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UK elections could deliver sweeping gains for nationalist parties across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland amid Labour decline

Barring an unprecedented upset, in a few days each of the four nations that make up the UK would be ruled by a different political party. Polls suggest three of the four would be separatists dedicated to the breakup of the union of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales that has existed since Ireland seceded in 1922.

Should they win, it would be wrong to see that as a verdict on the state of the union, or an indication of overwhelming support in the smaller nations for a split. Yet we could be stepping onto an escalator that leads to that outcome.

The process has already begun. Sinn Fein, political wing of the now defunct Irish Republican Army, has been the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly since 2022, having given up the Armalite rifle in favor of the ballot box to push for a united Ireland following the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

In crunch elections this week, the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) is looking to extend its majority in the country’s devolved parliament and Plaid Cymru is hoping to snatch Wales from the UK’s ruling Labour Party. Both might see a mandate to begin the process of departure, but it is not at all clear that this is what voters want. On recent visits to big cities in each of the four UK nations, I encountered people who wanted to administer a kicking to the ruling establishment, not to the union itself. The hard lesson of leaving the EU has left a mark.

Independence is only the sixth most important issue for Scots at these elections, according to a YouGov survey, behind the economy, health, immigration, education and housing. In Wales it was 14th. The constitutional question is considered such an unwanted distraction that Plaid Cymru’s leader had to deny that he had taken steps toward a breakaway any time soon.

John Swinney, the SNP’s leader and Scotland’s first minister since 2024, has been bolder, vowing to bring forward legislation for a second independence referendum on day one if he is re-elected. This would almost certainly be blocked by the UK government. About 55 percent of Scots voted to remain in the last poll in 2014, supposedly resolving the matter for a generation.

While support for separatism in Scotland and Wales has not shifted much in the past few years, what has changed is the collapse in Labour’s popularity across the UK since its landslide victory in the 2024 general election. It has been dominant in Wales for generations and had hoped to recapture the Scottish assembly from a scandal-plagued SNP. Instead, it is braced for a mauling in its traditional heartlands, including Scotland and Wales.

The reasons are varied. Years of Labour rule in Wales have seen per capita spending about 15 percent higher than in England, with little benefit. Public services are worse there, as is school attainment. The number of people on welfare is much higher. Meanwhile, the SNP has managed to deflect blame for its own failings onto the Labour government in Westminster. While British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is unpopular across the country, he is loathed in Scotland. His party’s candidates suffer by association.

The rise of Nigel Farage’s hard-right Reform UK has been another boon for non-English nationalist parties. In Wales, many progressives want to vote for whomever they consider the likeliest to see off the Farage threat. A special election in Caerphilly in October showed this might be Plaid rather than Labour. That is not a vote for independence, though.

That is equally true in Scotland, where Reform’s rise seems to be splitting the anti-independence vote between Farage’s party, Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. The SNP’s profiting from this should not mask its unpopularity or suggest that support for the union has waned.

There is another, troubling, aspect to Reform’s surge. If it keeps performing well nationally, and if it seems likely that Farage could become the prime minister, backing for nationalist parties would rise even more sharply. That would not be because independence per se becomes more popular, but the generally more liberal-minded Celts would want to distance themselves from Reform. Scotland and Northern Ireland voted against Brexit. Having its flag-bearer sitting in No. 10 might make independence feel inexorable.

Opponents of devolution, which came about in the late 1990s at the instigation of Tony Blair’s Labour government, say money has been thrown at the smaller nations with little difference in their inhabitants’ lives. Some of that critique is fair. Funneling cash from England to its neighbors cannot always — or even usually — be the answer.

However, given the strong cultural identity and understandable pride in being Scottish or Welsh, devolution probably remains the best system for governing these isles. Northern Ireland might be the exception, at least to me. Nationalism there is not about being broken up into ever smaller parcels, but about joining a larger state on the same island. As support grows there for Irish unification, a border poll feels inevitable.

Ahead of Thursday’s local and regional votes — which would take in 30 million voters in England, Scotland and Wales (though not Northern Ireland this time) — I spent some time in Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast and London, as well as Glasgow, Derry and the Welsh steel town of Port Talbot.

I found a country in which the divisions seemed less between the nations than within them. The inequalities were stark. While parts of Belfast and Glasgow have prospered, hardship persisted beyond middle-class and student areas. Port Talbot is a symbol of the struggle to protect industrial jobs. The Welsh capital, Cardiff, with its Russell Group university, is a world apart.

However, as a riposte to the US’ online trolls, Britain did not feel broken. My trains, buses and planes were on time. Local authorities and health facilities were providing services, even under financial strain. Banks and businesses, schools and sports were functioning. Shopping malls teemed with people.

Of course, how people experience all this differs wildly. Instead of prized manufacturing jobs, many people make do with low-pay and low-esteem service jobs. Young people are lucky to get employment at all. And after voting for change with Starmer’s Labour, many British people are angry that they have not seen much of it. As a result, they are going to take out their frustrations on the old establishment parties.

The beneficiaries would be Reform, the Greens (by far the most posters I saw on my travels were for Zack Polanski’s avowedly socialist party, Green these days only in name and plagued by allegations of anti-semitism) — and, in Scotland and Wales, the nationalists.

Farage is unlike his fellow nationalists, who lean left while he leans far right. Yet his success in England, allied with that of the SNP, Plaid and Sinn Fein would mark a dangerous moment for the UK. It is a sad consideration. Nationalism is defined by a reductive, narrow mindset, and if the UK fractured into ever smaller entities, it would reduce the power and importance of each.

The UK’s balkanization would not be good for any of its constituent parts.

The lesson of Brexit is that splintering makes no sense economically. In an era of global uncertainty, in which overmighty men in powerful countries make terrible decisions, making ourselves even smaller and weaker is foolhardy.

Rosa Prince is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering UK politics and policy. She was formerly an editor and writer at Politico and the Daily Telegraph, and is the author of Comrade Corbyn and Theresa May: The Enigmatic Prime Minister. This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

title: The UK might be stumbling toward a disastrous breakup


title: Kvaratskhelia provides spark for PSG

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ARSENAL AWAIT: Harry Kane’s late equalizer was not enough for Bayern after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia released Fabian Ruiz and got the ball back to set up Ousmane Dembele

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s superb assist on Wednesday put Paris Saint-Germain ahead early in a 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final for a 6-5 aggregate win against the six-time champions.

Whether scoring or creating, Kvaratskhelia makes the difference for PSG. His team-leading 10 goals have played a huge part in helping the titleholders to reach a second straight Champions League final.

That came after the 25-year-old Georgia star’s two goals helped PSG win the first leg 5-4.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, center, controls the ball as Kim Min-jae, left, and Dayot Upamecano of Bayern Munich defend during their UEFA Champions League match at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Kvaratskhelia was irrepressible in the semi-finals, as he was against AS Monaco, Chelsea and Liverpool earlier in the campaign.

His awareness led to PSG’s goal three minutes into the return leg and put Bayern on the back foot immediately, when many observers expected PSG to struggle early on.

Kvaratskhelia even started the move that led to PSG’s goal.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembel, left, gestures after scoring against Bayern Munich during their UEFA Champions League match at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Catching Bayern’s midfield napping by dropping deep, he released Fabian Ruiz with a brilliant flick with the outside of his right foot.

He then spun around to collect Ruiz’s excellent first-time pass before sprinting down the left and picking out Ousmane Dembele with a fine pass across the penalty area.

Dembele shot powerfully into the roof of the net for his seventh goal of the competition.

Bayern had some spells of possession, but never recovered from the early blow and, at the end, Kvaratskhelia’s boundless energy and runs almost led to another PSG goal.

“We have a magnificent team, a young team, we fight together,” PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi said. “We have stars, but everyone fights. Look at the last minute, Kvara is cooked [but] kept fighting.”

Dembele was PSG’s key player last season and now it could be Kvaratskhelia’s turn to shine when PSG face Arsenal in the final.

“We’re very happy, we know it will be very difficult against Arsenal,” Kvaratskhelia said. “I’m working every day and getting back with assists or goals. I will do everything for the team.”

Real Madrid won three straight times from 2016 to 2018.

PSG coach Luis Enrique has shown remarkable flexibility with his team selections, astutely coping with injuries and juggling positional changes without disrupting the efficiency of his team.

He was celebrating, but in moderation.

“It’s incredible,” Enrique said. “We have to make the most of this night, but we have to think about the final,” which is on May 30.

Harry Kane equalized for Bayern in stoppage-time, but it was too late to keep alive Bayern’s dream of a treble of the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League titles.


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Taiwanese pitcher Lin Wei-en, a left-hander with the Oakland Athletics’ Double-A affiliate, has been named to Baseball America’s latest Top 100 Prospects list.

In the list released on Wednesday, Lin was ranked No. 93 overall, becoming the first Taiwanese player in 18 years to make the list. The last was now-retired infielder Hu Chin-lung in 2008.

The other Taiwanese players to make the list were slugger Chen Chin-feng from 2000 to 2002 and Tsao Chin-hui, the first Taiwanese pitcher to play in MLB, from 2001 to 2004.

Taiwanese pitcher Lin Wei-en, front, sits with teammates during a pre-season game in Arizona on March 27. Photo: CNA

MLB organizations collectively have nearly 5,000 players in their farm systems.

The ranking comes after Lin was named Texas League Pitcher of the Week following seven scoreless innings last week for the Midland RockHounds, the Athletics’ Double-A affiliate.

The 20-year-old Lin is 1.88m tall and weighs 81kg, with a fastball that can exceed 150kph.

He signed with the Athletics in June 2024 and began his professional career in the US last year, earning rapid promotions from Low-A to High-A and then Double-A.

He has posted a 1.61 earned run average over 28 innings in six starts this season.

MLB Pipeline ranks Lin as the Athletics’ No. 4 prospect.

On the field on Wednesday, Edmundo Sosa delivered a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies rallied past the visiting Athletics 6-3.

In Houston, Texas, Andy Pages’ career-best three home runs and six RBIs carried the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 12-2 victory over the Astros.

Los Angeles starter Tyler Glasnow left after an inning with back spasms, but manager Dave Roberts said he did not think the injury was serious or a long-term issue.

Jack Dreyer (2-1) earned the win by throwing two scoreless frames. Six Dodgers relievers combined to hurl eight innings of one-run, four-hit ball.

Shohei Ohtani posted two hits, two runs and an RBI for the Dodgers, who won their third game in four tries and took the three-game set.

Houston starter Lance McCullers Jr (2-3) lasted just 2-2/3 innings, allowing six runs on four hits. Reliever Jason Alexander yielded five runs on nine hits across 4-1/3 frames. Brice Matthews homered for the Astros.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, it was:

‧ Diamondbacks 0, Pirates 1

‧ Cubs 7, Reds 6 (10i)

‧ Angels 8, White Sox 2

‧ Rays 3, Blue Jays 0

‧ Cardinals 2, Brewers 6

‧ Giants 1, Padres 5

‧ Yankees 1, Rangers 6

‧ Mariners 3, Braves 1

‧ Tigers 0, Red Sox 4

‧ Marlins 4, Orioles 7

‧ Nationals 15, Twins 2

‧ Royals 1, Guardians 3

‧ Rockies 5, Mets 10

title: Lin Wei-en of Taiwan makes list of prospects


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The San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday handed the Minnesota Timberwolves their largest NBA post-season loss in franchise history with a 133-95 win to even their series at one game apiece.

Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama responded to their Game 1 loss in the Western Conference semi-finals series by setting a suffocating tone after he shouldered much of the blame for the Spurs’ 104-102 loss to the Timberwolves on Monday, despite posting 11 points, 15 rebounds and setting an NBA post-season record with 12 blocks.

Was there some anger and frustration, and a desire to get back on the court for Game 2? Absolutely.

The San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama, top, blocks Julius Randle of the Minnesota Timberwolves during Game 2 of their Western Conference NBA semi-final series at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Wednesday. Photo: AP

“There always is,” Wembanyama said. “In the playoffs, magnify that.”

What resulted was what Minnesota coach Chris Finch said was a punking before a raucous sellout crowd.

The Timberwolves were held to 35 points in the first half while shooting seven for 24 from the field and two for 15 on three-pointers.

The New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson scores during Game 2 of their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final series against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden in New York on Wednesday. Photo: EPA

Minnesota closed the game shooting 40 percent from the field and 30 percent on threes, while committing 22 turnovers.

San Antonio had a 58-36 scoring advantage in the paint, a 55-43 rebounding advantage and had nine blocked shots compared with two for Minnesota.

“We got beat in every way possible, it’s as simple as that,” Timberwolves forward Julius Randle said. “There’s not really much to say from this game. They outhustled us, out-physicaled us, executed, played better defensively, more energy. They just beat us in every way in this game. We’ve got to come back in the next game and be better.”

Game 3 is scheduled for today in Minneapolis followed by Game 4 on Sunday at Target Center.

The Spurs and Timberwolves went deep into their benches on Wednesday with 10 minutes remaining in the game with only the margin of defeat undecided.

San Antonio’s 38-point victory toppled Minnesota’s previous largest post-season defeat of 30 points to the Los Angeles Lakers on April 29, 2003.

“I know this team’s capable of doing all of this,” Wembanyama said. “To be honest, I’m expecting this kind of response from myself, from my teammates. So, I’m not surprised by any means and I’m just going to keep working so we approach more games like we did tonight.”

After blowing a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter on Monday, Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox took accountability for the two-point loss.

Wembanyama and Fox combined for only 21 points in Game 1. The All-Star duo was a combined zero for 12 on three-pointers with Wembanyama missing eight.

“They acknowledged it, them being the leaders on our team,” Spurs guard Stephon Castle said. “Coming out of Game 1, I mean, it’s going to happen. You’re going to have bad shooting nights, but I mean, we have nothing but confidence in those two. So, I expect them to play well the rest of the series like they did tonight.”

Wembanyama set the tone early in Game 2, scoring seven points on three-for-four shooting.

The Spurs missed their first three shots, but Wembanyama followed the third attempt by flying through the lane and throwing down a right-handed dunk to open the scoring.

Wembanyama had 14 points and nine rebounds in the first half while leading a defensive effort that limited Minnesota to 35 points, the fewest points by a San Antonio opponent in the first half of a playoff game since the Memphis Grizzlies had 31 in 2013.

“I just think we respond well to adversity,” Castle said. “I think we’ve done that all year. I mean, I don’t think we were too shell shocked coming out of Game 1. I think we knew why we lost Game 1 and we addressed it right away. And I feel like that’s what carried us through tonight.”

In New York, the Knicks edged the Philadelphia 76ers to claim a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semi-final series.

Jalen Brunson spearheaded a late surge as New York edged a razor-tight NBA playoff clash against the 76ers 108-102.

Having been thrashed in Game 1, the underdog Sixers were without star man Joel Embiid, who was ruled out with injury hours before tip-off.

However, they put up a tougher fight at Madison Square Garden, in a game featuring 25 lead changes — the most for a playoff game in 11 years — before the Knicks pulled clear in the final minutes.

Brunson’s clutch play — including eight fourth-quarter points — ensured victory, with the Knicks talisman joint top-scoring on 26 points.

Additional reporting by AFP

title: Spurs thrash the Timberwolves


content_text: Arsenal’s Frida Maanum, left, shoots during their English Women’s Super League match against Brighton & Hove Albion at Broadfield Stadium in Crawley, England, on Wednesday. The result clinched the Women’s Super League title for Manchester City, ending Chelsea’s six-year dominance of the competition. Third-placed Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Brighton meant City, who have one match remaining, cannot be caught in first place.

title: Draw defines title


title: Kyiv fires hundreds of drones: Moscow

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‘EYE FOR AN EYE’: A Ukrainian officer said Russian infantry raids continued on the front lines, and as Moscow did not comply with Kyiv’s ceasefire, his unit responded ‘in kind’

The Russian Ministry of Defense yesterday said that its forces had destroyed 347 Ukrainian drones overnight, days before Moscow holds World War II commemorations and amid competing calls from both sides for a temporary ceasefire.

The drone strikes came a day after Russia warned in a note to foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations that it would launch a “retaliatory strike” on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, “including against decisionmaking centers,” if Ukraine disrupted tomorrow’s commemorations.

It urged them to “ensure the timely evacuation of personnel from diplomatic and other missions, as well as citizens, from the city of Kyiv.”

A firefighter puts out a blaze at the site of a Russian drone strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, yesterday. Photo: Reuters

Ukraine had announced a unilateral truce on Wednesday — a request ignored by Moscow’s army, which continued its attacks throughout the day and overnight.

Kyiv’s proposal was a counteroffer after Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a truce to cover tomorrow, when Russia marks victory over Nazi Germany in World War II and stages a major military parade on Red Square.

The Kremlin yesterday said it would begin the two-day ceasefire with Ukraine starting at midnight.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian security services were preparing for tomorrow’s event, “particularly given the terrorist threat” from Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine yesterday traded strikes, wounding 13 people in the Russian border city of Bryansk and one person in Ukraine’s Dnipro, officials from both sides said.

A woman was killed in the Belgorod border region, the local governor said.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobianin said that at least five drones “flying toward Moscow” had been destroyed.

Russia fired 102 drones at Ukraine overnight, Kyiv’s air force said in a statement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had criticized Russia for ignoring the call to halt fire and left open the possibility of launching massive strikes on Russia during the Victory Day celebrations.

Kyiv has intensified its strikes on Russian energy sites in the past few weeks, while a Russian barrage has killed dozens in recent days, in one of the deadliest periods for civilians in weeks.

“Today, virtually all day long, virtually every hour, we have been receiving reports of strikes from various regions,” Zelenskiy said in his evening address.

Ukraine would “respond in kind” to Russia’s violations and decide its next steps accordingly, he said.

Ukrainian officials reported multiple attacks throughout Wednesday when Ukraine’s unilateral ceasefire was due to be in force.

At least four people died in Russian attacks, including two at a kindergarten in the northern Sumy region, officials said.

A Russian strike yesterday wounded one person in the central-eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro, said Oleksandr Ganzha, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration.

Fighting also continued on the front line.

“The enemy continued to carry out infantry raids and attempts to storm our positions,” a Ukrainian officer at the eastern front, speaking on condition of anonymity said.

Since Russia “did not comply” with the Kyiv-proposed ceasefire, “our unit responded in kind and countered all provocations,” he added.

Another frontline commander said: “The intensity of combat operations remains at the same level.”

His unit was also responding.

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” he said.


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By miming children juggling ammunition found on the ground or driven mad by fear, four acrobats hope to express what is too painful for words: how their native Burkina Faso’s conflict has ruined countless childhoods.

Titled Souffle (Breath), the Dafra Cirque’s latest performance “is about life ... and when we talk about life we talk about hope, and hope means the children,” the troupe’s choreographer, Jean Adolphe Sanou, said after a performance in neighboring Ivory Coast.

For more than a decade, Burkina Faso has been at war with terrorists who have killed, kidnapped, raped or recruited thousands of the west African country’s children, according to the UN.

Burkina Faso’s Dafra Cirque performs at the African Entertainment Arts Market at the Culture Palace of Abidjan in Ivory Coast on April 17. Photo: AFP

Rights groups such as Human Rights Watch also say the Burkinabe army and its allied civilian volunteer fighters have committed abuses, including toward minors.

Dafra Cirque does not touch on that part of the issue — the army has cracked down on criticism since taking power through two military coups in 2022.

However, for nearly an hour at a concert hall in Ivory Coast’s economic capital, Abidjan, the troupe’s performing quartet translated the despair, innocence and resistance of children facing the unspeakable for several hundred spectators.

Jugglers in Burkina Faso’s Dafra Cirque perform at the African Entertainment Arts Market at the Culture Palace of Abidjan in Ivory Coast on April 17. Photo: AFP

Slipping into the skin of a traumatized child, one of the men executed a series of pirouettes, swaying steps and somersaults to mimic the onset of insanity.

For the troupe’s artistic director, Moustapha Konate, circus is an art that “makes it possible to bring together as many people as possible,” because it “draws them in through feats, beauty, fluidity of movement.”

In the 30-year-old’s eyes, dance is “perhaps the easiest way for us artists” to “deal with a topic.”

Konate’s position is clear: Dafra Cirque “takes a stand against the involvement of children in wars.”

Children have suffered more than any other part of the population from Burkina Faso’s spiral of violence, with more than 2,200 enduring grave abuses between 2022 and 2024, a UN report released last year showed.

Mostly attributed to terrorist groups, the most frequent abuses involve murder, mutilation, abductions, recruitment as child soldiers, exploitation and sexual violence.

Souffle takes inspiration from the lives of the artists, who traveled from their base in Burkina Faso’s second city, Bobo-Dioulasso, to perform at a festival in Abidjan last month.

Within the circus, “everyone has been affected” by the violence, Konate said.

Despite its dark subject matter, the show received a rapturous reception in the Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou, and the troupe’s Bobo-Dioulasso hometown.

“Many people aren’t familiar with the circus,” Konate said. “Seeing circus mixed with dance ... theater, juggling and storytelling was something new for them.”

Once the lights had dimmed and the spectators emptied out of the Abidjan events hall, Yeli Gnougoh Coulibaly departed, moved by the performance.

“It’s important for artists to put on shows about the terrorist violence in Burkina,” the 21-year-old said. “I’d say it’s a bit more subtle” and “less shocking than the news, because on TV ... it’s scary.”

title: Circus tackles trauma of Burkinabe children


taiwan-subdivisions: 仁愛 南沙

content_text:
The Philippine Coast Guard yesterday said it deployed aircraft to issue radio warnings to a Chinese research ship in a disputed area of the South China Sea “swarming” with vessels from Beijing’s so-called maritime militia.

The research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 33 (向陽紅33), which is capable of supporting submersible craft, was operating near a reef in the contested Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島), which Taiwan also claims, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

The Chinese ship was deploying a service boat toward the Spratly’s Iroquois Reef on Wednesday when it was spotted by a coast guard plane, “confirming ongoing unauthorized [marine scientific research] operations,” the statement said.

People look toward the South China Sea in Burgos, Philippines, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Iroquois Reef (Houteng, 鱟藤礁) is located at the southern end of Reed Bank (Lile Bank, 禮樂灘), an area in the Spratlys thought to be rich in natural gas and oil.

During the flight, Manila’s coast guard also spotted 41 “maritime militia vessels” anchored in waters surrounding Iroquois Reef and Philippine-occupied Thitu Island (Jhongye Island, 中業島), home to about 400 Filipinos and a new coast guard station.

“The Philippines has not granted such consent to the [People’s Republic of China] for any [marine scientific research] activities in these waters,” the coast guard said.

“The presence of the research vessel and the large-scale swarming by Chinese Maritime Militia vessels represent a serious infringement on Philippine sovereign rights and maritime jurisdiction,” it added.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Xiang Yang Hong 33, which left China more than three weeks ago, has been monitored conducting surveys near various Philippine-claimed features in the Spratly chain, including the flashpoint Sabina Shoal (Sianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) and Second Thomas Shoal (Renai Shoal, 仁愛暗沙).

title: Philippines warns China research ship in disputed waters


content_text:
NZ seeks to expand navy, citing rising global tensions

New Zealand is open to expanding its frigate fleet beyond its current two vessels, with New Zealand Minister of Defence Chris Penk saying “no options are off the table” as the government weighs buying new warships from Japan or the UK.

The government yesterday said it is looking to replace its two aging Anzac-class frigates, which were both commissioned almost 30 years ago. The UK’s Type 31 and Japan’s Mogami-class warships are the options under consideration.

Speaking in an interview, Penk said there is potential to increase the number of frigates the nation purchases.

The HMNZS Te Mana arrives at Napier Port to deliver supplies and support following Cyclone Gabrielle in Napier, New Zealand, on Feb. 17, 2023. Photo: AFP

“We need a certain amount of capability as a maritime nation,” he said. “We are also aware that there are uncrewed systems that could complement what’s provided by two or more frigates. It might be, for example, we have combat-capable ships in the form of frigates, but also the ability to carry drone systems.”

The move follows Australia’s multibillion-dollar deal to buy 11 Japanese Mogami-class frigates, a factor Penk said would weigh on New Zealand’s choice.

“The geopolitics will play a part in our consideration,” he said. “Namely, where Australia has a particular platform or system, our starting point is to ask whether it’s suitable to acquire exactly the same, and if so, then we will.”

Penk, who was appointed defense minister last month, said other factors, including capability and cost, would also shape the decision.

The New Zealand Defence Force has begun discussions with the Royal Australian Navy and the British Royal Navy, and would report its advice back to Cabinet before the end of next year, Penk said, adding that the timeline could be accelerated.

“We want to be agile, we know that the world is changing quickly,” Penk said. “I think it’s fair to observe that the security situation is deteriorating around the world. Within our region it’s the case that there’s considerable competition, and if that became contest or even conflict, then naturally we will want to have assured ourselves that we’ve moved as quickly as possible.”

The announcement comes as the government plans to lift defense spending to about 2 percent of GDP from about 1 percent, citing rising geopolitical tensions, such as Chinese warships conducting live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea last year.


title: Solomon Islands’ Manele loses no-confidence vote

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Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele yesterday lost power in a no-confidence vote in the South Pacific nation’s parliament, ending months of political uncertainty.

Parliament was adjourned to allow the governor-general to make arrangements for the election of a new prime minister.

Ahead of the vote, which he lost 22 to 26, Manele strongly criticized the nation’s court for setting a “dangerous precedent” by ruling that lawmakers must meet to consider the no-confidence motion.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele addresses the 80th UN General Assembly in New York on Sept. 26 last year. Photo: Reuters

His Government for National Unity and Transformation had been at an impasse since March, when it was hit by mass Cabinet resignations and the departure of two coalition partners.

An appeals court on Friday last week ruled that Manele, who had avoided the no-confidence motion for seven weeks, must convene parliament by yesterday.

The Solomon Islands has been seen as one of Beijing’s closest partners and backers in the South Pacific in the past few years, and leadership changes in the strategically located archipelago are closely watched by Western diplomats.

There was a heavy police presence around parliament as two camps of lawmakers arrived in separate buses.

The new opposition coalition of six political parties showed it commanded 27 seats as lawmakers entered the 50-seat chamber.

Former Solomon Islands minister of foreign affairs Peter Shanel Agovaka, who quit the Cabinet in March and is the frontrunner to become the next prime minister, said Manele had shown weak leadership as ministers conferred favors on business cronies.

“Here we have a group of people who are feeding themselves to the coffers,” he told parliament.

A lack of transparency included no audit reports produced for the large sums of government and donor country money spent to host the 2023 Pacific Games and last year’s Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting, he said.

The IMF raised concerns over accountability, lack of audit reports and the need for anti-corruption reforms in March.

With a population of 850,000, the country is 2,000km east of Australia and receives significant aid from Canberra and Beijing. Debt to China for infrastructure projects doubled last year, budget documents show.

Mihai Sora, director of research at the Lowy Institute think tank in Sydney, said Manele’s ousting “will probably make things more difficult for Australia,” which has sought to upgrade police ties with the Solomons to counter Beijing’s security influence.

“There’s every chance that Manele will be replaced by someone seen as more China-friendly,” he said.


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MAJOR ELECTORAL TEST: Starmer, one of the most unpopular prime ministers ever, has failed to deliver on his promise to spur economic growth, an academic said

British polling stations opened yesterday in local elections set to heap more pressure on beleaguered British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and showcase the rise of hard-right and left-wing populists.

Polls opened at 7am across Scotland, England and Wales in the ballot that is Starmer’s biggest electoral test since his July 2024 general election landslide victory ended 14 years of Conservative Party rule.

Opinion polls predict grim results for the Labour Party, which could amplify calls for Starmer, 63, to resign or face a long-rumored party leadership challenge.

Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage poses to show off his socks as he visits a polling station in Walton-on-the-Naze, England, yesterday, to cast his vote in the local elections. Photo: AFP

The prime minister and his wife voted at a polling station near parliament in Westminster.

Nigel Farage’s anti-immigrant Reform UK and the left-wing Greens, led by self-described eco-populist Zack Polanski, are expected to be the main beneficiaries of widespread disillusionment.

University College London associate professor of politics Melanie Garson said the vote was a “huge barometer for how the country is feeling about this political establishment.”

“We’ve got, for the first time, significant pressure on the main political parties across every single council,” she said.

Some results are expected overnight after polls close at 10pm, but most would not come until later today.

About 5,000 local council seats, out of 16,000, are up for grabs across England, while in Wales and Scotland voters would elect new devolved parliaments.

Starmer swept to power following 14 years of largely chaotic Conservative rule defined by austerity, Brexit and the tanking of the economy under former British prime minister Liz Truss.

However, critics say he has swerved from one policy misstep to another, and he has been embroiled in a scandal over Peter Mandelson, who was sacked as British ambassador to Washington over his links to US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Starmer has also failed to fulfill his main promise of spurring economic growth, with impatient Britons still struggling with a cost-of-living crisis, including from high energy prices.

“The change hasn’t been delivered, or change that has been delivered has been negative,” Garson said.

Starmer on Wednesday said there was a “clear choice” at the ballot box.

“Unity or division. Progress versus the politics of anger,” he said.

Labour has also fought back, unearthing racist remarks by some Reform candidates and anti-Semitic comments by certain Green hopefuls.

However, Starmer is one of the most unpopular prime ministers ever, and surveys suggest Labour would lose control of the devolved Welsh government in Cardiff for the first time since Wales got its own parliament 27 years ago.

A More in Common poll published on Tuesday projected Reform is neck-and-neck with the pro-independence Plaid Cymru in Labour’s former heartland.

Labour also fears a drubbing in Scotland, where the Scottish National Party is expected to extend its 19-year control of the devolved parliament in Edinburgh.

YouGov has predicted Reform could force Labour into third place there.

“The message is clear: If you want real change, you’d better vote for it, and we go into tomorrow feeling pretty optimistic about our prospects,” Farage said.

Labour also looks set for big losses in London as the Greens pick up disaffected left-wingers in urban areas with a pro-Gaza message.

Pollster Robert Hayward has predicted the UK’s ruling party could lose about 1,850 of about 2,550 local authority seats it is defending.

Hayward has tipped Reform to take 1,550 seats from Labour and Kemi Badenoch’s right-wing Conservatives — mostly in white, working-class areas. The Conservatives are also bracing for the loss of traditional strongholds.

“The two-party era has moved into a multiparty era,” Badenoch told PA news agency. “But the fact is none of these new parties or Labour have a plan for the country.”

title: Starmer braces for election upset


content_text:
A US federal judge on Wednesday released a document described as a suicide note purportedly written by the late Jeffrey Epstein and including the line: “It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye.”

Epstein, the disgraced financier and accused sex trafficker, was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 in what was ruled a suicide.

The note was said to have been found by his former cellmate, convicted murderer and former police officer Nicholas Tartaglione.

A document purported to be late financier Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide note is pictured after being released by US District Judge Kenneth Karas in New York on Wednesday. Photo: US District Court for the Southern District of New York via Reuters

US District Judge Kenneth Karas, who oversaw the Tartaglione case, released the note after a request by the New York Times.

The note, scrawled on a yellow legal pad, was submitted by lawyers for Tartaglione, who was Epstein’s cellmate for about two weeks in July 2019 while both were held at a Manhattan jail.

“They investigated me for month — Found NOTHING!!! So 15 year old charges resulted,” the note says, according to an image of it released in the court file. “It is a treat to be able to choose ones time to say goodbye. Watcha want me to do — Bust out cryin!! NO FUN — NOT WORTH IT!!”

Late financier Jeffrey Epstein is pictured in a March 28, 2017, in a photo provided by the New York State Sex Offender Registry. Photo: New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP

Epstein in 2008 pleaded guilty in Florida to soliciting prostitution from a minor, a conviction that led to a controversial plea deal and a short jail sentence. He was arrested again in July 2019 and charged with sex trafficking of minors, accused of recruiting and abusing underage girls in New York and Florida.

The note surfaced in July 2019, after Epstein was found alive in his Manhattan jail cell with marks on his neck in what authorities later described as an apparent suicide attempt.

title: Judge releases purported Epstein suicide note


title: A calmer view of the sea

content_text:
Nine months after opening, Taichung’s long-delayed aquarium has settled into a quieter rhythm, making it easier to appreciate its unusual design, immersive exhibits and environmental message

On my way to the sprawling Wuci Fish Market (梧棲), I happened upon the Taichung Aquarium. The rows of seafood — salmon, milkfish and varieties of bivalves laid out on ice — could wait. Instead, I paid my NT$500 admission and stepped inside the aquarium to see the real thing: hundreds of species of fish, alive and swimming in tanks of every shape and size.

That was in September last year, and the conversations were loud and full of excitement.

RELAXING EXPERIENCE

The Taichung Aquarium has the largest collection of jellyfish in Taiwan as seen in this panoramic tank complemented by immersive projecting effects.  Photo courtesy of the Taichung Aquarium

Six months later, visiting the aquarium is a much quieter experience. While the jellyfish and penguins are still there, the jostling crowds have thinned inside the imposing, five-story building, located in the seaside district of Cingshuei (清水), about 20km from downtown Taichung.

“Now’s a good time to visit,” said Lin Jhen (林真), the aquarium’s assistant manager. “You can slow down and just watch the animals.”

Officials say the 22,500-square-meter facility has seen about 400,000 visitors since its opening nine months ago. The aquarium, with a total investment of NT$1.3 billion, was conceived of more than a decade ago, but was delayed because of budgetary, policy and political issues spanning three mayoral terms.

On this particular Sunday, the crowds are sparse as Lin starts the tour on the third floor, and right away I can tell it’s a different kind of aquarium. The tanks look like lotus flowers, or perhaps champagne glasses, with long stems and open coupes at the top.

There are 22 of these tanks in all, with many of them at eye-level for young visitors. Others are high enough that you can see the undersides of the silver barbs and other freshwater fish circling above.

The cascading heights of the tanks is meant to mimic the experience of traveling down the nearby Dachia River.

taiwan-subdivisions: 清水 梧棲


people: 鄭麗文 習近平

content_text:
Horumz crisis shows gaps in Taiwan’s high-tech ‘silicon shield’

The breakwater stretches out to sea from the sprawling Kaohsiung port in southern Taiwan. Normally, it’s crowded with massive tankers ferrying liquefied natural gas from Qatar to be stored in the bulbous white tanks that dot the shoreline.

These are not normal times, though, and not a single shipment from Qatar has docked at the Yongan terminal since early March after the Strait of Hormuz was shuttered.

The suspension has provided a realistic preview of a potential Chinese blockade, a move that would throttle an economy anchored by the world’s most advanced and power-hungry semiconductor industry. It is a stark reminder of the energy dependency and constant threat facing the nation, which Beijing views as its territory and has vowed to eventually claim — by force if necessary.

A cargo ship on Wednesday docked at the Port of Fujairah, as the US-Israel conflict with Iran limits marine traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. Photo: Reuters

Taiwan currently imports around 96 percent of its energy, with LNG accounting for roughly half its overall power generation. Unlike coal or oil, the gas is difficult to store, and Taiwan maintains just an 11-day reserve. That leaves little margin for error; according to war games by think tanks, a maritime blockade could exhaust Taiwan’s energy within weeks.

“We are learning something from this war,” Chen Chung-hsien (陳崇憲), Deputy Director General of the Energy Administration, said in an interview, adding that Taiwan is aiming for energy self-sufficiency by 2034. “We need our own energy.”

For now, Taiwan is avoiding a crippling fuel shortfall with expensive supply from the spot market, paying more than double the price of long-term contracts. The government says it has secured enough LNG until July. Officials and industry leaders are scrambling to shore up energy security in the meantime.

Yet the factors that made Taiwan an economic powerhouse — its highly successful technology industry and concentration of AI-driven chipmaking by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co — are also the ones making it vulnerable. At stake is not just domestic stability, but the world’s chip supply, a vital cog for the global economy.

ENERGY STORAGE

Taiwan produces a staggering 90 percent of the world’s most advanced chips, which are used in everything from iPhones and electric cars to data centers. The Asian Development Bank has projected GDP to grow by around 7.6 percent this year, thanks to strong demand for advanced AI chips.

“They’ve got the good news, bad news of: your GDP has been growing aggressively for 20 years, and it’s just hard for your grid to keep up,” said retired US Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery, now a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “Do they wish it was tackled 20 years ago or 15 years ago, 10 years ago? You bet.”

Among companies navigating this is Marsh Risk Consulting, which helps clients, including some of Taiwan’s tier-one companies, prepare business continuity plans. It recommends that clients design factories with redundancies in mind. That means ensuring they have at least a dual feeder into different substations and that backup power is secured. For the latter, many still depend on diesel generators, as fuel cells or battery storage don’t come cheap.

“All those emergency power supplies cannot provide a 100 percent of your power demand, but at least they can support some critical operations in your factory that can protect your operation during a power outage,” said Sean Lin, head of Marsh in Taiwan.

Taipei-based Delta Electronics supplies power and thermal management for industrial clients and makes the hardware required to regulate and convert electricity for data centers. It’s also building hydrogen fuel cells and battery energy storage systems to prepare for sudden outages. However, Eton Lee, vice president and general manager of Delta’s Energy Infrastructure Business Group, warns that there are limits to such contingency plans. Backup power often lasts only a few hours — eight if you really push it.

“Energy storage is not designed to serve as a long-duration power source during extended outages,” Lee said.

Delta has some solar backup, but its primary failsafe is diesel generators. Ultimately, he said, the matter is out of their hands.

“If energy supply relies heavily on imports, there’s little companies can do to help.”

Rather than addressing these vulnerabilities, Taiwan has spent much of the past decade paralyzed by a partisan tug-of-war over its energy policy while its economy has grown more dependent on energy imports. An aggressive nuclear phase-out left a void that wind and solar can’t yet fill, as the green transition trails the tech sector’s growing appetite for power.

With any meaningful fix years away, the country is essentially playing for time: keeping Beijing at bay and hoping any supply disruptions are brief, while it works to diversify its power sources. A US diplomatic official likened this approach to a duck paddling, appearing serene on the surface but working furiously underwater.

The semiconductor industry is the island’s biggest sector in terms of power use, consuming more than 42 billion kilowatt-hours last year, around 18 percent of Taiwan’s total.

“There’s a lot of push for Taiwan to become a much bigger player in the AI space,” said Thomas Liu, managing director for real estate & data centers at Actis, which has invested in a Taipei project currently under development. He noted that power constraints have been a key concern.

“I think in this environment, we have to be much more diligent and disciplined about that when we make those investments.”

FEAR OF OUTAGE

Some smaller companies fear that in the event of a major outage, state-run Taiwan Power Co would prioritize the tech giants. One executive at a textile manufacturer said he worries about potential power rationing. If it comes down to it, the government could ringfence the chip industry, leaving others exposed, he said, asking not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Asked about such concerns, Taipower said in a statement that it treats all industrial electricity needs equally and does not prioritize the semiconductor industry. Yet it forecast electricity demand to grow significantly over the next decade, with the average annual increase more than double the rate seen in the previous 10 years. TSMC declined to comment.

“If China were to blockade the island, it could not only block energy, but also inputs necessary for producing high-end semiconductors and prevent those chips from reaching global customers,” said Jennifer Welch, chief geoeconomics analyst at Bloomberg Economics. “The consequences for Taiwan, and the world, would be immense.”

Under a scenario where Taiwan cannot export chips, she forecast a 12.5 percent hit to Taiwan’s GDP.

GRID UNDER STRAIN

Even before the Iran crisis, Taiwan’s grid was under strain and famously brittle. The bulk of the island’s power is generated in the south and funneled to the north, where the capital is located and high-tech facilities in Hsinchu are densely clustered. This system has been prone to cascading failures, and the last major blackout in 2022, caused by a mishap at a single power plant, left millions of households in the dark. Surveys by the American Chamber of Commerce routinely show electricity supply as a top concern among its members.

The AI boom, which has led to surging demand from data centers, has pushed the system closer to breaking point. In August 2024, state-run Taipower announced a moratorium on new data centers in the north with a capacity exceeding 5 MW. This was designed to force hyperscalers to move south, closer to its power sources, but it runs counter to the logistical preferences of the industry.

The grid also faces the risk of “grey zone” attacks, hostile maneuvers designed to destabilize a target but fall short of open warfare, according to think tanks including the Washington, DC-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, which works with Taiwan officials. In the first quarter of this year, government sites were hit by around 173 million cyberattacks. Officials are racing to protect the system, moving substations underground and putting critical infrastructure in general on a higher state of alert, including the introduction of new civil defense units.

Now, with LNG shipments from the Middle East halted, and forced to rely on costly imports, Taiwan is reconsidering its environmental goals.

“For the power sector, there is the unwelcome reality that if LNG supply comes under pressure, there is always a backup plan in Asia to go back to coal,” said Kaho Yu, head of natural resources and energy at Verisk Maplecroft in Singapore. “If economies face serious strain, I believe they will just restart some of that capacity.”

This potential retreat to fossil fuels highlights the urgency and difficulty of developing a green, self-sufficient grid. While there has been some progress, with the share of power generation from renewable sources rising to around 15 percent from 5 percent a decade ago, efforts to scale up wind and solar energy have been mired in friction,?including local land disputes.

“The last few years have been particularly challenging for our industry,” said Leo Seewald, chairman of BlackRock-owned solar energy developer New Green Power.

Fishermen would claim that having solar panels on fish farms might damage their catch, or local politicians would object to solar farms, particularly in scenic areas, he said.

Meanwhile, plans to restart the island’s mothballed nuclear plants won’t bear fruit until around 2028. Officials say plans won’t easily be accelerated, aware that many still remember Japan’s Fukushima disaster.

For the officials, the strategy has narrowed to one thing: buy time. The prevailing hope has long been the “Silicon Shield” — the idea that Taiwan’s dominance in chipmaking makes it too important for the world to lose. That shield, though, is showing cracks.

TRUMP-XI SUMMIT

With US President Donald Trump prioritizing his relationship with Xi Jinping (習近平) ahead of their upcoming summit, anxiety is mounting that the US might try to use Taiwan as a bargaining chip. Washington’s official view is that Taiwan should diversify and scale up its energy sources, including more US oil and LNG, as well as US nuclear power technology, according to a senior administration official.

“The shield is still there, but it is so thin that it probably can be broken more easily than before,” said Alexander Huang (黃介正), former director of international affairs for the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). “The critical infrastructure in a general sense has been very fragile — even without a war.”

In the absence of quick fixes, Taipei is looking to improve its capabilities in modern warfare. The government is maintaining active backchannels with Ukraine, including via Estonia, to study how drones can be used to attack and protect energy nodes. These lessons are being integrated into a new coordination effort between the military and police to protect physical infrastructure.

Some officials, though, are taking heart from Iran’s apparent resilience, even if they don’t support the regime.

“Even facing a very strong military power like the United States, Iran can still manage to survive and also to fight back,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Ming-chi (陳明祺) said in an interview.

He added that the US shouldn’t bear the sole responsibility for stopping Iran’s nuclear program and drew a parallel to the dangers of ignoring any potential move by China Xi meeting, including announcing plans to boost purchases of US LNG to 25 percent by 2029. Taiwanese buyers have signed preliminary pacts for a $44 billion Alaskan LNG project that Trump favors, though it has struggled for decades to get off the ground. The government has signed a contract with Westinghouse to check the status of the third nuclear power plant’s generators, according to media reports.

Still, politics continue to get in the way, with the Democratic Progressive Party government led by President Lai Ching-te regularly colliding with the KMT-controlled parliament. A NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget, including funds for domestic production of drones, has stalled for months in parliament.

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) recently met with Xi in Beijing, where the Chinese president reaffirmed claims to sovereignty over the self-governing democracy and noted cross-strait relations should be “firmly in the hands of the Chinese people.”

The atmosphere may grow fraught ahead of local elections in November and presidential elections in 2028, making it more difficult to secure a consensus.

The gridlock isn’t just about partisan disagreements; it reflects uncertainty over which nightmare scenario Taiwan should be ready for.

Retired admiral Lee Hsi-ming (李喜明), former chief of the general staff from 2017 to 2019, thinks that Beijing is likely to avoid a slow-motion blockade as it would allow Taiwan to rally international support. He forecasts any move to be a so-called fast war, such as a blockade paired with air strikes, aimed at a quick surrender.

Johanna Yang, from the FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation, thinks China is more likely to opt for cyber attacks or pressure other countries to stop selling LNG to Taiwan.

“In terms of China’s decision calculus and what’s going to be the most economical both in terms of resources and personnel, that’s going to be a cyber campaign,” she said.

The FDD’s tabletop exercise last year in Taipei showed that the island’s infrastructure cannot support both residential power and semiconductor production during a crisis. It’s holding a follow-up exercise this year, focusing on communications infrastructure.

While debates and simulations continue in the capital, the reality of Taiwan’s energy security lies 200 miles south in Kaohsiung. Here, about a year ago, China conducted drills that simulated attacks. Footage broadcast by state-run CCTV showed long-range rocket artillery targeting the very terminal where Qatar’s LNG tankers usually dock. Two months later, Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration held its own exercise, simulating a hijacked tourist cruise ship attempting to attack the same terminal.

President Lai has visited Kaohsiung several times in recent months. In March, he boarded Taiwan’s first homegrown submarine, and in April, he visited a military training center where he said, “Only through constant preparedness can threats be deterred.”

The most striking reminder of Taiwan’s precarious position, however, lies just a few miles inland. There, on the site of a former refinery, TSMC is in the midst of constructing new fabrication plants — multi-billion-dollar bets on a high-tech future, dependent on the energy resilience that officials are trying to secure.


content_text:
‘The Sheep Detectives’ is a murder mystery that has caught more than a few off guard for its quirky humor, its sincerity and its unexpected depth

Talking animal movies do not, on the whole, have the best reputation. Yes, there is Babe, but Babe is the exception. Most are pretty bad, whether it’s the uncanny effects, the shoddy storytelling or some horrifying combination of the two.

Audiences have earned the right to be skeptical when something like The Sheep Detectives comes along — everyone involved was too. And yet this family-friendly Knives Out with a murder mystery at the center, a starry ensemble including Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson and Nicholas Braun, as well as the voices of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Regina Hall and Patrick Stewart as yes, talking sheep, has caught more than a few off guard for its quirky humor, its sincerity and its unexpected depth.

Chris O’Dowd, who voices Mopple, “the most patient sheep,” noted: “You don’t get a lot of projects that are from the director of Minions and the writer of Chernobyl. It’s an unusual combination.”

Mopple, voiced by Chris O’Dowd, left, and Lily, voiced Julia-Louis Dreyfus in a scene from The Sheep Detectives. Photo: AP

In the film, Jackman plays George, a kind, but isolated shepherd in the English countryside who reads his animals murder mysteries at night. Unbeknownst to him, not only do they understand the words, they debate the stories among themselves. So when George dies under mysterious circumstances, the flock take what they’ve learned to try to help the dimwitted local police officer (Braun) solve the case, language barriers and all.

“What we know from watching this movie now with audiences over and over and over is that people are repeatedly delighted and surprised at how much more there is going on here than just silly sheep doing something silly,” screenwriter Craig Mazin said. “There are some really beautiful moments and themes and things that parents can talk about with their kids … and, most importantly, it is legitimately a movie that is meant for everyone.”

The story of how The Sheep Detectives got made goes back almost 20 years, when veteran producer Lindsay Doran (“Sense and Sensibility”) told Mazin about Leonie Swann’s novel Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story. He was expecting something cute, goofy and silly, but found himself enchanted by how smart, moving and philosophical it was.

It would take nearly a decade to secure the rights, and almost another to get the thing made, and made well thanks to studio executive Courtenay Valenti who, Mazin said, rescued it from rotting on a pile of scripts. Along the way they would find themselves emboldened by the caliber of talent who wanted to be part of it as well.

“Everybody involved was all on the same page of aiming as high as we could and sticking to our guns when it came to quality,” Mazin said. “Phil Lord and Chris Miller came on as producers as well, and their entire career has been about taking things that other people might not make good and making them good.”

Molly Gordon, whose character becomes a primary suspect when she mysteriously shows up in town the night of the murder, had the same reservations as many.

“The script was sent to my agent, and he emailed me, like, ‘This is really profound’ and I was like ‘How could this be profound?’ Like, I just, like, the sheep movie?” Gordon said. “And then within 10 minutes of reading it, I was like, this is one of the best scripts I’ve ever read.”

Mazin’s own kids grew up while The Sheep Detectives was getting made. But he still invited his 21-year-old daughter to watch it with him and his wife a few months back. She’s proud of her dad for his career, but, he said, also wouldn’t hesitate to call something of his “mid.”

“When the film ended, they were both just sort of a sobbing, happy mess,” he said. “My daughter, who doesn’t cut me any slack at all, AT ALL … Was like, ‘That is such a good movie.’ I thought, ‘OK’ … if your kids are older, it still works.”

The movie is coming into a fairly healthy theatrical marketplace, where PG-rated movies are often outperforming PG-13 movies and where non-franchise movies with the right buzz have been finding their audience, including another Amazon MGM release, Project Hail Mary. Mazin, a veteran screenwriter who also co-hosts the popular Scriptnotes podcast, doesn’t often hype his own projects like this. Usually he thinks they should speak for themselves.

“Nobody needs the guy who wrote something to say, no, it’s really good. This is the first time in my career that I’m like, but actually, no guys. I love this,” he said. “Seeing this movie is a purely positive experience.”

And it needs a little bit of hype. “The Sheep Detectives” is currently tracking for a muted box office debut, in the US$10 million to US$15 million range. But it’s also a movie that has been underestimated at nearly every step.

“Low expectations are, you know, sometimes a gift,” Mazin laughed.

title: A family-friendly whodunnit you didn’t know you needed


title: AI disinfo tests South Korean laws ahead of local elections

content_text:
In an airy office in South Korea, workers comb through social media, uncovering AI-generated content whose growing sophistication is testing toughened election laws ahead of local polls.

Experts warn that cheaper, more advanced artificial intelligence models are driving the global spread of online disinformation — a major concern in South Korea, which has adopted AI particularly rapidly.

The government strengthened the law in 2023 to counter the misuse of AI around elections, and has hired hundreds of staff to track and counter manipulated content ahead of local ballots on June 3.

Jung Hui-hun, a digital forensic specialist at the NEC’s cyber investigations unit, on April 16 explains a deepfake detection system at the headquarters of the National Election Commission (NEC) in Gwacheon, South Korea Photo:AFP

But some say they feel like they are fighting an uphill battle.

“We can literally see how fast this technology evolves — like how each new version of AI makes videos and audio look and sound even more convincing,” disinformation monitor Choi Ji-hee said.

“Our job keeps getting harder and harder,” she said at the National Election Commission (NEC) headquarters in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul.

On a recent workday, Choi and 18 colleagues clicked through Instagram, YouTube and other platforms, as well as online chatrooms and “fan clubs” for local politicians, in search of content concocted by AI.

Recent finds include a fake TV news report claiming a mayoral candidate had made Time magazine’s list of rising political leaders, and a slick, AI-produced K-pop song praising a politician while mocking his rivals.

Once authorities confirm the content is the work of AI, authorities can demand its removal and issue harsh punishments, including jail time in extreme cases.

In one corner, workers discussed how to dissect a suspicious video, mulling whether to separately extract its audio, key frames, facial images and background footage.

Nearby, data analyst Kim Ma-ru mapped where, when, and by whom fake materials had been distributed, helping Choi’s team detect dubious content more quickly.

‘WHACK-A-MOLE’

The local polls are the third major ballot in South Korea since an amended law to combat AI-fueled election falsehoods was passed in 2023.

More than 45 percent of South Koreans use generative AI, according to government figures. ChatGPT maker OpenAI says the country has the most paid subscribers outside the US.

At the same time, South Koreans consume more low-quality generative content — “AI slop” — than any other country, and reports of false AI-created content rose 27-fold between the general election in 2024 and the presidential campaign the following year.

“It’s an exhausting job that can feel like a (game of) whack-a-mole,” Kim said.

“But it’s important work — there’s a sense of civic duty in it.”

AFP has debunked AI-generated election disinformation in South Korea, including a video of the 2025 presidential frontrunner Lee Jae Myung — now the country’s leader — purportedly faking a hunger strike. Beyond fake content about candidates, conspiracy theories about vote-rigging in recent years have also dented public trust in elections.

Jailed ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol sent hundreds of armed troops to the NEC during his short-lived bid to impose martial law in late 2024, repeating widely disproven far-right claims of vote hacking.

On the street outside the office, pro-Yoon protesters have hung a banner reading: “Investigate the rigged elections immediately!”

Both Choi and Kim declined to be photographed or filmed, citing growing threats and online bullying targeting election workers.

STRICT LAWS

“In such a short time, it has become so difficult for voters to tell what is real and what is not,” said Jung Hui-hun, a digital forensic specialist at the NEC’s cyber investigations unit, as he ran videos through state-developed software tools to detect AI imagery.

Officials say the programs are about 92 percent accurate, with human experts reviewing the most sophisticated material.

Once confirmed, authorities demand that either the poster or the platform remove the content for violating the 2023 law, which bans AI material that involves candidates and looks realistic enough to confuse voters in the three months before a poll.

Repeat offenders, or those who create content deemed particularly harmful, can face up to seven years in jail or a maximum fine of 50 million won (US$34,000).

“The rules may seem excessive to those outside South Korea, especially in places like the US that highly priorities freedom of expression,” said Kim Myuhng-joo, director of the Korea AI Safety Institute.

But as swiftly as South Koreans embraced AI, many grew aware of its dangers, Kim said, citing the election conspiracy theories and a public scandal around deepfake pornography targeting women and girls.

“Public consensus has formed that we need tough regulations over the use of AI when it comes to election transparency,” Kim said. A survey last year showed 75 percent of South Koreans believed AI-generated content could sway election results, and nearly 80 percent supported stronger efforts to detect and punish its use.

Jung, the digital forensic specialist, acknowledged the country’s response had “many limits” but voiced hope it would spur debate on how to tackle AI-fueled disinformation.

“We’re still trying to figure out what is the best solution... but I think we are moving forward — slowly but surely,” he said.


taiwan-subdivisions: 信義區 新北市 三峽 鶯歌區

content_text:
SPEAK UP: New Taipei’s Danjiang Bridge, MRT Sanying Line to open 淡江大橋、捷運三鶯線將通車（下）

A: Apart from the Danjiang Bridge in New Taipei City, the MRT Sanying Line (Light Blue Line) will open in June.

B: Is that the new line leading to Yingge District, the ceramic town?

A: Yup, the line will connect the Yingge Ceramics Museum and the Old Streets in Sanxia and Yingge Districts.

B: The eastward extension of the Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) that goes through Taipei’s Xinyi District will also open in June.

A: Plus, Taoyuan’s Aerotropolis Line (Green Line) will partially open by the end of the year. In the future, it will connect the Taoyuan Airport MRT and Taiwan high-speed rail, helping make a one-hour living radius across northern Taiwan a reality.

A: 除了新北市淡江大橋，捷運三鶯線（淡藍線）6月即將通車啦！

B: 就是通往陶瓷之鄉鶯歌區的新線嗎？

A: 對啊新線將可串聯鶯歌陶瓷博物館，及三峽、鶯歌老街商圈。

B: 而淡信線（紅線）東延段則往東延伸，貫穿台北市信義區，6月也將啟用。

A: 此外桃捷航空城線（綠線）預計年底部分通車，未來該線將銜接機捷與高鐵，「北台灣一小時生活圈」就快要實現啦。

（By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）


title: 夏天頭皮狂出油怎麼辦？4招養出蓬鬆髮根，別再狂洗頭

content_text:
▲洗頭是清潔頭皮，而不是只是搓頭髮。（AI協作圖／記者曾怡嘉製作，經編輯審核，以下同）

記者曾怡嘉／台北報導

夏天天氣一悶，最明顯的通常不是流汗，而是頭髮扁塌失去蓬鬆感，細軟髮尤其明顯。當瀏海、頭頂一出油，整個人看起來就容易沒精神，不少人會靠增加洗頭次數改善，但其實頭皮越洗越油的情況並不少見，想讓髮根維持乾爽，以下幾個提示要留意！

#一直狂洗頭，反而可能更容易出油

有些人早晚都洗頭，甚至中午流汗後也重洗一次，但頭皮還是很快變油。原因是過度清潔可能讓頭皮變乾，皮脂分泌反而更旺盛。尤其清潔力太強的洗髮產品，短時間雖然很清爽，但有些人洗久後，頭皮會變得更敏感。

#洗頭方式會影響髮根狀態

真正需要清潔的其實是頭皮，不是拼命搓頭髮，洗頭時可以先把洗髮精搓出泡泡，再集中按摩頭皮，尤其耳後、後腦勺、瀏海附近，都是容易累積油脂的位置，比起用指甲抓，用指腹輕壓會更溫和。

#吹髮方向，也會影響蓬鬆感

想讓髮根不要緊貼頭皮，吹頭髮時可以試著逆著髮流吹，可以低頭把髮根撥鬆、邊吹邊用手把頭髮往上帶，通常會比順著吹更有空氣感，只要把髮根吹鬆，整體看起來就會清爽很多。如果本身容易出油，也可以避免讓護髮油、厚重造型品碰到頭皮。

#作息亂掉，頭皮也可能跟著失控

不少人熬夜幾天後，會發現瀏海變得特別容易塌。壓力、睡眠不足、重油重辣飲食，都可能影響皮脂分泌。建議平時多喝水、維持規律作息，對頭皮穩定度也有幫助，若長期出現頭皮紅癢、異常掉髮或大量脫屑，則建議尋求專業醫師協助。

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▲AVEDA 蘊活淨瑕頭皮調理液。

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title: 老鼠屎也危險！　感染科醫警告：碰到恐染漢他、鉤端螺旋體

content_text:
▲漢他病毒引起重症死亡率偏高。（圖／VCG）

記者許力方／台北報導

台北鬧鼠患，不少民眾拍下街頭老鼠亂竄的影片引發輿論爭議，新光醫院感染科醫師黃建賢提醒，即便沒有被咬傷，只要接觸老鼠活動後留下的排泄物、唾液或遭污染物品，就可能感染漢他病毒、鉤端螺旋體等疾病，若發現食物包裝被鼠類啃破，也應直接丟棄。

老鼠沒碰到也可能中招

黃建賢接受媒體訪問時表示，老鼠身上可能帶有多種病原體，除了遭咬傷、抓傷後可能透過唾液或爪子感染外，人若在老鼠出沒處接觸其尿液、糞便或分泌物，同樣存在風險。其中，漢他病毒會存在於齧齒類動物的排泄物與唾液中，人類吸入遭污染的飛沫、灰塵，或接觸受污染物體後，就可能感染。

他指出，漢他病毒嚴重時患者可能出現呼吸衰竭，重症死亡率也偏高。至於鉤端螺旋體，則屬常見人畜共通傳染病，重症患者甚至可能演變成多重器官衰竭，若併發肺出血，死亡率更高。

▲碰到老鼠屎也很危險，清潔3步驟遠離漢他病毒。（圖／台北市政府資訊局）

颱風天驅鼠 患者遭咬進加護病房

黃建賢提到，雖然老鼠通常不會主動攻擊人，但在特殊情況下仍可能出現攻擊行為。他曾收治一名患者，對方在颱風天整理家中物品時，驅趕躲避積水的老鼠，結果遭鼠咬傷，後續感染鉤端螺旋體並引發敗血症，一度住進加護病房。

食物被咬破別再吃

針對民眾常見的居家情況，黃建賢表示，若發現食品包裝遭老鼠咬破，不論內容物是否外露，都建議直接丟棄，因為老鼠口腔、毛髮與唾液都可能已造成污染。此外，若看到死老鼠或其他動物屍體，也應避免徒手接觸，以降低感染風險。

events: 颱風 死亡


content_text:
圖文／鏡週刊

高雄一家紅心粉圓店男店員「阿B」因為與張凌赫長相有些相似而被封為「台版張凌赫」，近期他的話題不斷，雙胞胎弟弟、網紅「班 Benjamin」也因帥氣外表備受關注，但卻有人指出，他過去曾涉性侵，對此，他昨（6）日也曬出相關文件喊冤，「根本沒做的事…….」。

「台版張凌赫」過往爭議被翻出 弟弟聲援也爆紅針對過往賣假貨的爭議，阿B承認當時確實做錯了，讓很多人失望，他們沒有選擇逃避，把那些有爭議的服飾都進行退貨處理，前前後後大概退了近千萬的費用給消費者。

對此，雙胞胎弟弟「班 Benjamin」則說，哥哥是個認真顧家的大哥，大嫂也是溫暖體貼的家人，他們互相扶持、默默耕耘走到現在，對於這次哥哥和嫂嫂被大家注意到，身為家人由衷替他們感到開心與光榮，但這是屬於他們的光芒。

遭翻出涉性侵 弟弟親曝關鍵文件闢謠沒想到，「班 Benjamin」也被翻出曾涉性侵，對此，他昨天曬出文件並說，10年前的事根本沒做過而是被陷害，「根本連碰都沒碰過她」，他說，「對方盜照假冒別人來接近我，我當時沒有防備就上當了」。

「班 Benjamin」表示，後來對方被自己揭穿選擇不回應對方訊息，甚至開始到處造謠，然後被網友揭穿她照片全都假的惱羞去報警，「我去警局做筆錄連警察都說她很怪，後來她的起訴被法院駁回」。

「班 Benjamin」提到，本來換自己反告對方誣告，但女方說自己有生病才不了了之。他說，當時在開庭階段律師要自己息聲，媒體就在灰色地帶做文章，希望大家都不要碰到這種倒霉事，也希望大家一定要好好保護自己。

title: 「台版張凌赫」雙胞胎弟弟遭控性侵！　他曬關鍵證據駁斥


people: 伍麗華 羅智強 李坤城 陳培瑜 林宜瑾 羅廷瑋 吳思瑤 陳秀寳

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▲文化部長李遠在深夜發文，聲援胡元輝，並痛批藍委是「羞辱性政治動作」。（圖／記者許敏溶攝）

記者林育綾／綜合報導

文化部長李遠今（7日）深夜在臉書以「忍無可忍的一天：請相信我們的決心」為題發文，回應上午在立法院時，公視董事長胡元輝遭要求離席事件。他痛批是「羞辱性政治動作」，強調胡元輝目前仍是合法董事長，文化部也會持續守住公視制度與公共媒體運作。

立法院教育及文化委員會今日審議文化部預算及質詢，國民黨立委羅智強以《公共電視法》今年1月已修法刪除延任規定為由，主張胡元輝「已非現任董事長」，要求會議主席羅廷瑋請胡元輝離席，藍綠立委因此數度爆發爭執。

▲公視董事長胡元輝今日被趕出立法院議場，引發藍綠爭執。（圖／記者許敏溶攝）

李遠在晚間10點多於個人臉書發文提到，今日會議儘管做了充足準備，仍感到壓力，想不到一開始就出現「意想不到的羞辱性政治動作」。當國民黨立委羅智強以「胡元輝非現任公視董事長」為由，要求主席將胡「請出」國會殿堂，在眾人錯愕目光下，「高大的、頭髮全白的胡董事長，很尷尬地起身離去。」他認為，此舉無疑是當眾羞辱現任胡元輝董事長，他也立即表達嚴正的抗議。

他在文中提到，自己與胡元輝是多年戰友，無法接受對方被如此對待，但因身處立法院，只能在抗議後繼續接受質詢。更強調，目前公視董事會仍在改組中，依照財團法人法，在新任董事會成立前，胡元輝仍是合法董事長，「這是20年來，依法有據且能維持公視運作不中斷的做法。」

他透露，其實當時胡元輝並未離開立法院，而是留在現場，等待重新回到議場的機會。之後由民進黨立委陳秀寳率先表示要質詢胡元輝，吳思瑤、伍麗華、吳沛憶、陳培瑜、林宜瑾、郭昱晴、李坤城等人也接連要求行使質詢權，最後才讓胡元輝重新回到議場。李遠表示，「不管對方如何杯葛，我陪胡董事長一次又一次站上備詢台，因為這是我們最後的尊嚴。」

李遠也說，上午質詢的重點也不斷回到公視董監事的選任上，而他在忍無可忍之下，一次又一次激烈發言，重新描述整個事件的過程，包括已經被大家遺忘的荒謬往事。「許多人都忘記這20年來因為公視董監事的選任，曾經發生過非常荒謬的事，我不會忘記，我決定在現場一一說出來，交給社會大眾來做判斷。」

針對公視新一屆董監事提名爭議，李遠表示，文化部願意依照《公視法》與審查委員溝通提名與審查方式，但也批評在野黨先前推動修法時缺乏溝通，「要使公廣集團無法運作才是他們真正的目的」。

他強調，公廣集團肩負公正新聞、高品質節目與劇集等重要角色，並提到行政院已函請立法院再提8位審查委員，希望後續能回歸制度處理。

▼文化部長李遠深夜發文，以「忍無可忍的一天：請相信我們的決心」為題聲援胡元輝，並表示將守住公視制度與公共媒體運作。

title: 李遠深夜發文「忍無可忍的一天」　痛批藍委：羞辱性政治動作


people: 陳水扁 蔣萬安 李登輝 陳致中 連戰 王世堅 邱議瑩

content_text:
▲民進黨立委沈伯洋。（圖／記者陳煥丞攝）

記者閔文昱／綜合報導

2026首都市長爭霸戰提前開打！新台灣國策智庫昨7日公布最新民調，結果顯示現任市長蔣萬安支持度高達52.9%，大幅領先被點名可能代表民進黨參選的立委沈伯洋（29.7%）。然而，這份數據卻引發部分綠營支持者不滿，質疑智庫執行長陳致中找來「深藍學者」評論是為唱衰沈伯洋。對此，前總統陳水扁深夜發聲力挺，強調民調絕不作假，且這份數據是對沈伯洋的「加油打氣」。

找深藍學者評論遭指「被滲透」 陳致中捲入政治陰謀論

該場民調記者會由凱達格蘭基金會執行長陳致中主持，並邀請台北大學教授劉嘉薇同台評論。此舉引發媒體人與網友強烈質疑，認為劉嘉薇過去立場傾向國民黨，智庫此舉是故意帶風向，藉此累積陳致中的政治能量，甚至被解讀為「扁家已被滲透」，目的是要拉下沈伯洋、改捧王世堅參選。

▲陳水扁駁斥唱衰論，喊話沈伯洋有機會重演逆轉奇蹟。（圖／翻攝Threads／邱議瑩）

阿扁怒批「抹紅標籤」！揭 12% 逆轉勝勝算：沈是第二個我

面對外界排山倒海的質疑，前總統陳水扁火速做出澄清。他直指相關控訴是惡意中傷、亂貼標籤，並強調智庫民調向來公正，絕不會像2000年連戰陣營做出假民調欺矇李登輝。阿扁認為，沈伯洋目前尚未正式宣布參選，蔣萬安僅領先23個百分點，這意味著沈只要正式起步後「成長12%就能逆轉勝」，這分明是鼓勵而非唱衰。

陳水扁更引2004年總統大選「連宋配」從大贏25%到最後被他逆轉勝的例子，直言政治就像化學一樣千變萬化，「阿扁認為沈伯洋成為繼阿扁之後，當選第二個民進黨籍首都市長的機會很大。」

這份由新台灣國策智庫委託趨勢民調執行的調查，針對台北市20歲以上民眾，於5月4日至5日進行市話隨機抽樣，有效樣本1095份。在蔣、沈對決的情況下，仍有17.4%的民眾尚未表態，也成為未來選戰攻防的關鍵變數。

title: 扁家遭轟「唱衰沈伯洋」！陳水扁怒了：再成長12%就逆轉蔣萬安


title: 早睡好處比想像多！記憶力變好、體重更好控制，難怪狀態差很多

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▲早睡早起對精神有益。（圖／Unsplash，以下同）

記者曾怡嘉／綜合報導

夜深了還捨不得睡？其實早睡有許多健康益處，不僅有助於身心健康，而且對於減重和護膚都有很好的幫助，別再拖拖拉拉了，現在就趕緊去睡覺吧！

#提升免疫力

早睡能促進免疫系統的修復和增強，這是因為人體在深度睡眠階段會分泌更多的免疫細胞，這些細胞在對抗病毒和細菌方面起著關鍵作用。透過規律的早睡，免疫系統可以更有效地執行修復，從而減少感冒、流感等疾病的發生機率。

#增強記憶力

早睡對於認知功能的發展至關重要。睡眠期間，大腦會將白天的經驗和學習內容進行整理和儲存，從而加強記憶。睡得夠久、夠早的人在白天更能專注，思路也更清晰，學習與工作的效率隨之提高。

#有助穩定情緒

早睡有助於穩定情緒，並降低患上焦慮和抑鬱的風險。晚睡的人往往會因睡眠不足而感到焦慮、易怒。當你有良好的作息，心理壓力會減少，面對生活中的挑戰也更具韌性。充足的睡眠能幫助大腦分泌血清素和多巴胺等「快樂激素」，從而促進心理健康。

#有助體重控制

研究顯示，規律的早睡可幫助穩定瘦體素與飢餓素的平衡，這兩種激素是控制食慾和代謝的重要成分。當你睡眠不足，飢餓素會增加，讓你更想吃甜食或高熱量食物，從而導致體重增加。充足的睡眠不僅能幫助控制食慾，還能促進新陳代謝，進而支持健康的體重管理。

#延緩皮膚老化

皮膚在夜間修復的能力最為強大，特別是在深度睡眠時期，身體會分泌生長激素，促進細胞修復和膠原蛋白的生成。早睡的人皮膚通常更有彈性且光澤，減少黑眼圈和細紋的產生，延緩皮膚的老化。此外，良好的睡眠能減少炎症反應，使肌膚狀態更加健康穩定。


people: 蔣萬安 陳水扁 李登輝 連戰 王世堅 邱議瑩 陳致中

title: 扁家遭轟「唱衰沈伯洋」！陳水扁怒了：再成長12%就逆轉蔣萬安


title: 「台版張凌赫」雙胞胎弟弟遭控性侵！　他曬關鍵證據駁斥


title: 高中女棒／丹鳳新北內戰勝出雙料冠軍　張恬慈抱回MVP與投手獎

content_text:
▲MVP張恬慈。（圖／學生棒聯提供）

記者楊舒帆／綜合報導

兩支新北市球隊今天（7日）在冠軍戰捉對廝殺，丹鳳高中在6局下攻進6分大局，突破平手僵局，最終以11比6擊退秀峰高中，抱回高中硬式聯賽女子組隊史首座冠軍，也完成棒、壘球雙料封后。

雙方你來我往，秀峰3局上先馳得點，丹鳳3局下攻進2分反超。秀峰4局上扳平比數，丹鳳4局下再下一城，秀峰5局上再度追平，丹鳳5局下又添2分，秀峰6局上同樣進帳2分，三度追平戰局。

關鍵6局下，秀峰先發投手陳品涵在1出局後用球數達到93球，移防至三壘。丹鳳把握換投機會，先靠失誤搶下超前分，隨後秀峰投手連續出現四死球，張恬慈再補上安打，帶動攻勢。秀峰雖連換多名投手，但控球都出狀況，丹鳳單局一口氣灌進6分，勝利再無懸念。

丹鳳總教練蔡明岑表示，秀峰先發投手陳品涵投得很好，丹鳳打線一度受到壓制，「還好小朋友爭氣，6局下打出大局。」他也點出，張恬慈那支安打是帶動氣勢的一擊，相當關鍵。蔡明岑說，今天兩任投手鄭佳美、孫褕婷都投得很好，捕手張宸瑄攻守也有表現，「大家都是功臣。」

張恬慈提到，自己前幾次打擊表現不理想，6局下一定要把握機會敲出安打，把隊友送回來，「教練提醒我打擊動作要留好。」張恬慈本屆全國賽投打貢獻良多，拿下MVP與投手獎。她表示，這是生涯第一次拿到MVP大獎，也感謝教練犧牲假日陪伴大家練球。

丹鳳繼壘球封后後，棒球也登上后座，今年滿載而歸。蔡明岑表示，壘球總教練王曉萍帶隊相當辛苦，今天也剛好是另一位教練張鈞婷的生日，「感謝每位選手的付出，才能締造佳績。」

<<團體獎>>

第一名：丹鳳高中

第二名：秀峰高中

第三名：埔里高工

第四名：華江高中

第五名：南崁高中

第六名：東山高中

第七名：士林高商

<<個人獎>>

打擊獎第一名：丹鳳高中#13張宸瑄

打擊獎第二名：丹鳳高中#6孫褕婷

打擊獎第三名：埔里高工#1陳雅萱

打點獎：丹鳳高中#13張宸瑄

全壘打獎：士林高商#23吳佩玟

投手獎：丹鳳高中#16張恬慈

MVP：丹鳳高中#16張恬慈

最佳教練獎：（丹鳳高中）蔡明岑、李詩芸、張鈞婷

taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 埔里 東山 士林 新北市


title: 老鼠屎也危險！　感染科醫警告：碰到恐染漢他、鉤端螺旋體


title: 李遠深夜發文「忍無可忍的一天」　痛批藍委：羞辱性政治動作

people: 陳培瑜 林宜瑾 羅廷瑋 李坤城 羅智強 伍麗華 陳秀寳 吳思瑤


title: 高中女棒／丹鳳新北內戰勝出雙料冠軍　張恬慈抱回MVP與投手獎

taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 士林 埔里 東山 新北市


title: 歐股收黑　受能源股下挫拖累

content_text:
〔中央社〕歐洲主要股市今天收盤重挫，主因受到能源股走跌拖累。殼牌集團（Shell plc）削減股票回購計畫後，股價一度下挫2.9%。

倫敦FTSE 100指數大跌161.71點或1.55%，收報10276.95點。

法蘭克福DAX指數下滑255.08點或1.02%，收在24663.61點。

巴黎CAC 40指數下挫97.34點或1.17%，收8202.08點。（編譯：楊昭彥）1150508

一手掌握經濟脈動 點我訂閱自由財經Youtube頻道


title: 愛爾麗爆針孔偷拍 常如山、特助、設備商羈押禁見

content_text:
新北地檢署偵辦愛爾麗診所疑針孔偷拍案，6日拘提總裁常如山、張姓特助、謝姓廠商等3人到案，訊後依妨害性隱私等罪嫌聲押禁見。昨天晚間新北地院召開羈押庭，深夜裁定3人羈押禁見。

新北檢警6日搜索愛爾麗診所板橋、新莊等4間分店，帶回愛爾麗集團總裁常如山等人，複訊後認常如山、張姓特助及謝姓廠商涉妨害性隱私、妨害秘密、兒童及少年性剝削防制條例等罪聲押禁見。

新北地院7日晚間召開羈押庭，法官認定常如山除有逃亡之虞，與張姓特助、謝姓廠商均有勾串共犯、證人、湮滅、偽造、變造證據之虞及羈押之必要，裁定3人皆羈押禁見。

全案源於，一名女網友指1日前往愛爾麗診所板橋店診療間進行體雕，在診療間換衣服時，發現天花板角落不明裝置疑藏有攝影鏡頭。診所人員稱是煙霧偵測器，女子報警後，海山分局3日前往診所搜索，拆開確認裝置內有攝影機，但卻未發現主機。

警方循線追查到謝姓廠商1日晚間前往板橋分店疑似拆除器，立即報請新北地檢署主任檢察官周欣蓓指揮偵辦，3日在台中將謝姓廠商拘提到案，並發現謝姓廠商疑受指示，一路開車南下將中部以北10間分店的監視器主機拆除，不排除滅證可能性。檢警也在查扣的偽裝式監視器主機及鏡頭中，清查出多名受害者，目前至少10人完成報案。

taiwan-subdivisions: 板橋 新北 新莊


taiwan-subdivisions: 北港 雲林 大同 雲林縣

content_text:
前立委、北港朝天宮前董事長曾蔡美佐今（7日）凌晨4點多，遭數十名白衣男闖入住家毆打，她和兒子曾維斌、在場友人共6人被打傷。北港警分局火速拘提10人，現有8人已送至地檢署訊問。檢方表示，訊後陳姓男子等3人涉犯傷害等罪，向雲林地院聲請羈押，其餘皆諭知交保5萬元。

今天凌晨4點多，30、40名白衣人浩浩蕩蕩靠近曾蔡美佐位在北港大同路的住家，身穿橘色衣褲的曾蔡美佐走出家門查看，白衣男腳步加快，二話不說掄起拳頭、甚至拿交通錐等物品上演「全武行」，約2分鐘的衝突，導致曾蔡美佐、兒子曾維斌等6人受傷，而曾蔡美佐經診治後已無大礙，目前仍需住院觀察1至2天。

雲林地檢署檢察長林秀敏指派檢察官彭彥儒，指揮警政署刑事警察局、雲林縣警察局刑警大隊、北港警分局共組專案小組。陸續已有8人至地檢署訊問。

檢方表示，訊後認21歲陳男、31歲蔡男、18歲蔡男3人，涉犯妨害秩序、傷害等罪嫌重大，且有滅證、勾串共犯及證人之虞，向雲林地方法院聲請羈押，其餘到案被告，則認尚無羈押必要，分別諭知交保5萬元。

檢方強調，對於聚眾暴力犯罪絕不寬貸，對於任何以暴力危害社會秩序，均秉持「速查、速辦、嚴懲」原則，以維護社會治安及民眾安全。

title: 曾蔡美佐北港住家被砸6人掛彩 「白衣惡煞」8嫌到案、3人聲押


content_text:
青衣鄉事會路有水管爆裂。

水務署網站顯示，翠怡花園及附近一帶現正停水，並安排水車到青衣邨及翠怡花園，預計今早10時恢復供水。

運輸署表示，因水管爆裂，青衣鄉事會路往青衣港鐵站方向，介乎涌美路與楓樹窩路之間的一段全線仍然封閉，附近超過十條巴士線受影響要改道。

編輯：許敬軒

title: 青衣有水管爆裂致翠怡花園及附近一帶停水　料早上10時恢復供水


title: 泰柬領導人出席東盟會議期間與菲律賓總統舉行三方會談

content_text:
到菲律賓宿霧出席東盟領導人峰會的泰國總理阿努廷與柬埔寨首相洪瑪奈，在菲律賓總統小馬可斯安排下舉行三方會談，共同討論泰柬邊境局勢。

阿努廷在會後表示，與洪瑪奈進行了友好而坦誠的討論，雙方再次確認將會共同努力，透過對話邁向和平，兩國會指派雙方外長密切合作，制定一系列建立互信的措施。

洪瑪奈就說，柬泰雙方都展現尋求持久和平的共同決心，並圍繞局勢降溫及建立互信措施展開討論，以恢復並鞏固長期和平框架。他重申，邊界不能夠透過武力或既成事實方式改變或決定。

編輯：許敬軒

countries: 菲律賓 泰國 柬埔寨


content_text:
英國星期四舉行地方選舉，被視為是首相施紀賢在前年7月大選，帶領工黨以壓倒性優勢結束保守黨14年執政以來，面臨的最大考驗。民調預測工黨將會遭遇慘敗，可能加劇要求施紀賢辭職的呼聲。

今次選舉將會改選英格蘭136個地方議會的大約5000個議席，以及六個市長職位，並改選蘇格蘭和威爾士議會的全部議席。

有批評人士認為，施紀賢的施政頻頻失誤，又任命與捲入性侵案美國富商愛潑斯坦關係密切的文德森為駐美大使。

執政工黨目前在英格蘭地方議會手握約2550席，但有民調專家預測，工黨可能流失1850席。主要在野保守黨亦預計失去一些席位。

至於選舉最大贏家，預計是法拉奇領導的極右英國改革黨。左翼綠黨亦預計有幾百席進帳。

編輯：許敬軒

title: 英國地方選舉　民調料執政工黨慘敗或增要求施紀賢下台呼聲

political-parties: 工黨 綠黨

countries: 英國 美國

events: 選舉 性侵


content_text:
（中央社記者曹亞沿新北8日電）新北地檢署偵辦愛爾麗診所疑針孔偷拍案，6日拘提總裁常如山、張姓特助、謝姓廠商等3人到案，訊後依妨害性隱私等罪嫌聲押禁見。昨天晚間新北地院召開羈押庭，深夜裁定3人羈押禁見。

新北檢警6日搜索愛爾麗診所板橋、新莊等4間分店，帶回愛爾麗集團總裁常如山等人，複訊後認常如山、張姓特助及謝姓廠商涉妨害性隱私、妨害秘密、兒童及少年性剝削防制條例等罪聲押禁見。

新北地院7日晚間召開羈押庭，法官認定常如山除有逃亡之虞，與張姓特助、謝姓廠商均有勾串共犯、證人、湮滅、偽造、變造證據之虞及羈押之必要，裁定3人皆羈押禁見。

全案源於，一名女網友指1日前往愛爾麗診所板橋店診療間進行體雕，在診療間換衣服時，發現天花板角落不明裝置疑藏有攝影鏡頭。診所人員稱是煙霧偵測器，女子報警後，海山分局3日前往診所搜索，拆開確認裝置內有攝影機，但卻未發現主機。

警方循線追查到謝姓廠商1日晚間前往板橋分店疑似拆除器，立即報請新北地檢署主任檢察官周欣蓓指揮偵辦，3日在台中將謝姓廠商拘提到案，並發現謝姓廠商疑受指示，一路開車南下將中部以北10間分店的監視器主機拆除，不排除滅證可能性。檢警也在查扣的偽裝式監視器主機及鏡頭中，清查出多名受害者，目前至少10人完成報案。（編輯：楊昭彥）1150508

journalist: 中央社記者曹亞沿新北8日電

title: 愛爾麗診所涉藏針孔偷拍 常如山等3人羈押禁見 | 社會


content_text:
（中央社倫敦7日綜合外電報導）歐洲主要股市今天收盤重挫，主因受到能源股走跌拖累。殼牌集團（Shell plc）削減股票回購計畫後，股價一度下挫2.9%。

倫敦FTSE 100指數大跌161.71點或1.55%，收報10276.95點。

法蘭克福DAX指數下滑255.08點或1.02%，收在24663.61點。

巴黎CAC 40指數下挫97.34點或1.17%，收8202.08點。（編譯：楊昭彥）1150508

title: 歐股收黑 受能源股下挫拖累 | 證券


content_text:
大陸中心／唐家興報導

在中共官場上，女貪官「以色謀權」，大搞權、錢、色交易的案件屢見不鮮。（示意圖／PIXABAY）在中共官場的荒誕劇本中，男貪官多半「以權謀色」，但這位被稱為「三湘第一女巨貪」的蔣豔萍，卻憑藉著「以色謀權」寫下了驚世駭俗的黑歷史。從一個小小的倉庫保管員，在短短十幾年內搖身一變成為副廳級官員、身家破千萬的富婆。她曾留下一句驚人名言：「只有懂得開發男人價值的女人，才算真正高明。」而她確實靠著這股「魔性」，讓無數官員成為她權力階梯下的墊腳石。

【性賄賂當敲門磚 40多名官員淪石榴裙下】蔣豔萍1958年6月16日出生於湖南省茶陵縣一個普通工人家庭。她的「升官發財路」可說是肉彈攻勢的體現。18歲下鄉當知青時，為了回城，她先搞定比自己大31歲的公社幹部；進了工廠後，又在病床上「招待」住院的上級領導，順利調入長沙。

她的野心不止於此，每到一個階段，她就鎖定更有權勢的目標。從公司主任到省計委副主任，蔣豔萍如同狩獵般，精準地將一個個權力核心撂倒在床上。據檢察機關查證，被她性賄賂擊倒的各級官員竟多達40多人。長沙建築圈甚至流傳著兩句話：「沒有她攬不到的工程，沒有她擺不平的男人」。

蔣豔萍曾留下一句驚人名言：「只有懂得開發男人價值的女人，才算真正高明。」。（圖／翻攝自百度百科）【人家有金彈她有肉彈 三湘第一高樓也入袋】在建築工程招投標的戰場上，蔣豔萍更是無往不利。她的絕招很簡單：人家砸錢，她砸「肉彈」。當時只要蔣豔萍笑瞇瞇地出現在招標現場，各路建築老闆都會心領神會地「自動撤退」。連預算高達7.6億元、被稱為「三湘第一高樓」的長沙電信樞紐大樓，她也靠著對局長發動金彈與肉彈雙重攻勢，硬生生把工程搶到手。

【魔性之眼勾引所長 看守所內懷孕逃死刑】1999年蔣豔萍終於落網，當時她名下資產高達千萬，榮譽頭銜更是一籮筐。專案組為了怕她關係網太深，特地將她異地關押。沒想到，身陷囹圄的蔣豔萍竟發動最後一次、也是最瘋狂的「肉彈攻勢」。

她鎖定了看守所副所長萬江，利用單獨談話的機會，以風騷肢體和那雙「魔性之眼」撩撥。萬江事後崩潰坦承：「我最受不了的是她那雙眼睛。」兩人最終在看守所內發生關係，萬江甚至違規讓她打電話、串供，導致案件一度卡關。更駭人聽聞的是，蔣豔萍竟因此懷孕，根據法律規定，這成了她避開死刑的「保命符」，最終從死刑改判為死緩。

蔣豔萍的權色交易網令人震驚！【兩度判死 最後逃過一命】2001年，長沙中級法院一審認定，蔣豔萍涉及受賄、貪污、介紹賄賂與巨額財產來源不明等罪，判處死刑。隔年二審維持原判。

但2003年，最高法院覆核後，因其懷孕等因素，改判死刑緩期兩年執行，也就是俗稱的「死緩」。後因表現良好多次減刑。2003年10月，由原判死緩減為無期徒刑。2005年10月，蔣豔萍由無期徒刑減為有期徒刑18年。

這起案件當年轟動全中國，不只是因為涉案金額龐大，更因為背後牽扯出的權色交易、生態腐敗與官商勾結。

【權力遊戲的終局 家族跟著雞犬不寧】雖然蔣豔萍暫時保住了命，但她的貪婪卻毀了整個家族。弟弟、妹妹、妹婿相繼入獄，連年近70的老母親也因幫她行賄三度進出看守所。她在澳洲留學的兒子學業中斷、打黑工度日，而她那中風的老父親，在電視上看到女兒公審的新聞後，驚叫一聲便昏迷去世。

蔣豔萍不僅得到法律的制裁，她的貪婪也毀了整個家族。（圖／翻攝自百度百科）【女巨貪倒了 背後大老虎卻沒全倒】值得注意的是，儘管蔣豔萍被稱為「湖南第一女巨貪」，但外界一直質疑，她背後許多真正提拔她、保護她的高層人物，最後卻未受到相應追究。因此，不少評論認為，蔣豔萍雖然倒下了，但真正讓她一路坐大的體制問題，卻沒有因此消失。而這場轟動一時的官場醜聞，也成了中國反腐史上，最具爭議與戲劇性的案件之一。

更多三立新聞網報導． 46歲網紅「醉狼」猝逝！日飲三瓶換流量，死前出幻覺 網淚：女兒還年幼． 中國首位被槍決女星！程春蓮出賣身體103次，槍斃前嘶吼：這不公平． 斂財60億！中國頭號女貪官被判死刑，臨死前稱：我對錢不感興趣． 「等待嫖娼」也算嫖娼？網一句神回覆全網封神，法官愣住了

journalist: 三立新聞

countries: 澳洲 中國

title: 三湘第一女巨貪！性賄賂撂倒40多名官員 - 鏡週刊 Mirror Media


content_text:
大陸中心／陳菀妤報導

落馬近兩年的中國前後任國防部長魏鳳和（左）、李尚福（右），7日官宣均被以受賄罪判處死緩。（圖／新華社）

中國兩任國防部部長魏鳳和、李尚福今（7）日遭軍事法庭一審判死刑，緩期2年執行。國家安全研究所博士研究員沈明室分析，重判死緩的原因可能是為了鋪陳之後對張又俠的判決。

根據《新華社》等中媒報導，魏鳳和被指犯受賄罪、李尚福被指犯受賄罪加上行賄罪今天一審被判處死刑，緩期2年執行、終身剝奪政治權利、沒收個人全部財產，並將面臨終身監禁不得假釋。

根據《中央社》報導，沈明室指出，目前報導公開的只有提到兩人行賄罪、受賄罪，被判死緩有點讓人意外，因為同樣涉及受賄犯罪案件，前中共中央軍委副主席郭伯雄2016年被判無期徒刑、前軍委聯合參謀部參謀長房峰輝2019年因受賄、行賄和巨額財產來源不明被判處無期徒刑，前軍委副主席徐才厚也因涉嫌受賄，但在2015年未判刑就死於膀胱癌，郭、房二人均未被判死緩。

沈明室分析，魏鳳和、李尚福被判死緩可能有另外的原因，是中共官方不願意讓外界知道的，她指出洩密是其中一種可能，因為死緩就等於不能減刑出獄，要在牢裡蹲到死，他認為兩人被判死緩可能是在為今年1月底落馬的中共軍委副主席張又俠的判決做舖陳。

中國官媒報導魏鳳和、李尚福的判決結果時，並未提及他們行賄與受賄的金額，也引發中國網友的議論；沈明室認為，沒有公布金額的原因，是因為判刑若跟貪汙金額明顯不成比例，恐被外界那來做文章，兩人的這個判決目的更傾向於是「政治上的警告」。

更多三立新聞網報導． 北京施壓協力者「川習會前不准過軍購」王定宇嘆：像鐵線捆台人雙手談判． 汗味體味一到熱天就尷尬？別再只靠香水遮！4步驟從根源減少異味． 教宗也逃不過銀行客服！自曝「我是教宗良十四世」竟被當詐騙秒掛電話． 老家遭尪嫌沒價值逼賣！日人妻偷留30年收租存800萬 揭壓抑婚姻真相

title: 中國2任國防部長被判死緩 專家這樣看 - 鏡週刊 Mirror Media


content_text:
財經中心／余國棟報導

根據彭博統計，今年以來截至4月底止，NYSE FactSet美國電力基建息收指數大漲38.06%，大幅領先代表科技股的Nasdaq指數7.10%，與S&P500指數的5.31%。（示意圖/ PIXABAY）

根據彭博統計，今年以來截至4月底止，NYSE FactSet美國電力基建息收指數大漲38.06%，大幅領先代表科技股的Nasdaq指數7.10%，與S&P500指數的5.31%，美雲端巨頭財報傳佳音，AI資本支出續增，規模衝破逾7,000億美元，引領機構法人將AI算力擴張的投資主線，從「晶片敘事題材」轉向擁抱「電力訂單獲利」，帶動美電力基建指數上周衝上歷史新高，今年以來股價更大漲逾38%，明顯超越那指、標普等美股指數，連帶激勵海外電力能源ETF今年股價一路勁揚，受益人數持續攀高。

根據集保統計，截至4/30止，5檔海外電力能源ETF申購買氣旺，受益人數最多的是新光美國電力基建(009805)，最新來到52,942人，距4/17創下的歷史新高53,023人數不遠，今年以來受益人數獲21,422人追捧，人數成長最猛，成電力ETF人氣王；至於富邦ESG綠色電力(00920)，今年以來績效漲幅突破4成，亮眼報酬也新增3,768人搶進，人氣表現不俗。

5檔海外電力能源ETF今年績效、受益人數表現。（圖／集保、CMoney）

AI基建浪潮助攻下，美電力股財報表現亮眼，新光美國電力基建ETF(009805)經理人劉恆誌表示，尤其是重量級指標股中，從GE Vernova(GEV)的渦輪機、Eaton(ETN)的電源管理、Vertiv(VRT)的資料中心散熱，到Quanta Services(PWR)的電網工程，形成一條完整的「AI用電產業鏈」，是這波AI基建浪潮中，直接大吃硬體紅利的最強受惠股。

不少電力基建企業財報出現破紀錄的「訂單積壓」，直接反映未來數年美國電網升級與擴建需求的龐大規模，加上上周美股科技財報大秀拳頭，4大雲端科技巨頭-微軟、Meta、Alphabet、Amazon公布今年第1季財報後，合計2026年AI資本支出上修至6,500~7,000億美元，再創科技史上最大AI基礎建設投資週期，預估龐大資本支出直接點燃電力基建類股全面噴發。

由AI驅動的電力需求，目前正以超預期速度轉化為企業設備訂單與實質獲利，帶往電力基建股正處於結構性成長新浪頭，特別是美股歷年有所謂「Sell in May」的五月魔咒，電力基建類股強勁的基本面表現，有望持續吸引美股投資人，開始追逐算力之外的「稀望型資產」，包括電力、散熱、儲能、燃料電池與電網設備。

AI產業發展已進入「電力決勝」階段，科技巨頭從搶晶片轉向搶電力，投資人若看好AI長線趨勢，卻擔心科技股估值過高與景氣波動，不妨透過純美國電力基建ETF來布局實體電力資產，不僅能一網打盡AI電力基礎設施成長股，更能全面掌握這波AI基建浪潮中，最具剛需爆發的硬體成長紅利。

三立新聞網提醒您：

內容僅供參考，投資人於決策時應審慎評估風險，並就投資結果自行負責。

投資一定有風險，基金投資有賺有賠，申購前應詳閱公開說明書。

更多三立新聞網報導． 台股盤前／美伊和平協議有譜！台指夜盤狂飆806點 台股今挑戰歷史新高． 6檔飆股今起被限速！權值3哥遭列5分處置 一路關到5月20日． 大盤今年來漲40%不夠看 這4檔績效破90%近翻倍賺！． 台半導體產值衝破4.1兆！新一輪多頭盛世啟動 飆漲核心它搶先卡位

title: 電力指數今年飆38% 它受益人暴增奪冠！ - 鏡週刊 Mirror Media


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社會中心／綜合報導

嘉義BMW 臨停路邊讓副駕女乘客下車，沒想到短短 3 秒內，後方一輛賓士休旅車竟高速衝撞。（圖／翻攝自wupunpun_1216 Threads）嘉義大林 6 日下午發生一起離譜車禍，一輛 BMW 臨停路邊讓副駕女乘客下車，沒想到短短 3 秒內，後方一輛賓士休旅車竟高速衝撞，強大撞擊力導致賓士當場 180 度翻覆、四輪朝天。17 秒的驚悚影片在網上瘋傳，網友放大畫面發現更驚人的細節：BMW 駕駛下車時竟直接從胸前抱著幼童！大家紛紛質疑：「孩子是坐駕駛腿上嗎？」

嘉義BMW 臨停路邊讓副駕女乘客下車，沒想到短短 3 秒內，後方一輛賓士休旅車竟高速衝撞。（圖／翻攝自wupunpun_1216 Threads）違停日常？路中央下客遭酸

除了驚人的撞擊瞬間，網友更將焦點放在 BMW 的停車位置。畫面中 BMW 幾乎停在路中央直接下客，讓路過民眾看傻眼，不少人留言吐槽：「停成這樣是在考驗後方視力嗎？」、「看你停得不是很好，賓士直接幫你停到路邊去。」質疑違規停車與後方未注意車前狀況，兩方都有責任。

炸鍋關鍵！幼童受困細節驚心

更引發爭議的是，BMW 駕駛在事發 8 秒後開門下車，懷中竟然直接抱著一名嚎啕大哭的幼童。這幕畫面讓社群炸鍋，紛紛質疑小孩的乘車安全：「小孩是坐在駕駛大腿上開車嗎？」、「還是因為沒坐安全座椅，撞擊瞬間從後座飛到前面的？」直言這種乘車方式簡直是拿孩子的生命開玩笑。

BMW駕駛下車時竟直接從胸前抱著幼童，大家紛紛質疑：「孩子是坐駕駛腿上嗎？」（圖／翻攝自wupunpun_1216 Threads）血壓飆高！誰才是「真三寶」？

這場意外最終造成兩車駕駛輕傷，詳細肇事原因仍待警方釐清。這段影片也再度引發網友對「違停日常」與「兒童乘車安全」的激烈論戰，感嘆最無辜的還是車內受驚的小孩。

更多三立新聞網報導． 睡眠不足仍「每天上健身房2小時！」房仲子杰猝死遺言曝 令人唏噓． 林依晨罕談性侵犯富商前男友！ 當年被爆因「這個原因」分手． 半套一小時7萬！晚安小雞驚爆柬監獄驚人內幕：女囚「集體懷孕」． 竹北吊車大王公司為何不上市？讓身價「翻破百億」 網揭驚人內幕

events: 性侵 車禍

taiwan-subdivisions: 嘉義 大林 竹北

title: 嘉義敢停敢撞！網抓：小孩坐駕駛腿開車？ - 鏡週刊 Mirror Media


content_text:
台股熱都破4萬點了，現在喊上5萬點、衝6萬點的股市名人、分析師大有人在，天天問誰大賺？其實號子、證券公司在這波行情賺翻了！你知道四月台股大漲時，一家證券公司可以一個月賺多少錢嗎？來、我們就拿群益金鼎證券開箱，讓大家瞧瞧。

股市越熱，成交量越大，證券商自然荷包鼓鼓的。以群益金鼎證券為例，4月單月合併稅後、一個月就賺進24.03億元，前4月累計稅後獲利已達54.89億元。

115年4月營運狀況來看，單月個體稅前獲利26.01億元（2,601,426元）、稅後獲利23.25億元（2,324,540），稅後EPS達1.07元；累計前4月稅後獲利更達52.18億元，稅後EPS來到2.40元。換句話說，當投資人在盤中追價、停利、停損、換股，券商的獲利機器就能同步高速轉動。

【點擊看完整全文】更多鏡報報導不愛鈔票了？第27期特殊號碼鈔拍銷率跌破8成創低 央行第28期保守加碼 地主怕被坑買方怕踩雷！吹都更自辦重建新風 一站式全案管理崛起捷運三鶯線通車倒數！土城段接板南線成通勤族新戰場 媽祖田站房價十年漲逾8成

journalist: 鏡報

title:
台股衝破4萬點全民瘋交易！ 一家券商一個月能賺多大？獲利數字曝光嚇~
 - 鏡週刊 Mirror Media


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財經中心／許展溢報導

川普於白宮受訪再表示，在過去24小時內進行了非常順利的談判。（圖／翻攝自Pixabay）美股開盤走高，標普500指數與那斯達克指數更是寫下歷史新高，然氣氛急轉直下，來到盤中三大指數走低，台積電ADR跌7.14美元，布蘭特與西德州原油持續走低。

美伊戰爭持續進展，首先是美方「自由計畫」有順利護送船隻通過荷莫茲海峽，接著美國國務卿盧比歐（Marco Rubio）宣布，攻打伊朗的「史詩怒火」行動達成階段性目標，美軍目前已將戰略重心轉為「防禦」。川普於白宮受訪再表示，在過去24小時內進行了非常順利的談判，稱伊朗「非常想達成協議」，但也威脅，若對方不廢除核武，將迎比以往更強大打擊。

油價方面，根據《路透社》報導，投資人正密切關注停火談判的進展，儘管目前局勢仍陷僵局，但只要和平協議有任何實質性突破，過去因戰爭風險而墊高的每桶5至10美元溢價將迅速撤出。市場分析師指出，目前油價支撐力道相當單薄，市場心理極其脆弱。

能源專家更表示，目前市場需求面不強勁，高利率環境持續壓抑全球經濟活動，若中東「避險盾牌」消失，油價極可能出現「自由落體式下跌」。截至截稿，布蘭特原油已跌破100美元，來到每桶99.77美元或下跌1.48%，西德州原油則跌至每桶91.85美元或3.4%。

盤中三大指數走低。（圖／翻攝yahoo股市）美股盤中，截至發稿時間，道瓊工業指數下跌167.89點或0.34%、標普500指數跌10.04點或0.14%、那斯達克綜合指數漲28.08點或0.11%、費城半導體指數跌253.96點或2.21%。

明星個股方面，輝達（NVDA）上漲5.06美元或2.43%、台積電AD跌7.14美元或1.70%、指標美股蘋果（AAPL）上漲2.07美元或0.72%。

更多三立新聞網報導． 遭疑「極力唱衰沈伯洋」...陳水扁怒反擊：亂貼抹紅標籤 親揭民調真相． 油價恐「自由落體式」崩盤？分析師揭中東停火殺傷力：溢價將瞬間蒸發． 台股破4萬點！作家憂心台灣「荷蘭病」發生中：低薪、物價飆升． 被低估的高營養食物！醫外食最愛「這道燙青菜」：保護細胞、抗老化

companies: 台積電 蘋果

countries: 荷蘭 伊朗 美國 台灣

people: 陳水扁 川普

things: 經濟 和平協議 油價

title: 新／道瓊、費半走低！台積電ADR也跌 - 鏡週刊 Mirror Media


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記者莊淇鈞／新北報導

常如山。（圖／翻攝畫面）愛爾麗連鎖醫美診所爆出多家分店以「偽裝偵煙型攝影機」偷拍，檢警6日發動第2波搜索後，將常如山等4名被告帶回以外，另還帶回4間店的店長當證人，漏夜複訊後創辦人兼總裁常如山、特助張元齡及監視器裝設工程師謝金亨等3人聲押禁見，總經理劉貞華500萬交保，限制出境出海。7日傍晚召開聲押庭後，法官裁定3人均羈押禁見及通信。

新北地院法官經訊問並參酌檢察官所提相關事證後，認被告常如山、張元齡、謝金亨涉犯個人資料保護法第41條非公務機關非法蒐集、利用個人資料罪、刑法第339條之1第1項無故攝錄性影像罪、刑法第315條之1第2款無故竊錄他人身體隱私部位罪、兒童及少年性剝削防制條例第36條第1項拍攝兒少性影像罪之嫌疑重大，且被告常如山除有逃亡之虞外，其與張元齡、謝金亨亦均有勾串共犯、證人、湮滅、偽造、變造證據之虞及羈押之必要，並均禁止接見、通信。

★「愛爾麗集團」聲明全文：

一、有關近日因本集團於診所之監視設備爭議乙事，本集團已全力配合檢調、主管機關調查，然因相關細節涉及偵查不公開，現階段本集團無法詳述細節，望社會大眾見諒，待案件到一階段，本集團會對外界詳細說明，以化解各界疑慮。

二、本集團診所內監視設備之設置，其目的在於確保醫療品質、維護藥品與器材安全，絕無侵害消費者之個人隱私，對於監視設備爭議乙事，本集團虛心接受各界之質疑，現已進行全面檢討及改善。

三、對於本事件造成告訴人困擾乙事，本集團已責成專人以專案方案處理，儘速向告訴人溝通，以祈化解告訴人疑慮。

不良行為，請勿模仿！

三立新聞網提醒您：

保護被害人隱私，避免二度傷害移除下架性影像，洽性影像處理中心終結性影像，不拍攝、不持有、不下載、不分享

根據刑法第235條規定，散布、播送或販賣猥褻之文字、圖畫、聲音、影像或其他物品，或公然陳列，或以他法供人觀覽、聽聞者，處2年以下有期徒刑、拘役或科或併科三萬元以下罰金。意圖散布、播送、販賣而製造、持有前項文字、圖畫、聲音、影像及其附著物或其他物品者，亦同。提醒大家勿加入跪求、私給等行列以免觸法。

▲無罪推定原則。(三立新聞網製圖)

更多三立新聞網報導． 愛爾麗偷拍案今召開羈押庭 聲押關鍵之一是被害人竟有未成年． 弄壞友人機車賠不起怕被檢舉逾期居留 緬甸男怒拿水果刀行兇割喉． 惡劣板橋男拿刀狠砍同居人愛犬！最重罰200萬元 還害飼主終身禁養貓狗． 愛爾麗涉偷拍總裁常如山涉妨害秘密遭拘提！複訊後聲押禁見

taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 板橋

title: 新／愛爾麗偷拍案羈押庭結果出爐 - 鏡週刊 Mirror Media


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娛樂中心／綜合報導

胡瓜稱讚Emma跟爸爸的「女朋友」相處得好時，沒想到 Emma秒回：「是跟女朋友『們』相處得很好！」（圖／翻攝自下面一位YouTube、資料照）

誰說星三代只會害羞？胡瓜的孫女 Emma 證明了什麼叫「坦率的力量」。在最新的 YT 影片中，胡瓜本想營造溫馨的家庭氣氛，稱讚 Emma 能包容父母各自的感情生活，沒想到 Emma 毫不留情地給了爸爸李進良一記「溫柔的重擊」。

胡瓜稱讚Emma跟爸爸的「女朋友」相處得好時，沒想到 Emma秒回：「是跟女朋友『們』相處得很好！」（圖／翻攝自下面一位YouTube）

胡瓜稱讚Emma跟爸爸的「女朋友」相處得好時，沒想到 Emma秒回：「是跟女朋友『們』相處得很好！」（圖／翻攝自下面一位YouTube）

胡瓜最新一集 YT 頻道請來愛女小禎的 18 歲女兒 Emma。面對阿公犀利提問：「看爺爺跟爸媽都離婚，妳還相信愛情嗎？」Emma 不卑不亢地說：「時代不一樣了，我不會被你們影響。」

除了超齡的感情觀，Emma 聊起爸爸李進良也超直白。當胡瓜稱讚她跟媽媽現在的男友相處得很好，也可以跟爸爸（李進良）的「女朋友」相處得好時，沒想到 Emma 絲毫沒打算給爸爸留面子，秒回：「是跟女朋友『們』相處得很好！」

胡瓜乾笑：「妳這樣講妳爸爸好嗎？」甚至對著鏡頭向李進良喊話「我沒講喔」。（圖／翻攝自下面一位YouTube）

胡瓜乾笑：「妳這樣講妳爸爸好嗎？」甚至對著鏡頭向李進良喊話「我沒講喔」。（圖／翻攝自下面一位YouTube）

這句「複數型」的修正讓縱橫演藝圈數十年的瓜哥也差點接不住話，只能尷尬乾笑：「妳這樣講妳爸爸好嗎？」甚至還嚇得趕緊對著鏡頭向李進良喊話「我沒講喔」。Emma 坦率又帶點毒舌的性格，讓網友笑翻直呼：「這反應絕對是小禎親生的！」

title: Emma爆料李進良有「女朋友們！」胡瓜嚇壞 - 鏡週刊 Mirror Media


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國際中心／洪正達報導

被害人原以為遇到真愛，實際赴約的卻是恐怖對象。（示意圖／AI生成）

純想找真愛，卻踏入恐怖分子精心佈下的「奪命陷阱」！印度班加羅爾一名27歲的土木工程師，萬萬沒想到，在知名同志交友App上的浪漫邂逅，竟成了差點斷送性命的噩夢。他獨自赴約卻遭4名惡徒包圍，不僅存款被洗劫一空，甚至被當場狂刺數刀棄置荒野，現場血流如注，場面相當駭人。

據悉，這名土木工程師平日生活單純，使用該軟體交友已長達3年。日前，他與一名男網友相談甚歡，對方熱情邀約見面，他便不疑有他，搭著公車滿心期待赴約，當被害人抵達約定地點時，4名凶神惡煞隨即現身將他強行架走，帶往偏僻荒地。

「不出櫃，就沒命！」現場氣氛瞬間凝結，惡徒們抓住被害人內心的恐懼，威脅要向其親友公開他的性傾向。緊接著，冰冷的利刃就直接抵住被害人的脖子，逼他交出銀行密碼。為了立威，這群暴徒竟毫無人性，揮刀朝被害人的頭部、腹部、頸部猛刺，惡徒下手極重，被害人全身被鮮血染紅，即便身受重傷，嫌犯仍冷血地轉走戶頭裡的1.6萬盧比後揚長而去。

對此，當地警方接獲報案後火速出擊，循線逮捕4名冷血嫌犯。警方調查發現，這群人根本是「預謀作案」，甚至與被害人持續聊天多日博取信任，心思細膩到令人心驚。目前，被害工程師經搶救後已撿回一命，但身體的傷口與內心的陰影，恐怕在短時間內都難以痊癒。

更多三立新聞網報導． 嘉義廟會炸彈客翻盤！二審認「製造時難斷殺意」 趙偉志無期改判28年． 中方滲透慘被擺一道！馬德行賄資金通道 竟遭基層警「假情報」反殺． 馬德賣國金流全紀錄！收泰達幣誘軍人拍投共片 起訴書全文曝光． 滲透國防！馬德收幣利誘「陸海軍6人」洩密 行賄價碼曝光

title: 約會遇死劫！他慘遭狂刺 網驚：太恐怖 - 鏡週刊 Mirror Media


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政治中心／許展溢報導

李遠在臉書以「忍無可忍的一天：請相信我們的決心」為題發文。(圖/翻攝畫面)

公視董事長胡元輝7日到立法院卻遭藍委要求離席，文化部長李遠深夜在臉書以「忍無可忍的一天：請相信我們的決心」為題發文。他表示，真的沒想到，會議才剛開始，竟是一場意想不到的羞辱性政治動作，並強調實在無法接受他被以如此羞辱的方式對待，且從去年底第一次審查，就一再強調，希望恩恩怨怨到此為止，大家都是生命共同體，相煎何太急？很不幸，悲劇再度重演。

立院教育文化委員會7日邀請文化部進行業務報告並備詢，國民黨立委羅智強發言時稱，因立院三讀「刪除公視董事延任條款」，因此列席的公視董事長胡元輝已不是董事長，召委羅廷瑋也宣布依法處理，於是可能要請胡元輝離開立法院。

李遠說，此舉無疑是當眾羞辱現任董事長胡元輝，在立法院立即表達嚴正的抗議，因為公共電視董事會目前正在改組當中，依照財團法人法，新任董事會成立前，胡元輝就是公視的現任董事長，他帶領的董事會就是現任的公視董事會，否則，面對上千位員工，集團要如何運作？胡元輝仍是合法的董事長，這是20年來，依法有據且能維持公視運作不中斷的做法。

李遠指出，對於公視的新一屆董監事候選人的提名，在野黨委員一再提出要政黨協商，明確回應，在確保遵守公視法的提名權下，隨時可以跟所有的審查委員介紹提名的人選，未來在審查的過程、如何審查，也會保有溝通的彈性。

李遠質疑，反倒在野黨強行通過公視法「再修法」，過程中有任何一點溝通？要使公廣集團無法運作才是他們真正的目的，因為在目前台灣的處境，包括公正的新聞報導、高品質的節目和劇集，甚至國安等，公廣集團是非常重要的。

people: 羅智強 羅廷瑋

title: 李遠深夜發文控訴藍委「政治羞辱」！ - 鏡週刊 Mirror Media


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連鎖醫美龍頭愛爾麗被檢警查出在診間內裝設偽裝型攝影機，且在案發後疑似只是廠商拆除主機，企圖滅證，新北檢警昨（6日）分別拘提、通知集團負責人常如山、特助張元齡、監視器廠商謝金亨及愛爾麗總經理劉貞華等4名被告，經檢察官偵訊後，聲押禁見長、張、謝等3人，並在今（7日）下午5點開始羈押庭，經過長達將近7小時的檢辯攻防後，法官於深夜11點50分裁3人全數羈押禁見。

檢方昨日二度發動拘提、搜索，除了針對愛爾麗新北4家分店搜索並將店長以證人身分帶回協助釐清案情外，另前往集團董座常如山住處、台北辦公室、監視器廠商辦公室等處搜索，拘提常如山、張元齡、謝金亨等人到案，劉貞華則自行到案。

檢察官昨漏夜偵訊4人後，於深夜至今日凌晨，以涉犯《刑法》無故攝錄性影像、無故竊錄他人身體隱私部位、《兒少法》拍攝兒少性影像及違反《個資法》等罪嫌聲押禁見常、張、謝等3人，劉女則諭知500萬元交保，並限制出境、出海。新北地院原本預計今日下午2點半日開3名被告的羈押庭，但受到案件量太大的影響，使得羈押庭程序延遲至下午5點左右才開始。

【點擊看完整全文】更多鏡報報導懶人包／愛爾麗認錯道歉！全額退費流程一次看：必備文件與預約方式全攻略公公癌末性命垂危丈夫心力交瘁 人妻竟在此時外遇…鹹濕訊息「我只給你X」調情小王

送賓士、同居4個月！女記者偷吃獅子會人夫辯不知已婚 48次高潮備忘錄對決一張「紫色禮服照」

taiwan-subdivisions: 新北 獅子

title: 快訊／羈押庭檢辯激烈攻近7小時 常如山等3人深夜遭裁定羈押禁見 - 鏡週刊 Mirror Media


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輝達決定進駐北士科設立總部，也帶旺周邊的商辦市場，近日北投區的創匯園區也開出交易紅盤，有科技公司是斥資35億元買下32戶；不過反觀住宅市場依舊低迷，其中尤以成屋市場更為明顯，今年第一季六都中，就有高達四都的公寓物件總價呈現下跌。

大型砂石車進駐工地，工程如火如荼進行中。這塊超過6000坪基地面積的大型創匯園區，坐落在台北市北投區，預計興建地上27層、地下4層的大樓，而近日也再度開出紅盤。

《非凡新聞》記者 傅儀文：「受惠輝達總部確定落腳北士科之後，這個商辦園區最新有科技公司，以35.47億元的價格，買下合計面積超過4600坪，換算下來每坪單價大約落在70到71萬元。」

科技企業看好北士科發展、紛紛進駐，也讓華固建設這個史上規模最大的商辦案，已經售出超過兩成。畢竟看好輝達定錨效應明確，包括聯上開發、遠雄、璞園、長虹等一線建商，也早已陸續插旗，就是看準目前半導體與AI產業，在台灣仍有龐大的商辦需求。

世邦魏理仕研究部主管 李嘉玶：「所以也有很有實力的一些建商，它過去一直陸陸續續都有這種廠辦或是辦公室開發經驗的開發商的話，它當然想要投入更多的資源，在這個商辦產品開發這塊。其實北士科的租賃跟買賣需求都還蠻穩健的，那相比之下的話，可能買賣的需求會更強勁一點，因為其實很多本土企業，是屬於長期持有資產的概念。」

不過，反觀住宅市場依舊偏冷，其中又以成屋市場較為明顯。根據統計，今年第一季六都中，高達四都的公寓物件平均成交總價呈現明顯跌幅，尤其以台南與桃園市的公寓產品跌勢最深，下跌超過6%到14.8%。

大家房屋企劃研究室公關襄理 賴志昶：「因為中古公寓本身是屬於屋齡較高的物件，加上沒有電梯，又沒有物業管理等等劣勢，造成現在的主力買盤，就是首購跟年輕族群，他對於這類物件會比較排斥。中古公寓本身又面臨到銀行鑑價上面的相對劣勢，所以造成買方買房是相對更為稀缺一點。」

科技產業需求旺盛，也帶動商辦市場同步升溫，商辦與住宅市場兩樣情的狀況，愈發明顯。（記者 傅儀文、陳昱志／台北採訪報導）

journalist: 非凡新聞

taiwan-subdivisions: 桃園 北投區

title: 輝達帶旺北士科商辦 科技公司砸35億買32戶 | 產經 | 非凡新聞


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1.董事會決議日期：115/05/07

2.股東會召開日期：115/06/17

3.股東會召開地點：新北市三峽區中正路一段393號

4.股東會召開方式(實體股東會/視訊輔助股東會/視訊股東會)：實體股東會

5.召集事由一：報告事項

(1)：一一四年度營業報告。

(2)：審計委員會查核報告。

(3)：一一四年度大陸地區投資報告。

(4)：本公司減資健全營運計劃執行情形報告。

(5)：股東提案狀況報告。

6.召集事由二：承認事項

(1)：承認一一四年度營業報告書及財務報表案。

(2)：承認一一四年度虧損撥補案。

7.召集事由三：討論事項

(1)：解除董事及其代表人競業禁止限制案。

(2)：本公司擬辦理私募現金增資發行普通股案。

8.臨時動議：

9.停止過戶起始日期：115/04/19

10.停止過戶截止日期：115/06/17

11.其他應敘明事項：無

- 資料來源：臺灣證券交易所公開資訊觀測站

- 以上資料均由各公司依發言當時所屬市場別之規定申報後對外公佈，資料如有虛偽不實，均由該公司負責。

countries: 台灣 臺灣

taiwan-subdivisions: 中正 新北市 三峽區

title: 非凡新聞 - 台灣證交所即時重大訊息 - 本公司115年股東常會相關事宜(補充公告)


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電源雙雄法說會展望樂觀，持續推動股價走強，台達電今日（7）強勢超越股號，盤中大漲超過7%，攻上新高2370元，總市值攀升至6.15兆元，成為台股第二家衝破6兆大關的公司；光寶科更強勢奔漲停203.5元，突破200大關，寫下新高，截至10點半前仍有超過1.6萬張排隊掛買。

台達電首季稅後純益205.56億元，季增18.66%、年增100.9%，EPS達7.91元，雙雙改寫新高。董事長鄭平在法說會上透露，目前產能相當吃緊，預期AI營收占比將愈來愈高，將加速全球擴產布局，斥資140億元海內外擴產，其中121億元將用於興建觀音廠及重建桃園一廠。

台達電法說會後，日系與美系外資接連調升未來三年獲利預估，日系外資看好2027、2028年台達電HVDC電力機櫃TAM（總體市場規模）將大幅爆發，從今年的7.5億美元暴增至180億美元，分別上調2026~2028年EPS預估至41.6、66.4、114.5元，並將目標價調升至2880元。

光寶科首季財報同樣亮眼，單季稅後純益37.8億元、年增9.3%，EPS達1.66元，創近五年同期新高。展望後市，光寶科預期第二季核心事業可望呈現「季增、年增」雙成長，全年AI相關營收占比也有機會逼近30%。為因應高功率產品與測試設備需求，已將全年資本支出目標調升至約130億元。

taiwan-subdivisions: 桃園 觀音

title: 熱門股／台達電創高超越股號 市值飆破6兆元！光寶科漲停刷天價 | 產經 | 非凡新聞


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1.提報董事會或經董事會決議日期:115/05/07

2.審計委員會通過日期:115/05/07

3.財務報告或年度自結財務資訊報導期間起訖日期(XXX/XX/XX~XXX/XX/XX):115/01/01~115/03/314.1月1日累計至本期止營業收入(仟元):175,4125.1月1日累計至本期止營業毛利(毛損)(仟元):6,5546.1月1日累計至本期止營業利益(損失)(仟元):(24,640)7.1月1日累計至本期止稅前淨利(淨損)(仟元):(22,399)8.1月1日累計至本期止本期淨利(淨損)(仟元):(22,530)9.1月1日累計至本期止歸屬於母公司業主淨利(損)(仟元):(22,530)10.1月1日累計至本期止基本每股盈餘(損失)(元):(0.16)

11.期末總資產(仟元):2,678,509

12.期末總負債(仟元):1,421,050

13.期末歸屬於母公司業主之權益(仟元):1,257,459

14.其他應敘明事項:無

- 資料來源：臺灣證券交易所公開資訊觀測站

- 以上資料均由各公司依發言當時所屬市場別之規定申報後對外公佈，資料如有虛偽不實，均由該公司負責。

title: 非凡新聞 - 台灣證交所即時重大訊息 - 公告本公司董事會通過115年度第1季合併財務報告


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美國積極推動高科技供應鏈在地化之際，經濟部長龔明鑫、國發會主委葉俊顯及駐美代表俞大㵢於美東時間6日在華府召開「台美供應鏈合作前景記者會」，公布出席「美國投資高峰會（SelectUSA Summit）」成果，並與台灣區電機電子工業同業公會（TEEMA）副理事長許介立簽署「共同推動海外產業聚落發展合作備忘錄」，協力幫助台廠排除投資障礙。

龔明鑫表示，在半導體及其供應鏈、與AI伺服器及其供應鏈領域，包含聯電、環球晶、穩懋、長春、鴻海、廣達、緯創、緯穎、仁寶等20家台廠，已表達對美國的投資意願，初步統計約達350億美元。

龔明鑫指出，若再加上台積電先前宣布加碼投資美國的1000億美元，目前台灣企業對美投資意願總額已達1350億美元，較今年1月訪美時統計的1260億美元再增加。他強調，這些皆為企業自主投資規劃，顯示台灣赴美布局已從單一企業行動，擴大為整體產業供應鏈策略，預期整體規模將持續擴大，不僅有助提升台廠全球競爭力，也能協助美國建立更完整且具韌性的高科技供應鏈。

為協助台廠落地美國，經濟部與國發會同步宣布三項措施。首先，國發基金將邀集金融機構成立保證專款，第一期預計支援金融機構提供赴美投資企業約500億美元融資額度，資金用途涵蓋機器設備採購、營運資金及產業聚落發展等。其次，龔明鑫也與電電公會簽署「共同推動海外產業聚落發展合作備忘錄」，未來將借重公會海外開發經驗，推動美國產業園區的選址、規劃與管理，複製台灣高效率供應鏈聚落模式。第三，經濟部日前已宣布於美國亞利桑那州鳳凰城設立第二個台灣貿易投資中心，將與德州達拉斯據點共同提供台廠赴美投資諮詢、法規與稅務協助、商務空間租賃等服務。

能源合作方面，龔明鑫與中油總經理張敏也赴美與美國最大液化天然氣（LNG）業者Cheniere，完成今年2月簽署的「25年天然氣採購長約」換文儀式。根據規劃，台灣自今年6月起開始交貨，明年起每年將採購120萬公噸。此舉有助分散天然氣來源，提升台灣能源安全與供應鏈韌性。

此外，針對美國先前啟動對台等國301調查，龔明鑫表示，台灣已就相關議題完成回覆，此次調查聚焦產能過剩與強迫勞動兩大項目，台灣並不存在產能過剩問題，反而仍面臨供給不足；強迫勞動部分，也已建立相關盤點與禁止進口機制。他認為，美台雙方皆希望維持既有投資合作備忘錄及台美對等貿易協定（ART）成果，因此301調查對既有合作影響有限，對台廠赴美投資意願也不致造成重大衝擊。

countries: 美國 台灣

title: 鴻海、廣達等入列！20家台廠有意赴美投資 金額達350億美元 | 產經 | 非凡新聞


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為應對伊朗局勢和中國出口管制雙重壓力，日本首相高市早苗及閣僚趁著黃金周出訪21國，核心任務就是搶能源。在日中關係降溫近半年，卻有自民黨高層閃電訪中，並表示與中國對話持開放態度，讓外界推測是否在「台灣有事」後尋求融冰？

告別了黃金周長假，日本民眾回歸日常，但這段期間高市內閣完全沒閒著。

日本首相 高市早苗（2026.04.24）：「請利用這次黃金周出訪機會，積極推動原油、石油產品的採購穩定，開拓新供應來源。」

高市一聲令下，十多位閣員在黃金周出訪21國，啟動搶能源大作戰，來因應中東危機、擺脫中國出口限制的威脅。

日本經濟產業大臣 赤澤亮正：「包含阿聯在內，5月整體替代採購率已提升到開戰前的6成，我們要求6月以後持續增加供應量。」

經濟產業大臣赤澤亮正傳出捷報，宣布已得到阿聯承諾追加原油供應；防衛大臣小泉進次郎也在社群瘋狂曬照，跟印尼防長就國防合作深入討論；外務大臣茂木敏充也走訪非洲4國，強化稀土、關鍵礦產的供應鏈。

東京電視台政治記者 齊藤慎一朗（2026.05.02）：「在中國加強軍事壓力的背景下，高市在越南演說，呼籲各國提升自主性與韌性，強化安全防衛。」

出訪越南跟澳洲，高市積極展開資源外交，相繼簽署協議，確保能源領域的合作。

在跟中國鬧僵快半年，沒有閣員訪中，但檯面下卻有政壇資深人士閃電出訪。

印度管理研究所研究員 中川幸司：「閣僚直接去太顯眼，西村康稔是自民黨重臣，以『高市傳聲筒』角色來說，他是最佳人選。」

眾議員西村康稔深受高市重用，專家認為他這趟是私下替高市傳遞敏感訊息。

與此同時，自民黨又掀派系疑雲。

日本電視台主播：「自民黨內最新動態，即將成立一個支持高市的全新議員聯盟。」

由小泉進次郎等人發起的新聯盟「國力研究會」，成員包括麻生太郎等資深大佬，集結黨內各方勢力，積極推動修憲，也攏絡「後高市」的接班人選，提前布局明年黨魁選舉，讓高市輕鬆連任。（記者林文浩、黃翊豪／綜合報導）

countries: 印度 印尼 越南 澳洲 伊朗 阿聯 日本 中國 台灣

title: 高市內閣"黃金周"拚出訪 21國搶能源補缺口 | 國際 | 非凡新聞


taiwan-subdivisions: 觀音 桃園


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股王信驊昨（5）日公告今年首季財報，單季獲利14.14億元，EPS達37.41元，雙雙寫下單季歷史新高。日系外資最新將目標價由17330元大幅調升至20220元，並維持「買進」評等，激勵信驊今（6）日股價開高震盪，一度大漲超過7%，衝上19195元，首度突破19000元大關，寫下台股新紀錄，5月三個交易日累計漲幅已超過1成。

信驊第一季營收31.47億元，季增28.80%、年增52.38%；毛利率69.18%，季增0.73個百分點；稅後淨利14.14億元，季增18%、年增59.4%；EPS達37.41元。4月營收12.79億元，月增3.5%、年增81.6%，再度改寫單月新高，累計前四月營收44.26億元，年增59.81%，也刷新同期最佳紀錄。

展望第二季，隨著伺服器需求持續升溫，信驊預期整體營運表現將延續第一季的強勁成長動能，單季營收可望進一步提升至34億至36億元，毛利率則可維持在67%至68%的高檔水準，反映出在產品組合優化與價格策略調整帶動下，獲利能力仍將維持亮眼成長。

日系外資也看好信驊後市表現，受惠CPU伺服器需求強勁以及BMC出貨持續成長，小幅上修2026至2028年EPS估約1%，同時維持「買進」評等，並將12個月目標價由17330元大幅調升至20220元，升幅超過16%，以今日最高價19195元計算，潛在漲幅超過5%。

在BMC出貨展望方面，外資再度上修信驊2026與2027年預估，分別由原先的2900萬顆與3470萬顆，調高至2940萬顆與3570萬顆，年增幅約為60%與21%。外資指出，隨著Agentic AI加速發展，一般伺服器需求前景走強，將持續支撐信驊BMC出貨成長。

title: 熱門股／外資目標價喊破2萬！股王信驊衝19195元 再刷新天價 | 產經 | 非凡新聞


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美股四大指數齊揚，台股今日（6）持續展現多頭氣勢，盤中再創新高41575點，記憶體、晶圓代工、老AI族群都是資金焦點，加權指數盤中雖一度遇上了結賣壓翻黑，終場仍上漲369.56點，漲幅0.91%，收在41138.85點，成交值1.44兆元，再創新天量；櫃買指數上漲0.7%，收在410.29點。

權值股火熱，聯發科連三天刷新高，漲停雖沒鎖穩，仍大漲超過8%，市值達5.5兆元；世芯-KY飆漲停，廣達、光寶科大漲7~8%，鴻海、川湖、華碩強攻5~6%，台光電、緯穎、緯創勁揚3~4%，台達電、國泰金、中信金、凱基金上漲1~2%，台積電震盪收平盤，京元電子拉回重挫7%，欣興、國巨*下跌3~4%。

IDC看好記憶體「這次不一樣」，美光、三星狂飆，華邦電、南亞科、晶豪科、群聯也強勢衝漲停，旺宏大漲7%，力積電、廣穎電通、威剛勁揚3~4%；成熟製程需求回溫，世界法說會後衝漲停，聯電也亮燈，站上90元，寫下近26年新高。

股王信驊強漲5%，盤中突破19K，寫下新紀錄19195元，台燿大漲超過7%，創意、精測上漲2~3%，致茂、勤誠勁揚4%；散熱族群卻遭倒貨，奇鋐、健策雙雙摔跌停，雙鴻、富世達下挫超過5%；高價半導體設備廠走勢分歧，弘塑飆漲停，站回3000元，萬潤卻亮綠燈，均華也挫逾4%。

title: 【台股盤後】再爆新天量！台股震盪上漲369點 寫收盤新高41138 | 金融 | 非凡新聞


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研究機構IDC最新報告指出，記憶體產業正在打破以往傳統景氣循環週期，發生結構性轉變，未來將成為AI基礎設施的重要關鍵。消息激勵美光（MU）飆漲11%、市值突破7000億美元，龍頭三星電子今（6）日更飆漲超過13%，點燃台股記憶體族群，華邦電、南亞科、旺宏、群聯、晶豪科、宜鼎等都亮燈，力積電、威剛等漲3~5%。

IDC指出「全球半導體產業正在歷經劇烈轉變，而記憶體產業正是此變革的震央」，認為「此次不同」，AI正帶來史無前例轉捩點，記憶體可望擺脫大起大落的景氣周期。機構更預測今年度DRAM產業營收將達4186億美元、成長近3倍，NAND則有望達1741億美元、成長超過2倍，並以超大規模CSP願意溢價支付取得供給為例，指出需求方採購規模正出現明顯質變。

該報告帶動美光5日股價飆漲逾11%，市值突破7000億美元大關，今年以來漲幅已達124.3%，過去一年更暴漲近700%；SanDisk（SNDK）也狂漲近12%，過去一年噴漲3963.3%；龍頭三星電子更是在今早盤狂漲12%，成為繼台積電後第二家市值達到上兆美元的亞洲企業，年初至今漲幅也已翻倍。

華邦電昨（5）日召開法說會，首季淨利突破百億元、達101.18億元，季增226.9%，與去年同期相比由虧轉盈，EPS 2.25元；單季毛利率達約53.4%，年增約27.8個百分點。展望後市，公司指出記憶體缺貨潮將延續，訂單能見度相當高，2026~2027產能已「全數賣光」，並決議新增約73億元的資本支出案，更預告第二季至下半年將迎來顯著價格調漲，營收也將隨之躍升，整體營運相當樂觀。

記憶體族群今日大放異彩，DRAM雙雄的華邦電衝漲停、站上108.5元，睽違逾1個月重返百元俱樂部，盤中成交量達逾23萬張，為台股第三，有逾3.5萬張買單高掛；南亞科累計前4月營收年增6倍，且已突破2025全年營收，股價同鎖漲停282元，盤中有逾2.4萬張買單排隊。

title: 熱門股／IDC喊打破景氣循環！美光、三星飆漲 華邦電、南亞科衝漲停 | 產經 | 非凡新聞


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成熟製程迎來反彈契機，世界昨（5）日法說會釋出正面訊號，不僅第一季獲利寫近一年高，第二季展望亦持續成長，帶動市場信心回溫。今（6）日族群股價強勢表態，世界開盤即亮燈漲停，聯電也同步攻上漲停，創下近26年新高，力積電也強勢走揚。

世界指出，受惠於價格調整與需求回升，第二季動能將延續，預估晶圓出貨量季增11~13%，平均銷售單價季增2~4%，在新台幣兌美元31.3元假設下，毛利率將落在31~33%。展望後市，世界表示，目前訂單能見度較三個月前顯著改善，加上多元客戶需求支撐，今年全年營收成長可望優於成熟製程產業平均的中雙位數增幅，顯示產業景氣逐步回溫。此外，世界同步調整新加坡合資12吋廠VSMC營運規劃，透過與客戶簽訂「寄託設備＋長約產能承諾」，新增矽中介層晶圓代工服務，正式切入AI先進封裝供應鏈。

外資觀點則呈現分歧，摩根士丹利給予世界 「中立」評等、目標價130元，認為非AI需求復甦與市占提升將帶動產業回升。但高盛則重申「賣出」評等、目標價138元，指出隨著明年起擴產，毛利率恐面臨稀釋壓力；不過，同步上修今、明年營收預估，預期分別年增20.5%、19.2%，反映新客戶導入帶動PMIC出貨成長、價格調漲及產品組合優化效益等。

聯電先前法說亦釋出正向展望，第一季EPS 1.29元，創近10季新高，預估第二季晶圓出貨量將季增7~9%，以美元計價的平均售價將小幅成長1~3%，整體表現優於首季，並搭配庫藏股政策，進一步提振市場信心。

今成熟製程三雄股價齊揚，聯電強勢飆漲停，重返9字頭，跳空躍至91.4元，刷新2000年7月以來、近26年新高，盤中爆量24.4萬張，奪台股第三大，並高掛4.5萬張求買；三大法人已連3買，累計買超7萬6627張。世界開盤一字亮燈，衝上169元，改寫1月底以來新高，成交量達4.4萬張。力積電一度大漲近8%，來到59.8元，為3月31日來高點，成交量噴19.2萬張；三大法人連2日買超3萬7131張，外資同步連2買，入手3萬4133張，昨日則買進2萬6503張，高居買超榜第九。

title: 熱門股／聯電漲停衝近26年高、4.5萬張排隊等買！世界先進開盤亮燈 | 產經 | 非凡新聞


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1.董事會決議日期:115/05/07

2.增資資金來源:現金增資。

3.是否採總括申報發行新股(是，請併敘明預定發行期間/否):否

4.全案發行總金額及股數(如屬盈餘或公積轉增資，發行股數則不含配發給員工部分):

(1)發行總金額：美金120,000,000元

(2)發行股數：120,000,000股權

5.採總括申報發行新股案件，本次發行金額及股數:不適用

6.採總括申報發行新股案件，本次發行後，剩餘之金額及股數餘額:不適用

7.每股面額:不適用

8.發行價格:不適用

9.員工認購股數或配發金額:不適用

10.公開銷售股數:不適用

11.原股東認購或無償配發比例:0%。

12.畸零股及逾期未認購股份之處理方式:不適用

13.本次發行新股之權利義務:本次現金增資，其權利義務與原有股權相同。

14.本次增資資金用途:償還銀行借款。

15.其他應敘明事項:本次增資由百和興業股份有限公司全數認購。增資後，香港百期國際貿易有限公司及百和興業股份有限公司分別持有越南百宏責任有限公司55.49%股權和44.51%股權。

- 資料來源：臺灣證券交易所公開資訊觀測站

- 以上資料均由各公司依發言當時所屬市場別之規定申報後對外公佈，資料如有虛偽不實，均由該公司負責。

countries: 台灣 越南 香港 臺灣

title: 非凡新聞 - 台灣證交所即時重大訊息 - 代子公司越南百宏責任有限公司公告董事會決議辦理現金增資


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穩定幣全球交易量飆速成長！2026年第一季就衝破28兆美元，也讓台灣加速追上國際腳步。金管會主委彭金隆表示，等《虛擬資產服務法》三讀通過，子法六個月內完備，就能開放業者申請發行。外銀也看好台灣具備跨境貿易，與成熟監理兩大優勢，未來可結合半導體供應鏈，逐步對接全球數位金融體系。相關專法加速落地，也能確保台灣穩定幣生態圈，在支付與跨國匯兌等應用場景下，能穩健落地！

全球各地光纖網路中，穩定幣正以極快速度，悄無聲息跨越國境，完成各式金流交易。

全球穩定幣發行規模突破3200億美元，2026年第一季交易額，更衝上28兆美元新高。台灣也積極討論相關專法，金管會主委彭金隆最新曝光上路進程。

金管會主委 彭金隆：「美國最近在熱烈討論的清晰法案裡面，有對這個東西有非常多的討論，就是說沒有任何交易的價值提升，供這個報酬，等於說單純發行穩定幣，持有人是未來在美國，清晰法案上面是不同意的，但是接下來經過交易或者是怎麼樣，是可以產生這樣一個報酬的。（開放）取決在我們立法院的速度，三讀通過子法，子法在六個月內要完備，就可以開始接受申請。」

目前參考美國，台灣界定穩定幣不是存款，不能單靠持有，就提供報酬。用途、跨足產業影響與交易制度，是未來研議方向。

幣圈專家也點出，隨歐美法規落地，台灣若能跟上腳步，可望在「非美元穩定幣」浪潮中找到可行出路。例如應用場景，對出口商來說，傳統跨境電匯需2至3天，穩定幣幾分鐘就能結算，成本大幅降低。當然，非美元穩定幣也有運行挑戰。

比特幣及虛擬資產發展協會創會理事長 林紘宇：「穩定幣的特性，就是它可以快速地重複跨境使用，所以可以說它週轉率極高。所以光2026年第一季，這個交易量就超過28兆美元，而且已經確定超過了Mastercard跟Visa Card的交易量。但問題是，美元穩定幣的市占率，目前高達98%以上，有絕對的壟斷地位，而且再加上有這個網絡效應，所以後發的競爭者，其實要面臨很大的競爭挑戰。所以關鍵在於，非美元穩定幣能不能推出，有自己支付跟清算特色的穩定幣。」

外銀也點出台灣機會，認為非美元穩定幣，在全球跨境支付體系中，仍有約五成發展空間。而台灣擁有跨境貿易動能，未來如果能結合半導體供應鏈，可能成為企業跨境結算，與資金調度的新選項。

穩定幣從防堵詐騙，走向數位貨幣主權競爭。台灣在全球金融科技升級戰中，沒有缺席！（記者 周恬吏、萬俊樑／台北採訪報導）

title: 全球規模3200億美元! 台版穩定幣發行加速中 | 金融 | 非凡新聞