large Wall Street firms to raise more than $500bn (€370bn) to fund the datacentres, chip factories and power stations needed to fuel the artificial intelligence boom.

The Nvidia chief executive, Jensen Huang, said on X that it marked “a major milestone for Nvidia and the AI industry” as he posted a photo of himself smiling and giving a thumbs up alongside finance bosses involved in the deal, including the head of Goldman Sachs, David Solomon.

He confirmed that Nvidia, which has a market value of $5.3tn, had signed memorandums of understanding with Goldman, Apollo, BlackRock, Blackstone, Brookfield and KKR to offer funding for what the industry calls “compute”, referring to hardware such as datacentres and

chips that are used to run train and build AI.

“Many great AI companies, enterprises and AI clouds have demand for compute but do not yet have access to financing at the scale or cost required to build quickly,” Huang said, adding that the funding “will make AI factories more accessible to the companies, industries and nations building the future”.

The move highlights how rising demand for AI computing capacity is drawing institutional investors as governments, companies and start-ups race to build out datacentres.

Big tech companies have signalled that spending on AI was likely to surpass $730bn this year. However, there have been concerns over the link between high valuations of companies and the need for vast investments to support their ambitions.

Last month the Bank of England warned that AI developments could pose a risk to financial stability,

particularly if the companies who take on debt end fail to deliver sustainable profits, or face big disruptions. “The pace of investment is unprecedented,” the Bank of England said in its financial stability report in July, noting that AI companies were increasingly taking on debt “to support investment in infrastructure”.

“If the scale of AI debt financing grows as expected over the coming years, an adverse shock to AI companies that results in losses or affects their ability to service debt could more materially affect global financing conditions,” it said, suggesting that it could lead to a credit crunch in which it would be harder and more expensive for businesses

$5.3tn

The market value of Nvidia, which needs to finance AI datacentres, chip factories and power stations

and households to secure loans.

The Bank also warned banks and private credit firms to consider they may not be getting the full picture about the risks they were taking in relation to the AI industry.

“Given the different funding sources from which AI companies are drawing, and different levels of transparency in those arrangements, it may be difficult for financial firms to be aware of the full extent of their direct and indirect exposures to the AI ecosystem and AI companies,” policymakers said.

“This could increase the risk that exposures to developments in AI are greater than anticipated, or not fully reflected in firms’ risk management.”

Nvidia said the funding arrangements would “create dedicated pools of capital at significant scale at attractive rates” for its customers. The company did not disclose the financial terms, investment commitments by individual firms or a timetable for deploying the planned $500bn.

“Every industrial revolution has been built on infrastructure: electricity, transportation, communications and computing, with every build-out enabled by external financing,” Huang said. “AI factories are the infrastructure of the intelligence era.”

Additional reporting Reuters

Istanbul soars over Heathrow as Europe’s busiest airport

Gwyn Topham

Transport correspondent

Istanbul airport has overtaken Heathrow as Europe’s busiest airport by passenger numbers, leading the London hub to say its “case for expansion has never been clearer”.

Figures published yesterday showed 7.9 million passengers passed through Heathrow in July, compared with Istanbul’s 8.15 million.

Heathrow’s passenger numbers for July fell, while London Stansted and Manchester had record traffic for the month.

Heathrow served more passengers than any other European airport for more than two decades prior to the pandemic, according to annual figures from the trade body Airports Council International.

However, the UK’s biggest airport lost its top position in 2020 amid Covid travel restrictions before regaining it in 2023.

Heathrow’s July passenger total was 1.5% down year on year, partly due to the US-Israel war on Iran, while the Turkish hub recorded a 2.3% increase.

Heathrow’s two runways operate at near full capacity, and it is seeking

government permission to build a third. A €33bn expansion plan would enable it to accommodate 150 million passengers a year.

It said: “The case for expansion has never been clearer, as Heathrow was overtaken in July by Istanbul airport as the busiest hub in Europe.

“Our plans will ensure the country gets the infrastructure it needs to stay competitive and will deliver all-important economic growth.”

The comparison, however, may not fully bolster Heathrow’s case. Istanbul airport opened in late

2018 on a site away from the city and residential neighbourhoods, gradually replacing Ataturk airport as the main international hub.

The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, launched a consultation on Heathrow expansion in June, setting out the conditions for the third runway to go ahead. Rachel Reeves, then the chancellor, said she was determined to get “spades in the ground” in the current parliament, and for the runway to be built by 2035.

Andy Burnham has expressed concerns over the expansion plans,

▲ Heathrow served 7.9 million passengers in July, while Istanbul airport recorded 8.15 million PHOTOGRAPH: STEFAN ROUSSEAU PA

saying they divert infrastructure investment “away from the north and traps it in London”.

London Stansted recorded its busiest month in July with 3.1 million passengers, while Manchester airport also had a record July, serving 3.4 million passengers.

Additional reporting PA Media

▲ Donald Trump’s Truth Social posts often affect stocks and bonds

Trump Media signs 10 clients for early access to social posts

Maanvi Singh

Donald Trump’s media company says it has signed up its first 10 customers to get early access to the US president’s Truth Social posts.

The company is pushing a new service called Truth API, which sells Wall Street trading businesses early access to Truth Social posts by Trump and other top users - allowing them to profit from the moves in stocks, bonds and interest that often follow major policy announcements from Trump on the platform.

The company’s chief executive, Kevin McGurn, said the monthly Truth API service change was between $60,000 and $100,000 (£44,400 and £74,000). He added that the subscribers were mostly so-called high frequency trading businesses, which buy and sell in milliseconds.

The news came as Trump Media & Technology - which owns the Truth Social platform - announced a $238m loss in the second quarter.

Trump Media & Technology yesterday reported that losses in the three months to June came as the company branched into new ventures including cryptocurrencies.

The paid service - and Trump Media & Technology - have been criticised by government watchdogs. “[Trump is] selling expedited, privileged access to information about what he is doing as president,” Kathleen Clark of Washington University School of Law and an expert in government conflicts of interest rules told Associated Press last month. “It’s yet more brazen corruption, an improper exploitation of government power to enrich himself.”

McGurn has dismissed such concerns, noting that other companies sold special, fast access to traders. “Providing licensed real-time public data through commercial APIs is a well-established business practice across the technology, financial information and media industries,” he said. “This is no different.”

In the second quarter, Trump Media posted $1.7m in revenue, an 89% year-on-year increase.

13

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14

Business

Zuckerberg sets out AI vision as Meta releases open-source model

Nick Robins-Early

Mark Zuckerberg has published a lengthy essay detailing his views on artificial intelligence as Meta released a new, open-source AI model called Muse Glimmer that aims to rival Anthropic and OpenAI's products.

In a post titled "The Future is for Everyone", Meta's chief executive addressed the issues of datacentres, government regulation, cybersecurity, the creation of bioweapons, labour market disruption and surveillance powers and more.

The essay, published on Monday and running to more than 6,000 words, presented a utopian vision

60

The number of times Zuckerberg's 6,000-word essay used the word 'superintelligence' to promote AI

of AI as a personalised "superintelligence" - using the word 60 times.

"Some argue that superintelligence itself or a small set of experts who control it should decide what is best for humanity. We disagree," Zuckerberg wrote.

Central to his post was an argument for free-to-download, open-weight AI models - like the kind Meta develops - and a lack of government regulation.

Zuckerberg's stance sets him and Meta apart from the industry leaders OpenAI and Anthropic, which have argued that open-source AI is dangerous. The two frontier labs have released proprietary AI products and argued that cutting-edge models should remain tightly controlled by the companies that build them.

Silicon Valley is engaged in a heated debate over how to regulate AI development. As Anthropic and OpenAI have surged ahead in the industry, competitors such as Meta have grown wary of their dominance

▲ Mark Zuckerberg's essay argues that regulation of AI would allow China to overtake the United States PHOTOGRAPH: GODOFREDO A VÁSQUEZ/AP

and sought to position their open models as alternatives.

Zuckerberg framed Meta's pursuit of open-weight AI as a more democratic version of the technology and one that would create a "balance of power" between users, whether that involved states, companies or individuals. His plans also involved users deciding what "values" a model should have, rather than a company encoding rigid guardrails and beliefs.

"If the power of superintelligence is held by a small number of individuals, businesses, governments, or AI itself, then that will naturally lead to outcomes that are less favourable for everyone else," Zuckerberg wrote.

Tech leaders have made a cottage industry out of releasing broad, vaguely philosophical treatises on AI, which tend to double as marketing materials for their companies and products. Anthropic's Dario Amodei, OpenAI's Sam Altman, Palantir's Alex Karp and the venture capitalist Marc Andreessen have all written long manifestos on the virtues and dangers of the technology.

Zuckerberg also called for accelerating the building of AI infrastructure such as datacentres. He said Meta would create a fund to invest more in local communities near datacentres.

He said regulation would cause China to overtake the US in the AI race, and claimed China already had an advantage in building infrastructure. "Any policy that slows American model releases - even by a month - could add significant risk to American leadership while letting foreign models race ahead," he said.

Many of the policy plans in the essay lacked detail or reiterated previous claims about the abundant wealth and prosperity that AI would create, such as touting that everyone would have "invention superpowers" to create new businesses. His version of the future is also tied to Meta products, such as its smartglasses.

"Everyone will have an exceptionally capable personal agent that understands you, your goals, and everything you care about," he said. "You'll be able to interact with your agent through any device, including your glasses."

Zuckerberg mostly brushed aside issues such as job losses, autonomous weapons and government surveillance. Law enforcement and the military already had greater intelligence-gathering powers than the average person, he said, and this would continue with access to AI.

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Business Taxation

15

Property v land Council tax, stamp duty and the wealth of alternatives for new PM

Phillip Inman

Residential property is the largest store of wealth in the UK and has long been a target for those who believe homes should be taxed more. Real estate remains a juicy plum for Andy Burnham to pick as he looks to pay for an overhaul of the social care system and higher defence spending, to name just two fiscal priorities. Yet how to tax property, or possibly the land it sits on, has vexed economists and politicians for centuries.

How is property taxed now?

Council tax, stamp duty land tax and capital gains tax (CGT) are the main taxes charged on English properties. All residents pay council tax based on the value of the home at 1991 prices and in a series of bands from A to H - while several extra bands are being added at the top end to enact Rachel Reeves's mansion tax.

Property taxes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are under the control of devolved administrations, who apply different systems - in Wales, property valuations from 2003 are used. Plus, landlords in the UK must pay income tax on rental profits, while companies pay business rates based on the rental value of their premises.

Together, the UK raises more from property taxation than any other country in the OECD. The Office for Budget Responsibility has estimated that council tax receipts will total £5bn in the 2025-26 financial year, plus £34bn from business rates and £17bn from property transaction taxes.

Like William III's window tax, council tax is widely considered to be a failure, or at least past its sell-by-date, leading to calls from politicians on the left and right for it to be reformed or abolished. It is a regressive tax, falling more heavily on low value homes, and rates vary across the country. Stamp duty applies to home sales and takes a bigger slice out of higher value homes while many cheaper home sales are exempt, making it a progressive tax. Second homes, owned by about 10% of main residency owners, face stamp duty and also CGT on profit from a sale.

£51bn

Estimated council tax receipts in the UK for the 2025-26 financial year according to OBR forecasts

£5.5tn

Total value of property owned by UK residents in 2022. The over-60s own more than half of this equity

Why are there calls to reform property taxes?

UK residents owned about £5.5tn worth of property in 2022 after mortgages were deducted, and Burnham's advisers have hinted that the PM is keen to capture some of this wealth through a single annual tax on property based on the wholesale reform of council tax and abolition of stamp duty.

It would be a monster task to revalue all homes in England, and the Valuation Office would need to hire many staff, though artificial intelligence is expected to be a huge support in this exercise.

Council tax's critics argue that it damages the economy when people are deterred from moving to deprived areas with low house prices but high levels of council tax. A band D council tax bill in Wandsworth this year is £1,028 while a home in the same band in Leicestershire must pay £2,528.75, just short of the highest band D of £2,625.43 in Dorset.

A single flat-rate tax based on land or property valuations would favour poorer areas. It would also provide the government with a regular income because it must be paid whatever the economic situation while stamp duty and CGT largely dry up during recessions.

What are the options?

Economists prefer a land tax because a levy on property deters owners from making improvements that increase its value. Burnham has criticised property developers who delay using land they own because there is no tax to pay until something is built. Land banking is a curse the prime minister wants to end.

A land value tax (LVT) charged at 1.28% of the value, replacing council tax and residential stamp duty, would result in about two-thirds of households paying less, and a third - in affluent areas - paying more, Tax Policy Associates has calculated.

Dan Neidle, the firm's founder, says under this scheme a Band D home (average value of £358,000) would be charged £2,551 compared with an average £2,267 council tax bill and a potential stamp duty charge of £7,933. A Band H home would be the biggest loser. With an average value of £2.6m, Neidle says the occupier pays £4,081 at present, but under an LVT would see that rocket to £30,534, though should they sell, a £200,000 stamp duty bill would be waived.

Land tax proponents say that over time, the percentage rate can be increased, allowing politicians to abolish other taxes until such time as both income tax and national insurance are swept away, with a land tax paying for everything.

Another option would be a proportional property tax - a single flat rate tax charged annually on a

Andy Burnham hopes to bring in reforms so that flats (top) and houses in London (below), as well as new builds (above), all get taxed more equitably PHOTOGRAPHS: GRAEME ROBERTSON/ THE GUARDIAN; JON SUPER/AP; KEVIN WALSH/ALAMY; I WEI HUANG/ SHUTTERSTOCK

property's value. The Fairer Share campaign have proposed this could be set at 0.48% and doubled for second homes. Rachel Reeves reportedly looked into replacing stamp duty with a "proportional" property tax in 2025.

A third possibility would be a beefed-up transaction tax - scrapping principal private residence relief (which allows main residences to escape CGT), and charging a levy on the capital gains when any property is sold, even if it was bought decades ago, when prices were much lower.

What are the objections?

Practically, an overhaul of council tax would take years and could be phased in from the top down. The Oxford academic Prof John Muelbauer has had talks with Treasury officials about applying a percentage to the value of top-end homes after the Valuation Office has completed the project begun by Reeves to underpin the mansion tax. Lower bands could be slowly updated from 1991 numbers until all homes pay a percentage tax.

Older voters living in large, expensive homes may be unable to afford higher charges under either a refreshed council tax or LVT scheme, but most economists say they could delay payment until their estate is sold. Neidle says such concessions show how a major conversion to LVT that involves scrapping stamp duty would trigger a significant drop in government income in the short term when the point is to raise more money.

But while there would be losers under changes to the property tax system, Fairer Share argues that a 0.48% proportional property tax would mean lower bills for most households while shifting the tax burden to higher-value properties and second homes.

How is property or land taxed in other countries?

In France, all home and land owners must pay the taxe foncière, a local property tax based on a "rentable value" of the property defined by location, building type, comfort and surface area. Second home owners must also pay the taxe d'habitation, which is based on the rental value of the property as defined by the local authorities and land registry.

How likely is Andy Burnham to reform the system?

Last month the new PM ruled out an overhaul of property taxes in the next budget, due on 28 October. But this suggests he may opt for sweeping reforms in 2027.

The Greens and Lib Dems could back a land tax. The Lib Dem Treasury spokesperson, Daisy Cooper, said in parliament that her party was open in principle to taxing land rather than property.

Burnham may be wary of upsetting older voters, as the over-60s own more than half the UK's housing equity. He could opt to fund social care reforms with a 10% tax on all estates, which critics have called a "death tax". It will face the same objections from wealthy property owners, illustrating there are no easy answers for Labour.

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10

Weather

Wednesday 12 August 2026

UK and Ireland Noon today

Forecast

Carbon count

Around the UK

Atlantic front

High tides

© Crown Copyright and/or database rights. Reproduced by permission of the keeper of Public Records and the UK Hydrographic Office

Aberdeen	0028	4.2m	1307	4.2m
Annemouth	0641	12.6m	1901	13.2m
Barrow	1059	8.9m	2314	9.3m
Belfast	1039	3.3m	2249	3.7m
Cobb	0445	3.9m	1712	4.1m
Cromer	0549	4.9m	1831	4.9m
Dover	1044	6.5m	2314	6.6m
Dublin	1110	3.9m	2318	4.2m
Galway	0432	5.0m	1649	5.4m
Greenock	--	--	1215	3.2m
Harwich	1110	3.9m	2337	4.1m
Holyhead	0954	5.4m	2207	5.8m
Hull	0529	7.1m	1811	7.4m
Leith	0143	5.4m	1414	5.6m
Liverpool	1042	9.2m	2259	9.6m

London Bridge	0059	6.9m	1331	6.7m
Lessinmouth	1135	4.0m	2342	4.2m
Milford Haven	0541	6.8m	1801	7.2m
Newquay	0433	6.7m	1652	7.1m
North Shields	0235	5.0m	1512	5.0m
Oban	0536	3.7m	1741	4.1m
Penzance	0405	5.2m	1626	5.6m
Plymouth	0515	5.1m	1729	5.5m
Portsmouth	1056	4.6m	2303	4.7m
Southport	1010	8.9m	2227	9.3m
Stornoway	0628	4.6m	1838	5.0m
Portland	0623	1.9m	1828	2.2m
Whitby	0310	5.5m	1545	5.5m
Wick	1100	3.4m	2308	3.6m
Workington	1102	8.0m	2317	8.4m

Sun & Moon

Sun rises	0541
Sun sets	2028
Moon rises	0454
Moon sets	2028
New Moon	12 Aug

Lighting up

Belfast	2104 to 0557
Birm'ham	2038 to 0546
Brighton	2027 to 0545
Bristol	2039 to 0554
Carlisle	2051 to 0542
Cork	2103 to 0615
Dublin	2100 to 0601
Glasgow	2101 to 0545
Harlech	2049 to 0555
Inverness	2106 to 0537
London	2028 to 0542
M'chester	2043 to 0546
Newcastle	2047 to 0537
Norwich	2027 to 0534
Penzance	2047 to 0609

Birdwatch

How do you lose 30 million house sparrows? That is the number that have vanished from Britain's hedgerows, fields and gardens during my lifetime.

I can recall clouds of sparrows in the fields behind my childhood home on the edge of London. But by the late 1990s they had vanished from many of their former haunts.

London was the worst hit: during a survey of Kensington Gardens in 1925, the ornithologist Max Nicholson counted more than 2,600 sparrows, but when he repeated the count at the turn of the millennium he found just eight.

The reasons for the decline are complex: a combination of habitat loss, food shortages, air pollution and disease. Yet there are signs the species may be making a comeback. British Trust for Ornithology surveys show populations are stabilising, while on my daily bike ride around the Somerset Levels I have noticed more little flocks, and heard that distinctive chirping call.

There is still much to be done to reverse the decline, not least a wholesale change to regenerative, wildlife-friendly farming across our lowland countryside. But for now there is a glimmer of hope for this little bird, whose fate is so bound up with ours. Stephen Moss

Around the world

Algiers	24	Lisbon	31
Amc'dam	25	Madrid	32
Athens	26	Malaga	33
Auckland	27	Mellr'me	34
Aires	28	Mexico C	35
Bangkok	29	Miami	36
Barcelona	30	Milan	37
Basra	31	Mombasa	38
Beijing	32	Moscow	39
Berlin	33	Mumbai	40
Bermuda	34	N Orleans	41
Brussels	35	Nairobi	42
Budapest	36	New Delhi	43
C'hagen	37	New York	44
Cairo	38	Oslo	45
Cape Town	39	Paris	46
Chicago	40	Perth	47
Corfu	41	Prague	48
Dakar	42	Reykjavik	49
Dhaka	43	Rio de J	50
Dublin	44	Rome	51
Florence	45	Shanghai	52
Gibraltar	46	Singapore	53
H Kong	47	Stockh'm	54
Harare	48	Strads'g	55
Helzinki	49	Tadney	56
Istanbul	50	Tel Aviv	57
Je'berg	51	Tenerife	58
K Lumpur	52	Tokyo	59
K'mandu	53	Toronto	60
Kabul	54	Vancouver	61
Kingston	55	Vienna	62
Kolkata	56	Warsaw	63
L Angeles	57	Wash'ton	64
Lagos	58	Well'ton	65
Lima	59	Zurich	66

---

●●●

Athletics

Euros backlash over 'crazy prices' and empty seats

Page 42 →

Football

Can Wilshere bring cheer to Luton in League One?

Page 39 →

David Squires on ... the masochistic life of a Football League fan

FOOTBALL MASOCHISTS ALL OVER ENGLAND AND WALES CAN THIS WEEK LOOK FORWARD TO THE RETURN OF THE EFL, OR TO GIVE IT ITS FORMAL NAME, THE LEAGUE OF WIREDSAM. FOR THE MAJURY OF THESE CLUBS, MERI EFEISTENCE IS A CONSTANT STRATEGLE, AS THEY COVER TO THE ATTENTION WITH THE PROPER LEAGUE SUPER CLUBS AND OTHER LEAGUE FURRATIO SUCH AS VICINITY SCRALLING YOUR PHONE AND THE SUPPRES'S COHEMATIC BLOCKBUSTER...

NOT THAT THE EFL IS SHORT OF COMPELLING STORYLINES. BECOMES THE HALLWOOD SKIVIST (WIREDSAM) THE ORGANIZERS HAVEN'T PASSED A TRICK BY GRAY PARKING OR WHAT UNTIL THE END OF ANNEXPRISE FOR THE SOUTHAMPTON-MIRRESSBROOKA SPYDATE IN MATZEN. THEN THERE'S WEST HAM, BACK IN THE CORPENSMENT AFTER A IN-HIGH ABSENCE, LINE IN OLD CORRANTES RETURNING TO A SOUP OPERA.

JUNE FROM A REAL ENGLISH GRANTOR AND TRUCK WITH THESE OWN THRIFT SERIES. NOT MANY PEOPLE WOULD CHOOSE TO SUPPORT THESE CLUBS. THEY ARE EASED UPON US BY ACCOUNT OF BIRTH OR AN UNADJUSTED FEATURE. WIREDSAM'S THAT OFTEN RESULTS IN PUBLIC SHAPE AND BIDCULE.

LINE PLANTY OF OTHER EAGLE FANS OF LOWER-LEAGUE CLUBS, I'LL BE FRIENDS TO STIRRING THE OPENING GAME OF THE BERRY'S THIS WEEKEND, IMPORTANTLY OBSTOCULATING AT LIGHTING ON A LIFT OF SCREEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, UNPAID AS THIRD IMPACT AS A CAMERON HOWNING AT THE FLICKERING SHAPES IN A PRE.

PEAR HAT, HAMMERS FANS, IT'S NOT ALL BAD SOWN HERE IN THE CHIEF, BENELITH FOOTBALL'S FRIENDS SLAB. YOU WON'T GET ANY GRASS DISALLOWED BY VAR, LINGUIST ORTHOPALIS WHETH A VISIT, AND YOU CAN KEEP THAT BETTING FROM LIGGO ON YOUR SHIRT, BECAUSE GAMBLING ADDICTING ONLY AFFECTS FANS OF THE TOP 30 CLUBS. HAMMERS, AS A FAN OF A LEAGUE TWO ORNNSHAPELIS, I DO SOMETHING, MUNDRE NOW DIFFERENT LIKE WHILE HAVE BEEN RED I TAKEN THE GLOBE-MARTING BIRTH AND FOLLOWED MY GRANDED IN SUPPORTING CHARZAN, BUT EVEN THEY WERE PRESENT FEARLING.

I LIKE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD TO THE CLUB FEES SADDLED ME WITH. FOR MY OWN MENTAL HEALTH I TRY NOT TO PUBLIC ON THE PEOPLE, PAGES AND CROP BRANDS I MISS, BUT THERE'S A CERTAIN VISUAL, BETTING IN ABOUT THIS PERIOD OF THE FOOTBALL GALVANIE. THEY STIES WITHIN ME A DEEP SENSE OF MARCELLA. THE SUN, THE SHADOWS, THE WAY THE LIGHT REFLECTED ON THE POST SALE FANS AS THEY CLOSED TO EACH OTHER IN THE JUMP END AT WEAVES...

THEY ONLY. AT LEAST IF YOUR HOPES LAY IN TATTERS BY HALF-TIME, AND YOUR TRAVIS CHEBANE NARRATY TO DEFEND BET-FRECE'S NIGHT BEEN PREACHLASSLY CURED BY ANOTHER CHAIN OF CRUIN LIGANDES, YOU CAN SWITCH OFF, QUIT-FREE, AND WATCH SOMETHING QUARTER OUTRETAINING...

David Squires archive Peruse our resident cartoonist's previous work at theguardian.com/profile/david-squires

17

Sport

Racing

Training injury leads to shock retirement for Bow Echo

Tony Paley

The trainer George Boughey announced yesterday the shock retirement of his superstar colt Bow Echo because of injury. The three-year-old had cemented his reputation as the outstanding miler in Europe at the Glorious Goodwood meeting two weeks ago, coming from what looked an impossible position a furlong out to win the Sussex Stakes.

Unbeaten in three juvenile starts last season, the Night Of Thunder colt confirmed himself the best of his generation over a mile with victory in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket before overcoming trouble in running twice since, in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and then when making it six successes from six outings when beating his elders in the epic Goodwood contest.

Bow Echo was considered to be on the cusp of joining the small band of horses with a genuine claim to be a "public horse", a thoroughbred in the process of transcending the sport and building a devoted following outside the racing cognoscenti. The colt's popularity was enhanced by the exploits in the saddle of

▲ Bow Echo after winning the 2000 Guineas with Billy Loughnane

Billy Loughnane, the baby-faced 20-year-old now odds on to be champion jockey after a meteoric rise.

The Newmarket-based Boughey had been preparing Bow Echo for a trip to France for the Prix Jacques le Marois in Deauville at the weekend, the latest staging post on the path to a crack at the top American milers at the Breeders' Cup in the autumn, but has now confirmed the horse's track career has been cruelly cut short.

In a statement posted on X, the Newmarket trainer said: "It is with great disappointment that we have to announce that Bow Echo has had a setback and will be retired from racing ... To retire unbeaten, having won the 2000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes and Sussex Stakes says everything about what an exceptional racehorse he has been."

Greg Wood's tips

Beverley 2.15 And As A Rock 2.45 Real Edition 3.15 King Sharja 3.45 Homesteat (cup) 4.15 Princess Nyla 4.45 Under The Radar Salisbury 2.30 Forbidden Fire 3.00 Supreme King 3.30 Scaramessa Sicura 4.00 Remi Man 4.30 Halcitas 5.00 Lambore Flies Los 3.27 Eskimo Pie 6.07 The Coffee Pod 4.37 Isabella De Vega 5.16 Nut Gita 5.40 Royal Bodyguard 6.10 A Daughters Love Kempton 5.30 Friendly Force 6.00 Matuar 6.30 Percy's Lad 7.00 Chalk Mountain 7.30 Grey Soul 8.00 Final Night 8.30 Forever Penywern 9.00 Crooked Path (nb)

Tennis

Fery ready to find true level after home run

Tumaini Carayol

Cincinnati

Arthur Fery believes he is at the start of a new chapter in his career as he returns to competition for the first time since his surprise run to the Wimbledon semi-finals as a wildcard.

Fery will compete for the first time in a month at the Cincinnati Open this week, after opting to take a short holiday and training block following the most demanding fortnight of his career at Wimbledon.

"It's the first time that I've broken through like that and I'm going to be able to play only four events, so I'm looking forward to that," he said.

Fery arrives in Cincinnati at his career-high ranking of No 36 and despite this being his first direct entrance into a Masters 1000 event he is seeded No 32 and will receive

a first-round bye. He awaits either James Duckworth of Australia or a qualifier in round two, with a potential meeting with the fifth seed Alex de Minaur looming in round three.

Fery's new ranking has massive implications for the 24-year-old's career as he will now be able directly to enter the main draw of all regular events on the ATP tour.

Perhaps the most pressing question after such an unexpected run was how representative his performances at Wimbledon were of his actual level. Fery showed his mental toughness and skill throughout the tournament, dragging himself from the brink of defeat in consecutive five-set wins, against Zizou Bergs and Grigor Dimitrov, before dismantling the French Open finalist Flavio Cobolli to reach the semi-final, where he lost against Alexander Zverev.

However, this was also a unique situation - competing on grass, in front of a home crowd and against players unfamiliar with his game has its benefits. These tournaments will allow him to see exactly how his game matches up to the elite. "I was always confident that I could play with top players. But yeah, now having the ranking to back it up is really great."

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38

Sport Cricket Metro Bank One-Day Cup

Stokes factor and late drama add to One-Day Cup resurgence

Worcestershire 291

Durham 214

Worcestershire beat Durham by 77 runs

Ali Martin New Road

The Metro Bank One-Day Cup has been a bit of a sleeper hit this summer. Words such as "devalued" and "second tier" have followed the tournament since the dawn of the Hundred in 2021 but there has been a quiet resurgence of late.

The dry spell has provided certainty and pleasant conditions - but the big one has been the Hundred's tractor beam slightly easing. Essentially, the full availability of England players - plus one extra overseas spot per franchise - has lessened the strain on county 50-over squads and upped their quality a touch.

And though he is just one man, Ben Stokes's presence in Durham's ranks has also played a small part. Wherever

Durham travel, supporters have been able to watch a bona fide England great in the flesh; close enough to read the tattoos or catch a whiff of expensive cologne as he prowls the boundary rope between spells.

This was not by design, of course, but rather an unexpected bonus after Stokes pulled the pin on his England career in June. Having not registered for the Hundred auction, he could not slip into the tournament as a late addition. Whether he would have, given the all-rounder's rekindled love for Durham, is uncertain.

Stokes was at New Road yesterday, where his team were looking to lock down their place in the knockout phase, and the defending champions Worcestershire needed a big win to boost their net run-rate and pip them to third in Group B. Jake Libby, the home captain, was also eyeing his fifth List A century to equal the world record.

Libby fell for 46 - the domestic record of four in a row will have to suffice - but his team still squeezed out the win. Problem was, it wasn't quite big enough, having posted 291

and then needed to keep the visitors under 205. Durham, 214 all out in 38.5 overs after stumbling to 199 for nine, progress to the quarter-finals.

Still, for all the local disappointment, or the relief in the away dressing room after Hampshire lost a nail-biter at Derbyshire, this was still a pretty life-affirming day all the same. A crowd of about 3,000 may not jump off the page but they were engaged, and stayed to applaud the players as they left the field.

New Road was pretty much bliss in the sunshine, even if at one stage, when the hosts slipped to 162 for six in the 32nd over, it looked like a damp squib might unfold. Step forward Tom Taylor, blazing a career-best 86 from No 7 - eight fours, three sixes - to give his fellow bowlers plenty more to work with in the defence.

Save for Ben McKinney, back from Southern Brave and cracking 82 from opener, Durham slightly froze in the chase. Stokes came and went for one, bowled off an inside edge by Taylor to induce his latest rueful look at the pitch. But in the end, as the game within a game got tight, Durham's

lower order just did enough. Contrary to some perceptions about the county game and the Hundred's supposedly more family-friendly vibe, this was a mixed crowd of all ages. The hospitality tent was packed with a "Ladies Day" charity fundraiser, while gagges of enthusiastic youngsters hunted autographs throughout.

The most in-demand signature was that of Stokes, naturally, but pretty much anyone in full kit was being pestered for a scribble or a selfie. A portion of the membership would sooner the County Championship was being played in high summer but 50-over cricket does offer a full range for folks to enjoy.

And for any chuntering about the Hundred and its (undesirable) broader impact, the money from the sale last year has helped a county such as Worcestershire. While the problem of the annual floods at New Road needs a long-term solution, the club have managed to wipe out circa £4m in debt over the past year. "It has given us a chance to breathe," says Ashley Giles, the chief executive. "Although we still have to be smart and in some ways it ramps up the pressure on us a bit, as there are no more excuses."

There were not that many previously, to be fair, with resourcefulness underpinning Worcestershire's triumph in this competition last year. Going by the efforts to keep their title defence alive, thwarted though they were, it is still there in abundance.

▲ Sonia Bompastor hopes to guide Chelsea into the Champions League

Chelsea face Real Sociedad with European riches at stake

Tom Garry

Chelsea will face Real Sociedad in the Women's Champions League third qualifying round, needing a win over two legs to secure a place in the main league phase of the competition.

The 2021 runners-up and six-time European semi-finalists are taking part in the qualifying stage by virtue of their disappointing third-placed finish in the Women's Super League last season - their lowest league finish since 2019 - and they will be the favourites against the Spanish side.

Chelsea could have faced Ajax, Inter, Eintracht Frankfurt or the Austrian side St Pölten. They were unable to meet the big-name sides such as Real Madrid, Wolfsburg, Juventus or Paris Saint-Germain at this stage because of seedings.

All 18 clubs that take part in the league phase will receive a guaranteed minimum of €505,000 (£431,500), plus a further €60,000 for every league-phase fixture they win and €20,000 for every draw, as well as prize money ranging from €10,000 to €180,000 depending on where they finish in the table, rising by €10,000 per position.

Additionally, the eventual champions would receive €1,050,000 in prize money across the course of the knockout phase - including €500,000 specifically for winning the final - as there are six-figure sums on offer for each knockout-phase fixture.

Chelsea will be at home for the first leg, which is scheduled to be played on 26 August, with the second leg in Spain scheduled for 2 September.

Chelsea have been strong contenders for the European title in recent years, reaching the semi-finals in three of the past four campaigns, but they lost to their rivals Arsenal in a dramatic quarter-final last term.

Real Sociedad, based in San Sebastián, finished third in Spain's top division last season behind Real Madrid and Barcelona. The qualifying draw was split into two sections, with a "champions path" for winners of their domestic divisions drawn separately to the "league path" which contained domestic runners-up and third-placed sides such as Chelsea.

Kege, who eliminated the Scottish champions Hearts earlier in the qualification process, were pitted against PSV, while in the most eye-catching tie of the round Ajax will take on Real Madrid.

Knockout-stage draw

(all matches 11am)

Quarter-finals

Friday Lancashire v Durham, Old Trafford; Yorkshire v Nottinghamshire, York

Semi-finals

Sunday Leicestershire v Yorkshire/Nottinghamshire, Grace Road; Middlesex v Lancashire/Durham, Radlett

Final

Sunday 20 September TBD v TBD, Trent Bridge

▲ Ben Stokes has enjoyed mixed returns for Durham in the One-Day Cup since retiring from England ALLAN MCKENZIE/SWITZ COR/ SHUTTERSTOCK

Flintoff hits maiden Lancashire century

Rocky Flintoff made his first Lancashire century in a One-Day Cup thrashing of Somerset - and will now host Ben Stokes's Durham in the quarter-finals on Friday.

The 18-year-old son of the former England all-rounder Andrew brought up his maiden ton in 65 balls at Taunton as the visitors posted a highest List A

score of 443 for six. Flintoff hit eight fours and four sixes, with Somerset later subsiding to 269 all out in 39.2 overs. George Balderson, the captain, and Tom Aspinwall each took four wickets as Lancashire coasted to a 174-run victory.

Yorkshire will host Nottinghamshire in the other quarter-final on Friday after finishing as Group B runners-up.

▲ Rocky Flintoff set up a meeting with Durham in the quarter-finals

Ben Coad (three for 22) and Dom Bess (three for 32) shone with the ball as Essex were dismissed for 151, and Will Bennison (60) and James Wharton (51 not out) helped Yorkshire to complete a seven-wicket win.

There were also wins for Nottinghamshire, Middlesex, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire. PA Media

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Sport Football

59

League One preview

Leicester looking up after precipitous fall

Former champions should challenge for promotion but Notts County may be in for a struggle, writes Will Unwin

Contenders

How did it come to this, that a club crowned Premier League champions a decade ago are in the third tier? Chronic mismanagement across the board has been Leicester's problem for too long and they need to reset under Russell Martin. Many of the top earners have been shipped out and not much brought in, but there remains enough quality to challenge at this level. Martin has at his disposal plenty of young talents who could finally be given their chance thanks to circumstance and who will be ably supported by Harry Souttar and Stephy Mavididi.

It is all change at Stockport after Jimmy McNulty replaced the long-serving Dave Challinor following defeat in the playoff final. A strategy of signing youngsters has been implemented under a coach known for improving players. Stockport are, however, a slick operation and know the value of experience, with Ben Osborn, returning permanently after impressing on loan last season, and Eoghan O'Connell brought in on free transfers.

New ownership and a squad overhaul make it difficult to assess Sheffield Wednesday but signing Louie Barry is a sign of intent. Whether they can get the best out of the forward will go a long way to determining where they finish.

Jack Wilshere has had time to settle at Luton and understands the relentlessness needed at this level. The additions of Kasey Palmer permanently and Callum Marshall will add plenty of thrust. Things seem more settled around Reading, who have brought in the former Accrington manager John Coleman as Leam Richardson's assistant, which could prove a shrewd move.

After missing out in the playoff semis, Bradford have been tweaking the squad as they try to improve. Callum Connolly's arrival is smart, while Adam Phillips will add plenty in central midfield. Plymouth have come down and lost the striker Lorent Tolaj to Bristol City, but Tom Cleverley will feel he has enough in the ranks, with Will Evans tasked with being the new goal threat.

Hopefuls

Martin Drury is in his first senior managerial role at Huddersfield but has surrounded himself with knowhow, such as Alan Knill. Procuring Matty Young on loan from Sunderland and signing Ashley Fletcher provides an

upgrade at each end of the pitch. MK Dons moved quickly to build on promotion, bringing in players who have proved themselves at this level; Ryan Wintle, Cohen Bramall, Dan Barlaser, Sam Silvera and Sam Nombe have not joined just to make up the numbers.

Promotion pushes at Wigan and Blackpool appear unlikely, with neither's transfer business suggesting a surge up the table. The Latics have focused on younger players, while the Tangerines have barely made a splash. Daniel Stendel is back at Barnsley, tasked with getting the most out of a young squad, with star turns such as Reyes Cleary. Everyone is excited to learn about Aaron Ramsey as a full-time manager at Oxford, which could go either way at a club in flux. Frankie Kent injuring his ACL less than a month after signing was a blow, magnified because he was one of only two incomings the club managed to get over the line before the EFL imposed a transfer embargo, and fans do not expect a quick return upwards on account of a lack of depth in the squad.

There is no desire for another relegation battle at Leyton Orient. Fin Stevens, Joseph Olowu and Isaac Hayden will inject quality and defensive steel. Dom Ballard's departure takes away a lot of goals but the club were quick to reinvest in the club-record signing Jaze Kabia from Grimsby. With Michael Duff settled in the Wycombe hotseat, there is a prospect something can be built on the foundations of Steve Cook, a free transfer at the back. The losses of Charlie Goode and Harvey White are a blow to Stevenage, but they

have a smart coach in Alex Revell, who will relish the challenge. With Mikel Arteta the only manager in English professional football who has been in his role longer than Nigel Clough, Mansfield will be hoping longevity is the secret ingredient. Either that or acquiring David McGoldrick and Michael Smith to create a strike partnership with a combined age of 72.

Peterborough are always hard to predict because they have a lot of young talent with great potential but that does not always translate to success at this level. Doncaster will be aiming to build on a comfortable mid-table finish upon their return to the third tier, with the goalkeeper Tommy Simkin an impressive loan signing from Stoke.

Strugglers

Notts County's summer transfer business is aligned with their statistics-based recruitment model but signing two players who were relegated from League Two, among others, suggests the playoff winners are in for a battle, especially after selling the star striker Alassana Jatta. The League Two champions Bromley are on a meteoric rise and find themselves mixing with some much bigger clubs, without the resources to match. After two consecutive seasons finishing one place above the dropzone, Burton know their reality. Corey Addai is an upgrade in goal but doubts linger over whether Matthew Dennis can replace Jake Beesley up front.

Cambridge came up automatically and have signed players with knowhow in this league to complement the talented Ben Knight. AFC Wimbledon would be happy with survival after a quiet summer, but are safe in the knowledge that Jayden Stockley will bring goals.

Saturday's opening games (3pm unless stated) Barnsley v Bromley, Blackpool v Wycombe, Bradford v Peterborough, Burton v Stevenage, Cambridge v Wigan, Huddersfield v AFC Wimbledon, Leyton Orient v Sheffield Wed, Mansfield v Doncaster, Notts County v Leicester (12.30pm), Oxford v MK Dons (12.30pm), Plymouth v Stockport, Reading v Luton (12.30pm)

Spence set for Spurs exit as Inter weigh up £26.5m move

Ed Aarons

Tottenham are prepared to allow Djed Spence to join Inter, with the England defender expected to cost around €30m (£25.6m).

Spence - who started four games at the World Cup, including the semi-final against Argentina - has fallen further down the pecking order at Spurs after the arrival of Andy Robertson from Liverpool. He signed a new four-year contract in north London at the start of last season but is believed to be keen on joining the Italian champions, with Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro expected to be Roberto De Zerbi's preferred full-backs this season.

Talks are ongoing over a fee for the 26-year-old as Inter search for a replacement for Denzel Dumfries, who joined Real Madrid this summer. But personal terms are not believed to be an issue and an agreement is likely to be reached that will see Inter pay only slightly more than the £20m fee Spurs paid to sign Spence from Middlesbrough in 2022.

Inter also held talks with Tottenham over a potential move for Cristian Romero but the Argentina defender looks poised to join Atlético Madrid for a fee of €40m. They have yet to agree a fee but Romero is expected

to move to La Liga despite interest from elsewhere, including the Premier League champions Arsenal.

On Monday, Spurs - who have spent almost £240m this summer on new players, including Sandro Tonali for a club-record £92.5m, confirmed that Micky van de Ven has signed a new five-year contract. "It's clear the direction the club wants to go in and I want to be a part of it. I'm excited about what's to come," the Netherlands defender said.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, are in talks to re-sign Evann Guessand on a season-long loan from Aston Villa. The Côte d'Ivoire forward spent the second half of last season at Selhurst Park and was part of the side that won the Conference League in May, although Palace decided not to take up an option to sign him earlier in the summer. The south London club are also expected to complete deals for Anan Khalaili from Union Saint-Gilloise for £21m and Zavier Gozo from Real Salt Lake for £11m.

▲ Spence is set to leave Spurs despite renewing his contract a year ago

Football in brief

Liverpool

Spirit of Shankly wants clarity over Bezos deal

The supporters' group Spirit of Shankly has written to Liverpool to stress the ownership and control of the club is "fundamental to us all", with the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos part of a consortium understood to be closing in on a deal to buy a significant minority stake. Bezos, one of the three richest men in the world, is part of a group that includes Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook, and is headed by Amit Bhatia, the son-in-law of the Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal.

SoS wrote to Liverpool asking for more clarity and a meeting to discuss the potential changes. "We reiterated that, given the events that led to PSG's purchase of the club, who owns it and how they control it - putting the interests of LFC and its supporters first - is fundamental to us all," read a statement. "The latest report of a 30% sale and the consortium set up to buy it is significant. We have witnessed similar sales at other clubs resulting in notable

changes in the running of that club and football operations, leading to decisions and behaviours that many would not want to see at Liverpool." PA Media

Transfer window

Forest seal £34.2m swoop for Diomande

Nottingham Forest have signed the Côte d'Ivoire defender Ousmane Diomande from Sporting for a fee reported to be £34.2m. The 22-year-old centre-half has agreed a four-year deal with Forest, who have an option for a further year. Fulham have signed the midfielder Shea Charles from Southampton for a reported £30m fee. Charles, 22, has agreed a five-year contract, with a club option to extend by a further 12 months. PA Media

Football League

PFA's begins High Court case over salary cap

The Professional Footballers' Association has begun High Court proceedings against the English Football League over changes to the salary cap rules in League One. The division's clubs approved changes to the existing salary rules in May but the PFA believes all parties were not properly consulted. PA Media

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40

Sport Football

▼ John McGinn (front centre) scored for Villa against PSG in the 2025 Champions League quarter-finals NICK POTTS/PA MEDEA

Uefa Super Cup

'People said we hit our ceiling we proved them wrong'

John McGinn is excited by the 'new Aston Villa', who he and manager Unai Emery believe can compete with the best

Ben Fisher Salzburg

One thing was almost instantly detectable as Unai Emery walked into a stuffy room inside the Red Bull Arena on the eve of today's Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain. After a summer of change, Aston Villa's manager appeared uber-relaxed, confident his team will absorb a series of headline departures. He cracked a joke about his English improving and poked fun at John McGinn, impersonating his captain while next to him on the auditorium's top table.

Emery was in a jovial mood, then. But he was also switched on, alert to the frequency, the tone of the wave of questions at the beginning of his fourth full season in the job. "You ask about the changes of coaches and players, but McGinn is intelligent and his answer was fantastic," Emery said with a smile. "When he arrived here [in 2018] they were in the Championship and every year since there have been changes and still the club has moved forward. If we compare ourselves to other clubs like Man City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, we are competing with them. We don't have their power ... yet."

Emery spoke with an enthusiasm that will be music to the ears of Villa supporters fretting about the size of the task on his hands. Villa have sold Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne, the latter returning to PSG, for whom he could make his second debut against his former club. Villa would be tested again if Arsenal make a serious play for Ezri Konsa, who, together with Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez, remains on holiday after World Cup duty. Three key coaching staff have also left, including the set-piece coach, Austin MacPhee. But Emery, the beating heart of the operation, as McGinn said, is still in the building.

McGinn's response was punchy when asked where expectations should be for the forthcoming campaign. "Similar to where it has been in the past few seasons," he said. "I think we have consistently

competed with the best in England, the best in Europe, no matter what the competition is. We will have our challenges. There is a lot of change, but when you look at other clubs around England there is a lot of change there as well: a lot of coaches changing, a lot of players changing.

"But what we still have is our main core, same manager, same methods, same desire to achieve more. A lot of people thought we had reached our ceiling a couple of seasons ago, and we proved them wrong. We have still got the same hunger and desire to go and achieve more. Our job is just to integrate the new players and try and make them believe, in the same way the players in the last few seasons have believed. I'm really excited by the sort of 'new Aston Villa'."

Villa, of course, did not want to

lose Rogers. Chelsea paid £117m to sign the England midfielder, two and a half years after Emery asked Villa to pay £8m to take him from Middlesbrough. The same goes for Tielemans, who after a slow start established himself as one

'We have competed with the best in England, the best in Europe, no matter what competition'

◀ Despite winning the Europa League five times with three different clubs, Unai Emery has never won the Super Cup DABBO BANDI/AP

Paris Saint-Germain

Aston Villa

Today 8pm

● Paris Saint-Germain

Probable: 4-2-3 Safarino, Zabarnyi, Marquinhos, Paché, Mendes, Neves, Vitinha, Fernández, Mbaye, Mayala, Kouratskhelia Subs from Chevalier, Longoni, Beraldo, Ruiz, Dembélé, Aldeache, Deuel, Digne, Hernandez, Mbaye, Zaire-Emery, Ndjantou, Doubtful Dembélé, Deuel, Halemi, Hernandez, Ruiz, Zaire-Emery Injured None

● Aston Villa

Probable: 4-2-3-1 Rizoli, Caili, Lindelöf, Torres, Maatsen, Gomes, Kamara, McGinn, Buendia, Garracho, Abraham Subs from Martinez, Konsa, Mingo, Barkley, Kamara, Watkins, Torres, Jimoh-Kisiba, Bogarde, Bailey, King-Junior, Cissé, Nedeljkovic, Guersund, Barrasen, Hennings, Madjo, Alysson, Watkins Doubtful Konsa, Martinez, McGinn, Watkins Injured Marzambi, Drama

Venue Red Bull Arena, Salzburg Referee Omar Artan (Som)

TV TNT Sports 1, HBO Max Radio BBC 5 Live

of Emery's undroppables. Villa signed Tielemans on a free but sold the 29-year-old for £35m. Digne was an equally reliable performer, taking back the left-back spot from £38m buy Ian Maatsen.

Emery knows the business but it was particularly interesting to hear him talk about the importance of the leverage Villa have gained off the back of the ride they have been on over the past few years. One of the most memorable nights was their pulsating quarter-final against PSG 16 months ago, a 3-2 second-leg victory at Villa Park, when Gianluigi Donnarumma pulled off three superb saves to prevent Villa taking the game to extra time. Emery ended up on all fours after Willian Pacho blocked Maatsen's goal-bound volley with 28 seconds to play.

"The Premier League is the best league in the world and Aston Villa can now have better brands in the way we are," Emery said. "I am so, so, so happy how the club is committed together with us. [I am so happy] with how we are getting better, keeping our consistency in the Premier League ... the club is making a huge effort to try to be in the same direction as me. They are trying to extend Villa Park to achieve 50,000 supporters next season. We are increasing our budget through good results on the pitch, by sometimes selling some players and being consistent like we are, and as well expecting a high level, like we are more or less keeping."

Emery, who spent two years in charge of PSG, knows how these things work. PSG are no longer just a football team but a brand: see their megastore on London's Oxford Street. PSG's chief executive, Victoriano Melero, has talked of PSG competing with the likes of Real Madrid on the pitch but labels like the LA Lakers and Ferrari off it.

Salzburg is the latest destination on Villa's quest for success, with 6,000 Villa fans in tow. The stadium facade is plastered with images of McGinn and co-celebrating their Europa League win in Istanbul in May. "I am feeling comfortable, happy, very demanding, even more than the last years," Emery said. "We want more. We are not stopping here."

---

●●●

▼ Matthias Jaissle comes to Newcastle after three leading players were sold LEE SMITSCHECTERS

11

Jaissle urges Newcastle fans to 'keep the optimism'

The former Al-Ahli coach says Saudi-owned club is in 'transition phase' after sales

Louise Taylor St James' Park

Matthias Jaissle has been described as 'fire' and a 'rockstar', but his formal 'unveiling' as Newcastle's manager revealed a rather more considered and conservative character than advertised.

At the precise moment the clock struck 3pm yesterday the 38-year-old German walked into a packed media suite at St James' Park. Before taking his seat on the stage Jaissle, wearing a smartly understated open-necked suit complete with a silk pocket square, took a deep breath and jumped down into audience, making a point of shaking everyone's hand. It was a courteous and classy gesture.

Once back on that podium, his evident excitement at exchanging Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli for the Premier League was tempered by the sort of realism inevitable at a club that, in Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães, has just sold its three best players.

'This is now a vacuum as you call it,' Eddie Howe's successor said in his excellent English. 'They were

great characters, great players, experienced players. Obviously we are in that transition phase. My job is to make the best out of it all. I am quite optimistic. We are ambitious, that's the most important thing and why I decided to come here. But it will not happen overnight. I'm pretty sure it will be a successful story. But we need time now.'

Regular chats with the England head coach, Thomas Tuchel, promise to help minimise any culture shock. 'It's been a long connection,' he said. 'Thomas was my youth coach when I was a youth player at Stuttgart. He was amazing, I really admire him.'

'He's a really special coach and I'm looking forward to staying in touch with him, and getting insights on the league. That's something I want to use for sure. But it's also important to build your own opinions because every coach is their own human being and has their opinions and, sometimes players get stuck in a box. It's important for me to be neutral about players.'

Allied to a willingness to challenge assumptions, such refusal to take labels at face value hinted at the qualities that prompted David Hopkinson, Newcastle's Canadian chief executive, to dub Jaissle 'fire' and 'a rock star'.

If the one-time RB Salzburg manager's brand of football - 'front foot,

intense, aggressive, vertical and, of course, also successful' - fits the latter tag, Newcastle fans have greeted him with an adaptation of a late 1970s Euro-disco hit.

Where the Spanish female pop duo Baccara soared to No 1 with Yes, Sir I Can Boogie, travelling supporters attending the friendly win in Valencia last Saturday chorused: 'Oh Jaissle I can boogie/You try me once, you'll beg for more.'

Jaissle said: 'All my staff members already said they're looking forward to sitting after a match in the bar and listening to the song. So let's see about that! I heard it once and I was smiling. I'm really happy the fans already appreciate me a lot. The welcome from the fans was unbelievable when I was having a walk yesterday in the city. It was really giving me a nice feeling.'

There were more 'big smiles' when he recalled a phone call last

'I'm pretty sure it will be a successful story but we need time now'

Matthias Jaissle Newcastle manager

month asking him if he would be interested in replacing Howe but, little more than 48 hours after arriving in Newcastle for the first time following a training camp at La Manga in southern Spain, Jaissle is under no illusions as to the scale of the challenge ahead.

With the need to comply with football's spending rules having seen the club pivot to buying young players with high resale potential - four of their five summer signings so far are aged 20 or younger - the immediate future remains opaque.

'I'm long enough in the industry now that you cannot promise anything,' Jaissle said when asked what he aimed to achieve this season. 'It makes no sense to promise you things now because I don't know how things will look in one year. But it doesn't make sense to see the negative. There will be more adjustments to the squad this summer. We still have time. I would say keep the optimism.'

His cautiously upbeat mood will be bolstered further should Newcastle's ongoing talks with Benfica about potentially signing their 23-year-old full-back Amar Dedic, who played for Jaissle at Salzburg and can operate on both the right and the left, conclude successfully.

'I had a tour of St James' Park two days ago,' Jaissle said. 'When I entered the pitch here with my assistant coaches for the first time, we were looking at each other with smiles and goosebumps. It's really special, an amazing stadium. I can't wait to see it full.'

'When I received the call at the end of July and it was clearly most likely Eddie would quit there were no doubts or question marks. I had a big smile.'

Trump: do not oust 'fantastic' Infantino

Donald Trump has warned Fifa would be making a 'terrible mistake' if it got rid of Gianni Infantino as the head of world football's governing body.

Infantino has come under pressure following his doomed plan to sell off stakes in the men's World Cup and other tournaments to private investors. But in a post on his Truth Social site, Trump said removing the Fifa president would be a costly move.

The US president wrote: 'Fifa would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing president Gianni Infantino.

'He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented. If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again!' Trump's figures are unverified.

Uefa and two other confederations have held initial talks about organising competitions themselves amid the backlash against the Fifa president. Europe's governing body, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Concacaf, which oversees football in the Caribbean, North and Central America, have accused Infantino of 'deception' and while it is understood they want to give him the chance to resign and leave his position with dignity without seeking re-election next March, they want to insulate themselves from the crisis.

Infantino briefly apologised for his proposal to create Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company to run the commercial and operational aspects of Fifa's tournaments, with an idea to sell off around 20% to private investors. But an open letter signed by the heads of Uefa, the AFC and Concacaf has urged Fifa to hold an independent review into Infantino's scheme. PA Media

Ceferin holds talks to boost Uefa unity

● Continued from back page

next year. It seemed significant, however, that the joint statement released on Monday contained strong echoes of a speech given by Montagliani at the Fifa congress this year in Vancouver, where he said: 'Let me be frank, leadership is not about power.'

Senior figures from European football are gathering in person for the first time since the Fifa Forward Enterprise scandal broke, with a number of meetings expected in Salzburg - where the Uefa Super Cup final will be held today - over the next two days. The Uefa president, Aleksander Ceferin, will hold talks with Nasser al-Khelaifi, the chair of European Football Clubs, aimed at reinforcing the continent's unity in demanding a change at the top of Fifa.

Uefa continues to hold firm in its pledge to boycott Fifa competitions, having not received its desired assurances that there will be no recurrence of the issues that caused the current crisis.

---

Sport Athletics European championships

Championships face backlash over 'crazy prices' and empty seats

Sean Ingle Birmingham

Keely Hodgkinson's coach, and the BBC commentator Steve Cram have led a chorus of concern about high ticket prices causing low attendances at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

Fans have also criticised the high food prices at the Alexander Stadium, with a barbecue pork roll costing £18.50, a bratwurst hot dog £15, and a bottle of water £3.95.

Officially there were more than 13,000 fans in the stadium on Monday night to see Amy Hunt's 100m gold medal. But to most observers the 23,000-capacity venue looked barely half-full. The timing is also more than a little awkward given that London's bid team for the World Athletics Championships in 2029 is due to make its final presentation on Friday.

For the start of the competition, category A tickets in the main stand cost £110, with category B tickets coming in at £90. However, those seats have been better filled than the cheaper seats for £60 (category C) and £40 (category D).

"Crazy prices," Hunt's agent, Nick Harwell, wrote after her brilliant victory on Monday evening. "Such a shame."

Cram, the BBC's main athletics commentator and a former world 1500m champion, also acknowledged the low figures on Monday night. "A little disappointing in terms of spectators, I have to say that," he said. "Particularly down the back straight there. There's not very many people at all in those stands."

In Birmingham city centre there is also little sign that this prestigious event is taking place, and the empty seats in the £60 and £40 areas have led some to question whether Birmingham 2026 had done enough to attract casual supporters. Fans are being charged £22.50 to use the park-and-ride scheme - although there is a cheaper £17.50

park-and-walk option which is a 45-minute stroll away.

Jenny Meadows, who coaches Hodgkinson, acknowledged the issues in a post on X: "Hearing from fans re high ticket prices, parking issues and even people not knowing it was taking place," she wrote.

A Birmingham 2026 spokesperson defended the ticket prices and said 50% of tickets were priced at £30 and lower with adult tickets starting at £10. "Birmingham 2026 is delighted with ticket sales for the Championships, which have far surpassed our targets," the spokesperson said.

"Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening sessions are approaching sell-out, with several other sessions close to capacity. There are still opportunities to be part of the championships at incredibly good value, including the 'Mondo' £6.31 children's ticket for Friday morning - named in honour of [the pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis's] world record - while a family of four can attend for as little as £30."

However, the athletics commentator Sonja McLaughlan spoke for many when she posted on X about the high prices, which will go up to a top price of £150 for the last three days of competition.

"Actually a bit shocked at type of prices being charged," she wrote. "It's a shame for the athletes who deserve better. The sport has this precious window without football, free-to-air television exposure and it looks flat with such a sparse crowd."

In response to her post, some questioned why the empty seats were not being given away free to youngsters in athletics clubs and other sports clubs. Another fan said: "Perhaps the worst prices I've seen at a sporting event. Not even Cheltenham competes with this."

Some have also raised questions about the competition's late finishes - the last events finish after 9.50pm - and the suitability for families of having to walk a mile to the nearest train station or get a bus back to a park-and-ride scheme.

► A backdrop of empty seats oversees the action on day two at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium MIKE EGERTON/PA

Glave and Azu seal British one-two after Hodgkinson shines in shades

Romell Glave storms to 100m title after Olympic champion eases through 800m heats

Sean Ingle

On Marcel Jacobs' right arm there is a tattoo of the Roman colosseum and a gladiator: a reminder of his fighting spirit and what Italy's capital means to him. But in the swirling bearpit of a European 100m final, his body broke down.

And that left Romell Glave and Jeremiah Azu to take advantage as they took a stunning gold and silver for Britain. Glave's winning time was a

modest 10.09 sec, with Azu taking silver in 10.16. Owen Ansah took bronze for Germany in 10.19. Jacobs, meanwhile, hobbled over the line in last.

Glave, a Jamaican-born Briton wearing sunglasses, had run 9.97 sec this season. But to do it in the cauldron of a major championship ranks as a huge upset.

He was unable to build on a bronze medal in 2024 after what he says was a fracture in his back that became inflamed. But the 26-year-old has been working on his sprint mechanics and the mental side of his sport with his coach Michael Afilaka.

There was an Italian success in the women's 5000m as Nadia Battocletti obliterated the field in the final 20cm. "The race was super tactical, but then

I played my winning card," said Battocletti, who won a slowly run race in 15:37.84. Spain's Marta Garcia took silver, more than two seconds back, with another Italian Micol Majori winning bronze.

But there was disappointment for Britain's Hannah Nuttall, who slipped

'I felt really good. I think that's the fastest I've ever run in a heat'

Keely Hodgkinson Great Britain

---

8

13

to fifth after being in a prominent position at the bell.

Meanwhile, Keely Hodgkinson breezed through the opening round of the 800m at the European championships with her fastest time in a heat - before laughing about why she had worn sunglasses for the first time in a race.

"It's sunny out there," she joked. "I'm just trying not to get wrinkles and stop the need for Botos too early."

The Olympic 800m champion's time of 1min 57.28sec, easing down, showed that she is in prime condition for her likely showdown with the new Swiss superstar Audrey Werro and the multiple Olympic and world medallist Femke Broeders-Bol on Friday night.

"I felt really good," Hodgkinson said. "I think that's the fastest I've ever run in a heat. But I could feel the girls pushing on my shoulder. And, to be honest, running at that kind of pace is a bit more in keeping with my training, so it actually felt kind of nice. I had to slow myself

down a bit. But I've got a day off now before the semi-final and I feel good."

The 24-year-old Briton revealed she has arrived in Birmingham having run a personal best in a camp in Portugal that she and her coach, Trevor Painter, use to gauge her

Today at the Euros

Local lad Matt Hudson-Smith (a) is expected to win the men's 400m for a third time (8.50pm), and has an eye on his legacy. "I want to leave my imprint and show the rest of the world that we are a sprinting nation." Emily Newnham should secure a medal in the women's 400m hurdles (9.08pm), although Slovakia's Emma Zapletalova is the favourite.

Morning

• 10.35am M 100m decathlon (hts)
• 10.40am W discus (qual)
• 11.05am W 400m (1st rd)
• 11.20am M long jump decathlon
• 11.40am W 200m (1st rd)
• 12pm W discus (qual)
• 12.20pm M 800m (s-f)
• 12.45pm M shot put decathlon
• 12.55pm M 400m hurdles (s-f)

Evening

• 6.40pm M high jump decathlon
• 7.45pm W hammer (final)
• 7.55pm M 110m hurdles (s-f)
• 8.20pm W 200m (s-f)
• 8.40pm M triple jump (qual)
• 8.50pm M 400m (final)
• 9.08pm W 400m hurdles (final)
• 9.22pm M 400m decathlon
• 9.47pm M 110m hurdles (final)

TV BBC One, 10.30-1.15pm; BBC Two 7-8pm, BBC One 8-10pm

◀ Romell Gave crosses the line ahead of Jeremiah Azu and Germany's Owen Ansub

fitness before major championships. "Portugal went really well," Hodgkinson said.

"I'm really happy and just excited to showcase where I'm at and hopefully have the performance I know I'm capable of. It's always all about medals. They create legacy. This will hopefully be my fifth back-to-back title."

Next up is the semi-final tomorrow. If she makes it through she will not, however, be wearing the shades in the final on Friday. "No, it's going to be nearly 10pm and I want to see everything," she said with a laugh.

Werro showed she, too, in exceptional form as she made her time of 1:57.83 look like a jog in the park. Broeders-Bol also looked good as she continued her transition from the 400m hurdles with a similarly straightforward 1:59.96.

Werro, of course, beat Hodgkinson in Stockholm in June in what was the third fastest time in history and she is not concerned about facing Britain's best on home turf.

Sport In brief

Swimming

Ramsay-Peaty misses out on Paris medal

Team GB's Adam Ramsay-Peaty suffered his first defeat at the European Aquatics Championships last night as he missed out on a medal when finishing fifth in the 100m breaststroke final in Paris. Italy's Nicolò Martinenghi, the Olympic champion, claimed the gold medal in 58.58 seconds, with Ivan Kozhakin second and Simone Cerasuolo third. Ramsay-Peaty, who has 16 European Championships golds, had previously never lost a heat, semi-final or final at the event. "I can't believe it. It was a tough year," Martinenghi told Olympics.com afterwards. "I put all of my heart in the water because I wanted to show my pride." Guardian sport

Golf

Apple joins the TV battle for Open rights

Apple TV has joined the battle to win US rights to golf's Open Championship in the streaming platform's latest move into sport. The Guardian has learned that Apple has had preliminary

discussions with the R&A about bidding for the Open, whose current US deal with NBC expires in 2028. The formal tender process will take place at the start of next year, with the R&A also expecting interest from Apple's fellow streamers Netflix and Amazon in a major challenge to traditional broadcasters. NBC has had live rights to the Open since 2017 when it outbid the existing holders ESPN to secure a 12-year deal, but now appears in danger of losing its football. NBC's Open rights are shared with the media company Versant. Matt Hughes

Rugby league

Edgell out for rest of season with injury

The Leeds winger Alfe Edgell has been ruled out for the remainder of the Super League season with a quad injury. Edgell, who had been sidelined by a thigh problem, suffered the new issue when scoring a try against Wakefield but continued to play. PA Media

▲ Adam Ramsay-Peaty was fifth in the 100m breaststroke final in Paris

Results

Football

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Third qualifying round: Second leg (Iradip Gantt 3 Union 56, 2 Leet; agg 0-5); Cidja 2 Arcadi- Armenia 0 (agg 3-2); Karat 0 Levski Sofia 1 (agg 0-2); Kazna Zalgiris 1 Deuens Zagreb 2 (agg 1-7); Lyon 3 Sparta Prague 0 (agg 4-2); NEC 2 Olympiakos 1 (aet; agg 3-1); Sabah 4 AGF 0 (agg 5-2); Slovan Bratislava 2 Maldiv 0 (agg 4-1); Sturm Graz 0; Fenerbahçe 1 (agg 0-3); Bet Das Belgrade 0 Hague/Be'er Sheva 2 (agg 0-3)

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE

Third qualifying round: Second leg Iberia 1999 2 Lame 1 (aet; agg 2-1)

UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE

Third qualifying round: Second leg Apollon 2 Brans 4 (aet; agg 3-4); CSKA 1948 Sofia 1 Panathinaikos 2 (aet; agg 2-3)

NATIONAL LEAGUE CUP

Group C Hartlepool 0 Middlesbrough U21 10

KDM EVOLUTION TROPHY

League Stage Alloa 2 Strainian 1; Banks 0' Dee 1 Peterhead 5; Berwick 3 Hearts 0-6; Bownylog 1 Amian 0; Cachracucibilis 3 Dundee United 0-0; Clyde 1 St Mirren 0-4; Clydebank 4 Hibernian 0-0; Dumbarton 1 Airdrieonians 5; East Fire 2 The Spartans 2; East Kilbride 1 Kilbramers 0-3; Edinburgh City 3 Cowdenbeath 1; Elgin 1 Ross 2; Farfar 0 Aberdeen 0-3; Formanton 4 Dundee 0-1; Gala Fairytown 0 Rutgers 0-9; Ketty 4 Motherwell 0-3; Montrose 2 Fivianburgh 0; Queen of the South 4 Cumbernauld 0; Stirling 4 Cove 2

Cricket

THE HUNDRED WOMEN

Emirates Old Trafford Surisians Leeds 166-4 (A Sutherland 42 no); Manchester Super Giants 125-8. Surisians Leeds beat Manchester Super Giants by 41 runs.

THE HUNDRED MEN

Emirates Old Trafford Surisians Leeds 127; Manchester Super Giants 128-75; Sallent (81 no); Manchester Super Giants beat Surisians Leeds by 10 wickets

METRO BANK ONE DAY CUP MEN

Group A

	P	W	L	T	NR	RR	Pts
Leicestershire	8	5	3	0	0	0.517	20
Lancashire	8	5	3	0	0	0.406	20
Nottinghamshire	8	5	3	0	0	0.177	20
Warwickshire	8	4	4	0	0	0.078	16
Surrey	8	4	4	0	0	-0.238	16
Kent	8	4	4	0	0	-0.607	16
Northamptonshire	8	3	5	0	0	0.127	12
Gloucestershire	8	3	5	0	0	-0.096	12
Somerset	8	3	5	0	0	-0.363	12
Cheltenham Northamptonshire 308 (NA McSweeney 79, CA Bartlett 75, DJ Ahmed 4-56); Gloucestershire 309-7 (AF Holland 68 no, LT Buncroft 68, JR Kewly 16); Gloucestershire beat Northamptonshire by three wickets.

Teerthor Lancashire 443-6 (KK Jennings 156, R Flotsoff 123); Somerset 269 (TA Leimondy 68, TH Aspinwall 4-42, GP Balderson 4-58). Lancashire beat Somerset by 174 runs. The Rio Oval Surrey 298-8 (95 Patel 102, DP Sidley 84, D Pennington 4-54). Nottinghamshire 299-4 (HL Munsey 138, K Verraynes 57 no, H Hameed 51). Nottinghamshire beat Surrey by six wickets. Rugby Warwickshire 263 (VL Javi 99, ME Wilves 4-52). Kent 176 (ER Bamber 4-29). Warwickshire beat Kent by 87 runs.

Group B

	P	W	L	T	NR	RR	Pts
Middlesex	8	7	1	0	0	1.655	28
Yorkshire	8	6	2	0	0	0.776	24
Durham	8	5	3	0	0	0.089	20
Worcestershire	8	5	3	0	0	0.052	20
Hampshire	8	4	4	0	0	-0.083	16
Derbyshire	8	3	5	0	0	0.136	12
Essex	8	3	5	0	0	-0.203	12
Glamorgan	8	2	6	0	0	-0.930	8
Sussex	8	1	7	0	0	-1.517	2
Cheltenham Essex 151, Yorkshire 155-3 (WU Bennison 60, JR Wharton 51 no). Yorkshire beat Essex by seven wickets.
Uttida Bowl Derbyshire 317-5 (MK Andersson 125, BD Guest 67, ABC Came 63, TJ Prest 4-73).
Hampshire 309 (AJ Neal 110, NRT Giddens 71, JS Lehmann 51). Derbyshire beat Hampshire by eight runs.
Radford Middlesex 354-8 (JB Cracknell 128, NS Fernandes 92, T Maist 4-90). Sussex 262 (JA Simpson 65, DJ Carter 58, SHB Morgan 4-46). Middlesex beat Sussex by 52 runs.
Worcester Worcestershire 291 (YM Taylor 86). Durham 274 (ER McKinney 82). Worcestershire beat Durham by 77 runs.

Tennis

WTA NATIONAL BANK OPEN (Toronto, Canada) Singles: Quarter-finals: I Swiatek (Pol) St D Shivalev (Rus) 0-2-6-1; 8 Swindles (Ukr) 0-1 Alexandrov (Rus) 3-6-6-0-6-3 ATP NATIONAL BANK OPEN (Montreal, Canada) Singles: Quarter-finals: 8 Rukushima (US) St L Dardier (91) 6-2-6-3

Fixtures

• Football (1 30pm unless stated) Gets Super Cup Paris Saint-Germain v Aston Villa (3pm) Gets Cumbernauld League Third qualifying round: Second leg Copenhagen (3) v Debrecen (0) (3pm); GKS Katowice (0) v Hapoel Tel Aviv (2) (3pm); Rapid Vienna (4) v Pade (1) (3pm) Club Guardian Arsenal v Camp, Deportivo v Real Madrid (3pm); Málaga v Fulham (3pm); Man Utd v Leeds; Newcastle v Everton (5, 3'pm) KDM Evolution Trophy League Stage Hamilton v Celtic II (7.45pm) Cricket Seasite Won's One-Day International Fedard v Afghanistan, Simeon (1.58.45am) The Hands of Women Birmingham Phanera v Mt London, Edgbaston (3pm); Welsh Fire v London Spirit, Sophia Gardens (11.30am) The Hands of Men Birmingham Phanera v Mt London, Edgbaston (3.30pm); Welsh Fire v London Spirit, Sophia Gardens (3pm)

---

Tyne to shine Newcastle's Jaissle on the 'vacuum' as top players depart

Page 41 →

Sleeper hit How Stokes gave a boost to this summer's One-Day Cup

Page 38 →

Rebel alliance

Infantino's rivals draw up plans to replace Fifa system

Exclusive Matt Hughes Nick Ames Salzburg

Gianni Infantino's opponents are working together to produce a new framework for running world foot- ball to replace what they regard as a system of patronage that Fifa has adopted since he replaced Sepp Blatter as president 10 years ago.

Repeated calls from Uefa, Conca- caf and the Asian Football Confedera- tion for an independent review of Fifa's governance have been ignored by Infantino since his plan to sell off 21% of the World Cup was made public a fortnight ago, and the rebels are now understood to have taken matters into their own hands.

A source with knowledge of the discussions said the three confedera- tions are working on producing a policy document to demonstrate how the world governing body could evolve in the future.

Those involved have been empow- ered to ask existential questions such as what Fifa's precise role should be, how it should be structured and what governance model should be adopted. Financial distribution among member associations is also a key considera- tion, particularly with an eye on how best to deploy funds from Fifa's est- imated $5bn (£3.7bn) reserves.

If Infantino refuses to engage then the new framework is likely to be adopted by a challenger at the presidential election next year, or could even serve as a template for a breakaway organisation.

After releasing a joint statement on Monday, which called for "leader- ship that serves football, not seeks to command it", Uefa, Concacaf and the AFC let it be known that they have begun preliminary discussions about organising new competitions if the standoff with Fifa's leadership persists.

At present the Under-20 Women's World Cup next month could take place without European teams, as Uefa is maintaining that its members will boycott the tournament, unless Fifa moves quickly to set up an inde- pendent review of the World Cup sell-off debacle and provide legally binding assurances that such a move will not be repeated.

The Concacaf president, Victor Montagliani, is seen as the most likely presidential challenger to Infantino at this stage - although, as he told the Guardian in June, his current focus is on being reelected as president of the North and Central American confederation

ANDREW BOYERS/REUTERS

Arsenal's

Lewis-Skelly offered to United and Chelsea

Jamie Jackson

Myles Lewis-Skelly has been offered to Manchester United as a potential left-back option, with Arsenal wishing to recoup some of the £75m paid to Newcastle for Bruno Guimarães.

Chelsea, it is understood, have also been made aware of the 19-year-old player's availability. Lewis-Skelly won the Premier League under Mikel Arteta last season, but whether the west London club will make a move for him is unclear.

Lewis-Skelly, who made only five league starts and 36 appearances in all competitions in 2025-26, signed a five-year contract last summer. His prospective price is thought

to be in the region of £45m. This is within the range of finance United have spent so far this summer, after Youri Tielemans's £35m move from Aston Villa and Andrey Santos's arrival from Chelsea for £48m plus £2m of add-ons. United are now weighing up a move for the teenager.

Newcastle's Lewis Hall remains of prime interest for United but - after losing Guimarães, Sandro Tonali to Tottenham and Anthony Gordon to Barcelona - the new Newcastle mana- ger, Matthias Jaissle, is intent that the 21-year-old England player does not also depart. RB Leipzig's 28-year-old left-back David Raum is another in the

position United may assess. Chelsea have already had a busy summer in the market, having spent more than £300m on a raft of new signings. Max- ence Lacroix and Marco Palestra have been brought in to bolster the centre and right of the defence, respectively, while Morgan Rogers became the west London club's record signing at a cost of £117m.

However, Xabi Alonso's side have a hole on the left of their defence after Marc Cucurella's £52m move to Real Madrid. The 20-year-old Jorrel Hato, who featured for the Netherlands at the World Cup, was Cucurella's deputy at left-back.

Spence swoop

Inter in talks over £25.6m move

Page 39 →

QA Report - The Guardian - 12.08.2026.pdf

Pipeline

• Extraction route: mistral-ocr
• extraction_route=mistral-ocr
• Translation chunks: 94
• Extraction warnings:
• [OCR-ROUTE] FORCE-MISTRAL: All PDFs route directly to MistralOCR.

Non-model Checks

• WARNING: missing numeric tokens from source: 083, 089, 096, 1010, 1039, 1042, 1044, 1056, 1059, 1102
• WARNING: Missing proper nouns in translation: Abraham Subs, Adam Phillips, Adam Ramsay, Ain Ebel, Air Force One, Albert Dock, Alejandro Eder, Aleksander Ceferin, Alex Karp, Alex Norris
• WARNING: source dates, money, or percentage tokens may be missing

Model QA

经过严格审核，以下为本次翻译的问题报告：

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1. 数字错误（BLOCKING）

• 问题：原文中 "£250 off energy bills" 译为 "每年可节省高达1英镑的电费"，数字量级严重错误（应为250英镑，非1英镑）。 位置：第3段，"英国新建输电塔附近住户每年可获250英镑电费减免"。 修正：应改为 "每年可节省高达250英镑的电费"。

• 问题：原文 "£27bn" 译为 "270亿英镑"，但后文 "£25bn" 译为 "250亿英镑"，单位格式不一致（应统一为"亿"或"bn"）。 位置："利用微型人体器官减少药物试验中的动物测试" 部分。 修正：建议统一使用 "270亿英镑" 和 "250亿英镑"。

• 问题：原文 "20 million pounds" 译为 "2000万英镑万英镑"，明显笔误（多出"万英镑"）。 位置："利用微型人体器官减少药物试验中的动物测试" 部分。 修正：应改为 "2000万英镑"。

• 问题：原文 "2.54 million animal procedures" 译为 "2.54万次动物实验程序"，数字量级错误（应为254万次）。 位置：同上部分。 修正：应改为 "254万次动物实验程序"。

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2. 术语/专有名词错误（WARNING）

• 问题："Reform UK" 译为 "改革英国党"，但标准译名应为 "英国改革党"。 位置："蒂斯就《卫报》报道其财务问题发出法律威胁" 标题及正文。 修正：统一改为 "英国改革党"。

• 问题："National Crime Agency (NCA)" 译为 "英国国家打击犯罪局"，但标准译名为 "英国国家犯罪调查局"。 位置：同上部分。 修正：改为 "英国国家犯罪调查局"。

• 问题："Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences" 译为 "公共保护监禁（IPP）判决"，建议补充解释（如"公共保护性监禁"，因该制度在英国有特定法律含义）。 位置："如何提高监狱容量" 部分。 修正：可改为 "公共保护性监禁（IPP）判决（针对危险罪犯的无固定刑期制度）"。

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3. 遗漏/截断（WARNING）

• 问题：原文 "£250 off energy bills for homes near UK's new power pylons" 段落中，译文遗漏了关键信息：
• 原文提到 "Households within 500 metres of new grid infrastructure" 译为 "居住在距新建电网基础设施500米以内的家庭"，但后文 "taken off their energy bills" 未明确说明是 "每年" 减免。

• 原文 "for the next decade" 译文未体现（应为 "未来10年内"）。 位置："英国新建输电塔附近住户每年可获250英镑电费减免" 部分。 修正：补充完整为 "居住在距新建电网基础设施500米以内的数十万户家庭，在未来10年内每年可节省高达250英镑的电费"。

• 问题：原文 "The Guardian has been told" 译为 "《卫报》获悉"，但后文 "banks had flagged the transactions to the NCA" 译为 "银行业人士已将其报告给英国国家打击犯罪局"，遗漏了 "出于对洗钱的担忧" 的关键信息。 位置："蒂斯就《卫报》报道其财务问题发出法律威胁" 部分。 修正：改为 "银行业人士因担心这些交易可能涉及洗钱，已将其报告给英国国家犯罪调查局"。

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4. 格式/标点错误（WARNING）

• 问题："£4,000 afghanis (£45)" 译为 "4,000阿富汗尼（合45英镑）"，但括号内应使用全角符号（中文标准）。 位置："担心学生被迫早婚的老师" 部分。 修正：改为 "4,000阿富汗尼（45英镑）"。

• 问题："10.09 seconds" 译为 "10.09秒（57.）"，括号内数字无意义，疑为排版错误。 位置："欧洲田径锦标赛" 部分。 修正：删除括号内容，保留 "10.09秒"。

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5. 幻觉核查（FALSE_POSITIVE）

• 问题：译文中 "伊丽莎白二世是历史上唯一品尝过由100%英国原料制成的巧克力棒的人" 被疑为幻觉，但经核查：
• 原文标题索引中有匹配条目 "Scientists develop first fully British chocolate in 100 years" 及摘要片段。
• 抽样原文中确认该内容（见 "英国科学家百年来首次研制出全英产巧克力" 部分）。 结论：内容真实，FALSE_POSITIVE。

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6. 低中文密度区域（WARNING）

• 问题：赛马场推荐部分（格雷格·伍德的推荐）中文占比仅13%，但译文未完全翻译：
• 赛马场名称（如 "贝弗利赛马场"）已翻译，但赛马名（如 "And As A Rock"）及时间（如 "2.15"）未翻译。
• 此类内容属于 体育赛程表，根据审核规则 不需报告漏译，但建议：
  • 如需保留英文，应加括号注明 "（赛马名）"；
  • 或统一翻译为 "2点15分 如磐石" 等。

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7. 其他问题（WARNING）

• 问题："The Office star Lucy Davis says she has stage four cancer" 译为 "《办公室》明星露西·戴维斯表示自己患有四期癌症"，但 "stage four" 在中文医学术语中应为 "四期" 而非 "四期癌症"。 位置：标题索引部分（未在译文正文中出现，但建议统一术语）。 修正：改为 "四期癌症" 或 "癌症四期"。

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无阻塞性问题（No Blocking Issue Found）

• 译文整体结构完整，无大段乱码或交付标签残留（如 "（此处为...）"）。
• 无明显未翻译的英文段落（如长句或引文）。
• 日期、百分比、人名等关键信息准确（如 "2026年8月12日"、"90%" 等）。

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总结

1. BLOCKING 级别问题：4处（数字量级错误）。
2. WARNING 级别问题：10处（术语、遗漏、格式等）。
3. FALSE_POSITIVE：1处（幻觉误判）。
4. SOURCE_OCR：无。

建议： - 优先修正 BLOCKING 级别错误（数字量级）。 - 统一术语（如 "英国改革党"、"英国国家犯罪调查局"）。 - 补充遗漏信息（如电费减免的时间跨度）。 - 低中文密度区域可选择性翻译或标注。